Fluctation moisture properties in the application of soil dielectric measurement in the North Bengkulu District, Indonesia

¹ University of Bengkulu, Departement of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bengkulu, Indonesia
² University of Bengkulu, Departement of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Bengkulu, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: bhermawan@unib.ac.id

Abstract

Information about soil moisture in the root layer is very important in evaluating water availability for plants, erosion rates and various other hydrological characteristics. Previous research has found a technology for measuring soil dielectric properties as a soil moisture estimator that can be carried out quickly in the field. The purpose of this study was to apply dielectricity technology in estimating the characteristics of soil moisture in situ in the field at the North Bengkulu in Bengkulu Province. Five land units in North Bengkulu Regency, Indonesia, have been selected as experimental sites. At each location, the soil profile was excavated to a depth of 100 cm, the basic characteristics of the soil in each layer were described in the field and analyzed in detail in the laboratory. The variables measured in the field are the measurement of the dielectric properties of the soil, the effective depth of the soil, the horizon and the characteristics of each horizon. The variables analyzed in the laboratory were texture, organic matter in each layer, aggregate stability at 0-10 cm layer, field soil moisture at the time of measurement, and groundwater characteristics. The relationship between the data on the basic characteristics of the soil with the soil moisture balance variable in the laboratory analysis and measurements of dielectric properties in the field, was then determined using regression analysis. The results showed that the five locations studied had different profile characteristics and groundwater fluctuations. Of the four independent variables tested (percentage of sand, silt, clay and organic carbon) then the content of sand and clay can be used as predictors of the water content of field capacity. Because the four independent variables have a very weak correlation with permanent wilting point water, the available water content can only be predicted from the sand and clay content.