Clay content and its mineralogical composition are key properties to be considered in sustainable soil management. Members of the Belgium and Luxemburg Soil Laboratory Network (BESOLAN) organized  a webinar to present an overview  of the various methodologies used to determine clay content of soils, including traditional techniques and the alternative methods.

RECORDING

AGENDA

1:00 – 1:10 PM CEST | Opening, welcome remarks

• Mr Filippo Benedetti, Coordinator of the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN)
• Ms Marija Romic, chair of the European and Eurasian Soil Laboratory Network (EUROSOLAN)
• Mr Kristof Tirez, Belgium and Luxembourg Soil Laboratory Network (BESOLAN)
• Chair of the webinar: Mr Joost Salomez, Government of Flanders, Department of Environment and Spatial Planning

1:10 – 1:50 CEST| Introduction on the importance of clay content in soil

• General introduction – GLOSOLAN perspective | Ms Hanane Aroui, GLOSOLAN vice-Chair, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD)
• Indicators soil health based on the relation between soil organic matter and clay | Mr Axel Don, Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Germany

1:50 – 2:30 CEST| Standard methodology for the determination of the clay content of soils (Brussels, Flemish, Walloon Regions and Luxemburg)

• The sieving and sedimentation method (ISO 11277) | Ms Chris Vanhoof, Flemish Reference Laboratory for Environmental Monitoring (VITO) | Mr Lionel Leydet, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, Administration of Technical Agricultural Services | Mr Gilles Colinet, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, EESP, University of Liège

2:30 - 2:50 PM CEST | Questions and answers

• Mr Joost Salomez and presenters

2:50 - 3:00 PM CEST | 10-minute break

3:00 – 4:00 CEST| Alternative methods for the determination of the clay content of soils and comparability with the sieving and sedimentation method

• Near-infrared spectroscopy | Ms Clémence Mariage, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, EESP, University of Liège
• Should laser diffraction become the new standard for soil particle size analysis ? | Mr Bruno De Vos, Research Institute for Nature and Forest
• Determination of soil particle size distribution using the dynamometer method | Ms Maria Kreimeyer, AGROLAB Laboratory Group, Germany

4:00 – 4:30 CEST | Methods complementary to the determination of the clay content of soils

• Identification of clay minerals by X-ray diffraction | Ms Nathalie Fagel, Département de Géologie, University of Liège
• Interpretation and application of mineralogy results | Ms Simone Marx, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, Administration of Technical Agricultural Services, Luxembourg

4:30 - 4:50 CEST | Questions and answers | Mr Joost Salomez and presenters

4:50 - 5:00 CEST | Wrap up and closure of the webinar | Mr Filippo Benedetti, Global Soil Partnership Secretariat Mr Kristof Tirez, Belgium and Luxembourg Soil Laboratory Network