Ring diameter effects on determination of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity of different loam soils

Abstract Establishing ring diameter effects on the field-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Kfs, determined with ponding infiltrometer methods can help to find a compromise between the need to sample a large area with an individual measurement and the impracticality of using large rings in the field. Five ring sizes (diameter, D = 5.5, 10.9, 16.0, 27.8 and 31.8 cm) were used to determine Kfs by the simplified falling head (SFH) technique in four loamy soils with different salinity (electrical conductivity of saturated extract, ECe = 0.9–29.4 dS/m) and sodicity (exchangeable sodium percentage, ESP = 2.7–81.3%) levels. According to USDA classification, two soils were non-saline, non-sodic…