Group #01

Group No:1 Presentation
• TOPIC OF PRESENTATION
• SOIL WATER HOLDING CAPACITY ,
• FIELD CAPACITY
• Characteristics of Xerophytes and
hydrophytes
Presented By
• Madnia bibi
• Shazia shabeer
• M.Seeraj
• M.Asif
• Hafiz Mohammad Awais
Presented To:
Prof.Sohail shb.
Soil water holding capacity
•Soil ?
• Soil is the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust .
• Contains organic and inorganic materials .
• it is the “skin of the earth.”
Soil composition
• Soil is composed of four primary

compounds
• Minerals
• Organic matter
• Air
• And water
Composition of soil
Function of soil
• What is the function of soil?

• Plant medium
• Recycling system for nutrients
• Animal home
• Supply nutrients for plant growth.
• System for water storage and supply .
• Modifier of earth atmosphere .
Factors influence
• The ability of soil to perform those functions is

dependant upon:
• Soil Texture
• Soil Structure
• Soil Chemistry
• Soil Age
• Site Factors (topography, water, etc)
• Etc.
Types of Ground water
• Gravitational – also called “free water.” – • This is the water that

drains out of the soil after it has been wetted. – This water moves
downward through the soil because of the pull of gravity. –
• Capillary – water that moves into and is held in the soil by
capillary forces .
• Hygroscopic – very thin water films around the soil particles. –
This water is unavailable to plants.
Soil water holding capacity ?
• It is the amount of water that a given soil can hold for crop use.
• It is a soil property which represents the amount of water a soil can retain
after it has been saturated by rain and downward movement has ceased.
Factors influence water holding capacity :
• Water Holding Capacities of Soils • The amount of

water a soil can retain is influenced by:
• • –soil texture
• • –soil structure
• • –organic matter.
Soil texture
• The smaller the soil particles,

the greater the soil’s water
holding capacity .(Clay )
• Large soil particles (sand) have
fewer capillary spaces, therefore
less ability to hold water .
Factors
• Soil Structure
• • -A soil structure has a direct correlation to the amount of water
it can retain.
•• Organic Matter
• • – Organic matter aids in cementing particles of clay, silt, and
sand together into aggregates which increases the water holding
capacity. •.
How to increase water holding capacity.
• Soil organic matter (SOM) is another factor

that can help increase water holding
capacity.
• It is decayed material that originated from a
living organism.
• The most effective way of boosting soil
water holding capacity is to create a
favourable structure by loosening the soil.
Aggregates
• Soil aggregates are critical for holding water in the soil

for two reasons.
• First, a well-aggregated soil has large pores between
aggregates to let water enter the soil profile.
• Second, small pores within aggregates hold water
tightly enough to keep it around, but loosely enough
for plant roots to take it up.
• Animal manures are one option for increasing soil
organic matter and soil health.
• Organic fertilizer
and cow dung also
increase the water
holding capacity.
Field Capacity
• Field Capacity is the amount of soil moisture or water

content held in the soil after excess water has drained
away and the rate of downward movement has decreased.
• Field capacity is the point where the soil water holding
capacity has reached its maximum for the entire field. The
goal for agricultural producers is to maintain the field at or
near capacity. … Soil texture and organic matter are the
key components that determine soil water holding
capacity.
Field capacity
• Explanation
• When irrigation is applied to the soil, all the soil pores
get filled with water. After the gravitational drainage,
the large soil pores are filled with both air and water,
while the smaller pores are still full of water. At this
stage, the soil is said to be at field capacity. At field
capacity, the water and air contents of the soil are
considered to be ideal for crop growth .
Field capacity .
Soil texture
• Soil texture affects

the wilting point,
field water-holding
capacity, and the
moisture available
to plants. This
suggests that sandy
soil has the lowest
wilting point as
well as low field
capacity.
Factors effect
• At field capacity the soil retains the maximum amount of

moisture. Field capacity is influenced by soil texture; for example,
fine-textured soils, such as clay or loam soils, have larger moisture
holding field capacity than coarse-textured soils such as sandy-
textured soils.
• The lowest limit of field capacity when little water is left in soil is
termed as Wilting point. Plant may show temporary wilting at mid
day during summers, which can be recovered by the fruit plant if
irrigation is applied immediately.
Xerophytes and hydrophytes
Xerophytes Characteristics
It is also called desert plant

