The presence of subsurface high density soil layers has an important effect upon the infiltration and water movement into the soil, difficulting the water management during the irrigation. Aiming to identify and characterize this high density soil layers at the Neopolis Platô, Sergipe State, Brazil, the physico-hydrical properties density, porosity, water retention and capillary conductivity were determined and utilized. The capillary conductivity was determined throughout the instantaneous soil profile using the Libardi Model. The studied characteristics (density, porosity, water retention and capillary conductivity) were very effective at identifying and characterizing the hardsetting layers.
hardsetting soils; irrigation; capillary conductivity
