A.

Soil Consistency Consistency is one of soil physical characters showed by the resistance to arrest from deforming itself by an adhesive or a cohesive power from the soils environment. The power is such as example hoeing. Soil consistency is important to determine the best soil treatment we can give, the root penetration and the ability of soil for keeping in clammy condition. There are two methods to determine soil consistency: (a) qualitative and (b) quantitative. The prime attention of qualitative method is what happened in field, it refers to the resistance of the soil. Soil consistence can be established in three moisture levels such as wet, moist and dry. Wet soils moist condition is more than its field capacity, it can be observed with its viscidity symptoms such as sticky and plastic. Sticky soil is used to show adhesion situation to stick to other object , whereas plastic means soil ability to be formed as roll. Moist soil can be notified by its moist condition that lies between blustery dry and field capacity, for a simple experiment we can squeeze the soil until it become approximately damp. Moist soil levels are very loose, loose, solid, very solid, and extraordinary solid. These levels shows us how far a soil condition can hold up its form by giving some pressure. The last moisture level in qualitative method is dry soil. Dry soil means that its moist condition lies under blustery dry. This is a condition where water can not be absorbed by soil. Dry consistency is measured by breaking soil aggregate using thumb and forefinger. Quantitative method is established in a laboratory based on Atterbergs principles. These principles means the percentage showed at the moment the soils consistency changes. Those principles are molten bounds, sticking bounds, rolling bounds and color changing bounds. Consistence of soil is influenced by the other soil physical character: a. Water content; the higher water contained in the soil is, the lower consistency that soil will have

b. Soil texture; if the sand fraction dominate the soil texture, then it will decrease the consistency c. Soil porosity; the higher the porosity is will be decreasing the soil consistency d. Organic matter; the higher it is, the lower consistency will be.

B. Soil Moisture Soil moisture is a condition that shows the capability of soil to bind up water. A physical character that measured by observing the total rate of water, field capacity and permanent withering plant point. Soil moisture is determined by water potential, root distribution and the temperature. Water availability for plants comes from the rain, soil resistance, soil saving capacity, water movement and root volume. In the soil, water moves from high to low potential. Soil moisture is a variable key in controlling the exchange of water and heat energy between the land surface and the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration. As a result, soil moisture plays an important role in the development of weather patterns and the production of precipitation. Soil moisture determines the amount of pores that lies in. These pores also determines the soil fertility. There are two kinds of pores such as macro pores and micro pores. Macro pores contains air whereas micro pores contain water. Therefore those pores establish the condition of aeration and drainage of the soil and determine the plant growth. So, the core of soil moisture is water. Water is the prime nutrition for every organism, including plants. Water roles as the solvent, carrier, temperature keeper, metabolisms and reactions agent.

C. Air In The Soil Air in the soil as well as ground water have essential roles sighted of ecology aspect (root respiration and microorganisms) and pedogenesis (oxidation and reduction). Water and air that contained in soil pores are

depending each other. If the soil is full of water, then the air in the soil will be zero. And if the soil condition is dry means that the whole pore filled by air. Gases exchange happens in macro pores, so its depend on the total amount of air contained in soil. Those gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N). Gas exchange depends on the permeability of the soil into the air that measured by the amount of air-filled pores and its continuity, its also influenced by particle size distribution, structure and water content. Gas exchange happens in diffusion method that occurs by the difference of partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the soil and the atmosphere. The combination of air and water in the soil results an aeration (exchange between the air of atmosphere and the air of soil happened in macro pores) and drainage (soil capability to permeate the water in soil naturally which happened in micro pores). Both macro or micro pores must be in balanced amount to get the best growing plant. There are two reasons why they must be balanced and there are (1) it must be enough room for a solid and liquid part, (2) gases must be easy to move in and out from the room, so thats why pores are important.

D. Soil Temperature Soil temperatures plays important roles in many processes which happens inside the soil such as chemical reactions and biological interactions. Its fluctuates annually and daily affected mainly by variations in air temperature and solar radiation. Soil temperature is the result of all radiation that means the combination of the emission of the wave length and the heat energy in the soil which comes from the radiation of sun and cloud, and the conduction inside the earth. The position of the soil affects to the light absorption capacity. The larger the angle of light comes, the more light will be absorbed. And the higher a place of the surface is, the colder the soil will be. Soil temperature

have the impacts on the water absorbing. The lower the temperature is, the fewer of water can be absorbed, therefore the temperature decreasing can cause the plant wilting. Soil temperature is also a useful guide for timing spring seeding processes. After the seed is planted, we need to know that the germination can be occurred as we wish it. If the soil is too cool, germination might be delayed which can be damaging for the plant growth. On the other hand, if the soil is unusually warm in the spring, it may be better to seed earlier than normal.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sutanto, Rachman.2005. Dasar-Dasar Ilmu Tanah. Kanisius, Yogyakarta. Tim Dosen Pengampu Ilmu Tanah. 2011. ILMU TANAH Pedoman Praktis Identifikasi Tanah. Jurusan Ilmu Tanah Fakultas Pertanian UNS.