ISSN 2375-088X
African Journal of Soil Science Vol. 2 (3), pp. 072-076, September, 2014. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
A digital soil textural class determination from the percentages of silt and clay
F. O. Adekayode 1 and D.T. Akomolafe 2
1Department of Crop, Soil and Pest Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
2Department of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria. Email: [email protected]
Accepted 27, May 2 014
Abstract
The input of the percentages of silt and clay on the interface generated with the C Sharp (C#) computer programme gave an automated soil textural class determination. The programme incorporated in the coding, the percentage silt and clay values in order to classify the soil into one of the categories of the sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, sandy clay and clay textural classes. The Design Interface was created in Microsoft Visual Studio and the Toolbox activated for the application of the Label, Text and Button Tools. The parameters ‘Enter percent silt’ and ‘Enter percent clay’ were typed in the two Label boxes respectively while empty box spaces were created against each for the information of percent silt and percent clay to be filled by the user. The debugging of code page brought up the User Interface. When the percent silt and clay were entered in the spaces on the User Interface and the ‘Determine the Soil Texture’ button clicked, the soil textural class category was generated and displayed. The automated method gave an instant soil textural class without the use of the soil textural triangle.
Key words: Soil texture, automated determination, percent silt, percent clay.