Measuring Soil Physical Properties with a Texture Analyser

Two of the most important properties of soil are texture and structure. Unlike the definition of ‘texture’ that describes a sample’s physical properties, soil texture is the relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay, and it affects the soil’s ability to hold onto water and nutrients. Soil structure refers to the aggregation of sand, silt, and clay into blocks of soil in various sizes and shapes. This has a significant influence on pore space in soil, and the ease of passage of water, air and roots.

The assessment of soil texture, structure, and other physical properties, is important for agricultural purposes to determine crop suitability and to predict the response of the soil to environmental and management conditions, such as fertiliser.¹