Which of the following is an indicator of soil properties that affect leaching?

Soil texture is a critical indicator of soil properties that influence leaching because it determines how water and soluble substances move through the soil profile. Soils can be granular, clayey, or loamy, with each texture affecting water retention, drainage rates, and the capacity for nutrients to leach away. For instance, sandy soils typically have larger particles and larger pore spaces, allowing water to drain rapidly, which can lead to higher leaching of nutrients compared to clayey soils that have finer particles and smaller pores, promoting slower drainage and retention of water and nutrients.

Other factors like water table depth can influence the degree of saturation but are not direct indicators of soil texture’s effects on leaching. The type of crops grown may affect water uptake and nutrient cycling but does not indicate soil properties per se. Similarly, air temperature can influence evaporation and transpiration rates, but it does not directly reflect soil properties that would impact leaching processes. Thus, soil texture stands out as the most direct indicator in this context.