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Soil Texture

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This is a photograph of an experiment demonstrating the effect of soil texture. Equal amounts of water were applied simultaneously to each of the three columns of soil. Sandy soil permits fast movement of percolating water, and lowers the opportunity for dissolved chemicals to be adsorbed. Clay and organic soils tend to hold water and dissolved chemicals longer. Also, these soils have more surface area on which pesticides can be adsorbed, in comparison with sandy soils. The sandier the soil, the greater the chance of a pesticide reaching groundwater.

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