noun
soil moisture; soil water
Technical term used in agriculture, environmental science, and engineering to refer to the water content in soil.
土壌水分センサーで畑の水分量を測定した。
We measured the soil moisture level in the field with a soil moisture sensor.
干ばつが続くと土壌水分が不足し、作物の生育に影響が出る。
When drought continues, soil moisture becomes insufficient and affects crop growth.
Compound of 土壌 (soil) and 水分 (moisture). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the term is a modern technical compound.