ISSN: 0041-3216 (Online), 0041-3216 (Print)
Volume 51 Number 4
An irrigation rating for some soils in Antigua, W.I.
Criteria for establishing the irrigation suitability of soils in Antigua, West Indies, were developed by re-evaluating criteria developed for temperate climates to take into consideration the soil physical property differences that result from a tropical environment and the specific local conditions. These are essentially the role of texture, structure and drainage, and also the effect of cracking in clays on structure and drainage. Seven potential irrigation sites were investigated and rated, according to the criteria established, on the basis of texture, structure, depth and uniformity of the profile, salinity, alkalinity and drainage. One site was rated as class 1 land; two sites were found to be predominantly class 2 land; one site was class 3; and three sites were dominantly class 4, though these exhibited a high amount of variability. During the detailed investigation of the sites, a number of soil phases and one new soil series were added to the catalogue of soils on Antigua.