Available water capacity (AWC) is a prediction of the maximum amount of water that a soil can potentially store and release to different crops. Different soils will have different AWC values, independent of the seasonal conditions.
AWC is quantified by site-specific characterisations of the soil's Drained Upper Limit (DUL): the amount of water a soil can hold; and its Crop Lower Limit (CLL): where any remaining water cannot be used by the plant.
Knowing your AWC is important as it helps you understand how it affects your crop's response to stored moisture and rainfall. It can help you better estimate your crop potential yield, and make informed decisions about its management throughout the season (from time of sowing and variety choice to nutrition management), specifically in dryland agriculture.
