Agricultural Science·Soil · NSSCO 2.4

Soil texture & structure

Narrated lesson · press play

Scoop up a handful of Namibian soil and you are holding two completely different ideas that decide whether a crop thrives or fails — its texture and its structure. Texture is the SIZE mix of the particles (sand, silt and clay) and you can never change it; structure is how those particles CLUMP into crumbs, and a good farmer can build it. In this lesson we sort the two apart, meet the soil crumb, and learn why a good crumb structure is a gift to a growing plant.

What you'll learn in this lesson

By the end you should be able to (NSSCO Agricultural Science 2.4):

  • Distinguish between soil texture and soil structure
  • Describe soil texture in terms of different soil particles: sand, silt and clay
  • Explain what is meant by a soil crumb
  • Explain the importance of forming and maintaining a good crumb structure for optimum plant growth
Loading your lesson…
You're watching a free 3-minute preview — create a free account to keep going.
Soil texture & structure · NSSCO Agricultural Science · namstudy