Which soil class has severe limitations that restrict the choice of plants or require very careful management, or both?

• A. Class I
• B. Class II
• C. Class IV
• D. Class VIII

Answer: (C)

Soil capability is about how much a soil’s conditions limit plant growth and what kind of management is needed. When a soil has severe constraints, it means the site can significantly restrict which plants will survive or require intensive, careful management to grow anything at all. Problems like poor drainage that causes waterlogging, shallow rooting depth, high salinity or sodicity, or a lot of rock or slope can all force you to either pick only very tolerant plants or invest in substantial improvements and ongoing care (drainage work, raised beds, soil amendments, precise irrigation, erosion control, and so on). That combination—severe limitations plus the need for careful, ongoing management or restricted plant choices—is what this option describes, making it the best answer. Soils with minor or moderate constraints don’t push you toward such intensive handling, and the most extreme categories are typically not workable even with improvements.