Arrange the following soil texture with decreasing field capacity water content.

(A) Sandy loam

(B) Sandy

(C) Silty loam

(D) Clay

(E) Clay loam

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is D

Explanation of the Correct Option (d): (D), (E), (C), (A), (B)
· Field capacity is the amount of water retained in soil after excess gravitational water has drained away.
· It mainly depends on:
· Soil texture
· Pore size distribution
· Clay and organic matter content
Decreasing order of field capacity:
(D) Clay
· Highest field capacity
· Very fine particles
· Large surface area and many micropores
· Retains maximum water
(E) Clay loam
· High clay content with better structure
· Slightly lower field capacity than clay
(C) Silty loam
· Good balance of micro and macropores
· High water retention, but less than clay loam
(A) Sandy loam
· Coarser texture
· Lower water-holding capacity
(B) Sandy
· Dominated by large pores
· Rapid drainage
· Lowest field capacity
· Hence, the correct decreasing order is: Clay → Clay loam → Silty loam → Sandy loam → Sandy
Explanation of Other Options
Option (a)
· Incorrect because:
· Sandy soil has the lowest field capacity, not intermediate.
Option (b)
· Incorrect because:
· Clay should be first, not placed after sandy loam.
Option (c)
· Incorrect because:
· Sandy soil cannot have higher field capacity than finer soils.
Key Points Related to the Question
· Field capacity increases with clay and silt content
· Sandy soils have low water retention
· Clay soils have high water-holding capacity
· Field capacity is crucial for:
· Irrigation scheduling
· Crop water availability