Xerophytes are found in very dry and often hot
environments this means that these plants have had
to adapt to survive in these harsh conditions where
there is often a shortage of water.
Examples:
cactus, euphorbia, acacia, oleander, bromeliads,
kalanchoe, and esparto grass are famous and well-
known xerophytes.
Xerophytes plants .
Characteristics
• Xerophyte leaves are either extremely

small or not there all together;leaves
have been reduced to spines.
• They will have a very thick waxy
cuticle
• The leaves and stem of the xerophyte

plants may also be a silver colour
meaning they contain less chloroplast
which can be a slight disadvantage as
the rate of photosynthesis .
• But the silver colour will reflect the sunlight causing less water to
evaporate remeaning water loss will be less.
Temperature control
• The plant will also be able to control its temperature better.

Leaves of a xerophyte plants can also roll up causing the stomata
to be inside the roll where moisture will become trapped and the
environment around the stomata to be more humid slowing the
rate of transpiration .
• Some leaves will also be shaped so that when it does rain water
will travel down the leaf and into the plant.
• The plants need to stay upright in order for their leaves to absorb
enough sunlight energy for them to carry out photosynthesis.
Rolled leaf
Characteristics of xerophytes .
• The stomata are found on the bottom of the leaf .

• Many xerophyte plants are C4 plants .
• C4 plants are able to.close their stomata during the day
when it is hot and humid to prevent water loss via
transpiration .
• The roots of xerophyte plants are well developed and reach
out for long distances but only grow close to the soil surface
• The roots also have tiny root hairs that increases the surface
area of the roots which allows them to absorb more water.
Root of xerophytes
Stem
• The stems of
xerophyte plants are
also succulent and
able to store large
amounts of water .
• The stem of the plant
also has supporting
tissues (fibers) which
allows the plant to
stay upright
Hydrophytes
• Hydrophytes are those plants which live in water and adjust

with their surroundings.
• It is also called aquatic plants
• Example :
• Water lilies, sedges, crow foots .
Characteristics of hydrophytes .
• Water retension
• Aquatic plants are literally submerged in water
at all times, there is no need for the plant to
water retention like non-aquatic plants.
• Flat Leaves
• Some aquatic plants float on the surface of
water; most aquatic plants have flat leaves
which act as floation to a portion of the plant.
Feathery roots
Most hydrophtes have roots that are

small and feathery. These are designed
to take in oxygen from the water, and
since the plant is fully submersed in
water at all times, there is less need
for a long and thick root structure.
Air sacs
Many hydrophytes have air

sacks (chambers) that help
the plant float on the
surface of the water.
Characteristics
• Stomata are totally absent in submerge hydrophytes.or

present on upper surface of leaves
• Exchange of gases takes place through diffusion.
Xylem is poorly developed in Hydrophytes as the water
absorption takes place all over surface of the plant body.
• Hydrophytes have aerenchyma in all parts of the plants.
Aerenchyma proves provides buoyancy to the
hydrophytes.
Basic characteristics.
• Hydrophyte survival characteristics:

• Thin cuticle.
• Stomata open most of time (as water is abundant)
• Plants in water have less structure (water pressure
supports them).
• Large flat leaves on surface plants for flotation.
• Air sacs for flotation.
• Reduction in roots (H2O can diffuse directly into leaves).

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Group No:1 Presentation

• Soil is composed of four primary

• What is the function of soil?

• The ability of soil to perform those functions is

• Gravitational – also called “free water.” – • This is the water that

• Water Holding Capacities of Soils • The amount of

• The smaller the soil particles,

• Soil organic matter (SOM) is another factor

• Soil aggregates are critical for holding water in the soil

• Field Capacity is the amount of soil moisture or water

• Soil texture affects

• At field capacity the soil retains the maximum amount of

It is also called desert plant

• Xerophyte leaves are either extremely

• The leaves and stem of the xerophyte

• The plant will also be able to control its temperature better.

• The stomata are found on the bottom of the leaf .

• Hydrophytes are those plants which live in water and adjust

Most hydrophtes have roots that are

Many hydrophytes have air

• Stomata are totally absent in submerge hydrophytes.or

• Hydrophyte survival characteristics:

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