Resolving discrepancies between laboratory-determined field capacity values and field water content observations: implications for irrigation management

The concept of soil water contents at field capacity (FC at 0.33 MPa) and at wilting point (WP at 15 MPa) is often used to explain plant water availability and as maximal and minimal limits on observed soil water content. Field observations often differ, however, from laboratory-determined FC and WP water content values. Moreover, as more capable sensors have become available and graphical plots of soil water dynamics have become common,...