Soil Questions

[Zoohtasim]

Hey, so I'm having my exams right now and I have ENDLESS queries regarding my Agriculture subject. So I thought maybe I'd ask you all to help?

Q.1- "The land should be given a shallow ploughing when it reaches to the stage at the end of the rainy season in drought prone areas. This operation will pulverize and close soil micropores. The sun ray then will not cause the drying of the soils"
is what's written in my textbook. I understood nothing. Can someone please explain? What is shallow ploughing? How does closing the soil micropores help to preserve soil moisture? What are soil micropores actually?

Q.2- Why is mulching done? Is it because the sun rays won't directly fall on the soil and cause it to lose it's moisture or something?

Q.3- "Soil should be compacted by laddering after every ploughing. It will conserve moisture in the soil" is what's written in the book. But how will compacting the soil conserve moisture?

Q.5- How does raking help to conserve soil moisture?

Q.6- How do granular and loose soil particles increase the soil's water holding capacity?


Extremely sorry for sounding dumb, I really don't like this subject and I'd much rather be feeding my chickens. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[saysfaa]

Are these the questions on the exam?

 

[Zoohtasim]

Are these the questions on the exam?

I have this chapter on the exam and these are the questions I have on that chapter

 

[saysfaa]

Hm. Ok.

All of your questions can be understood by thinking about how water moves. Do you understand capillary action and evaporation?

 

[Zoohtasim]

Hm. Ok.

All of your questions can be understood by thinking about how water moves. Do you understand capillary action and evaporation?

I think so, yes.

 

[saysfaa]

Think about what surface area does to the rate of evaporation. And what the size of the spaces between "walls" does to the capillary action of water.

Remember there are spaces between soil particles as well as the the space above the top layer of soil. Can you see how the shapes and sizes of each type of space would affect evaporation and capillary action?