Impacts of soil type and crop species on permanent wilting of plants

•Pressure plates and dew point method showed similar soil water contents at −15,000 hPa.•The physiological wilting of plants is both plant species and soil dependent.•Soybean plants may be less sensitive to water deficits than maize and sunflower plants.•The matric potential at plant wilting was lower than hydraulic cut-off and −15,000 hPa.