Water repellency prediction in high‐organic Greenlandic soils: Comparing vis–NIRS to pedotransfer functions

Soil water repellency (SWR) is a common phenomenon across agricultural soils of South Greenland that can negatively affect soil function and productivity. Existing methods to measure SWR as content (w) are laborious. This study was conducted determine the potential visible near-infrared spectroscopy (vis-NIRS), fast alternative method pedotransfer functions (PTFs), for predicting indices in 143 from (clay: 0.016-0.172 kg kg–1; OC: 0.009-0.241 kg–1). PTFs were established by multiple linear regression based on OC, clay, pH. Partial least squares (PLS-R) interval PLS-R applied build vis–NIRS prediction models (vis-NIR range: 400–2500 nm) comparative analysis. Four predicted; after 60 ℃ pretreatment (SWR60), area under SWR-w curve (SWRarea), critical soil-water (wnon), integrative dynamic index (IRDI). Both SWRarea wnon accurately predicted (R2 = 0.90, SRMSE 0.05; R2adj 0.91, 0.05) while SWR60 IRDI less (R2adj 0.36, 0.20; 0.27, 0.12). Variable selection improved vis-NIR perform at close same level accuracy 0.88, 0.06; R2 0.63, 0.15; 0.54, 0.10). Important spectral intervals associated with hydrophobic organic compounds. demonstrated vis-NIRS valuable rapid assessment these soils, tool mitigation farmers Greenland. The results may well apply other regions similar texture OC ranges, but further testing required. article protected copyright. All rights reserved