SOIL TESTS TO DETERMINE APPLICATION RATES FOR POLYMERIC SOIL CONDITIONERS

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Abstract
We have developed five different soil tests that can be used in the laboratory (two of them can also be used in the field) to determine possible rates for field application of polymeric soil conditioners to achieve desirable physical properties of soil. These tests are (1) determining rates of polymers to achieve flocculation of soils in test tubes, (2) filtering and air-dying the aggregates from the test tubes to evaluate water stability, (3) testing a range of concentrations of polymers to determine the rate that preserves existing soil aggregates, (4) treating small samples of soil with polymers, followed by curing, for water penetration tests, and (5) wet-sieving control soils and soils treated with polymers while in suspension. All tests relate to application of polymers in irrigation water, which procedure increases the efficiency severalfold due to improved spatial relationships in soil.

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