Working Document Series Open Access 2010 RUF-34592

Parametric pedotransfer functions for predicting soil water retention in a Ngerengere Subcatchment, Morogoro -Tanzania

Kitalyi. AichiJ. DietzJ. KaingoH. MahooP.W. Mtakwa

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Abstract

99 words

The soil water retention-release characteristics (SWRC) are essential to understand water redistribution in agricultural systems. However, direct measurements of SWRC are constrained by costs, scarcity of equipment and time. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are proposed as a simplified indirect alternative. The gist of this work was to assess the efficacy of selected parametric PTFs for prediction of SWRC based on the Van Genuchten parameters (θs, α, n). Lowest prediction bias was for ès (ME; 0.0574 to 0.1249cm3cm-3). Greatest prediction bias was for n (ME; -0.659 to 0.8521). The PTFs showed low reliability (R2 <15%) necessitating development of locally calibrated PTFs.

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