The relative proportion of the mineral particles that make up a soil or the percent of sand, silt, and clay found in a soil. Texture is an important soil characteristic because it influences water infiltration, water storage, amount of aeration, ease of tilling the soil, ability to withstand a load, and soil fertility. Textural names are given to soil based on the percentage of sand, silt, and clay. For example, loam is a soil with equal proportions of sand, silt, and clay. It is best for growing most crops.

Soil texture depends on the relative proportions of sand, silt and clay in a soil, as represented in this diagram. (McGraw-Hill Inc. Reproduced by permission.)