Soil and Soil pH Importance

 

Soil pH

Soil and Soil pH Importance

Soil is a very valuable natural substance that a large number of plant growth factors are directly and indirectly related to it. The soil should be used as much as possible and efforts should be made to maintain the fertility of the soil. The plants that are plowed or harvested from the soil remove a certain amount of nutrients from the soil for future plants. And as a result, it causes a decrease in the yield of plants and the quality of agricultural products decreases. Nutrients in the soil have a direct relationship with the quantity and quality of the products.

On this basis, it is necessary to understand the physical-chemical properties and biological interactions of pH. Soil interaction or pH is one of the important chemical properties of soil; it affects not only the development of plants but also all living organisms.

Soil Interaction or ph

Soil interaction or pH is one of the important chemical properties of soil; it affects not only the development of plants but also all living organisms. It also affects the dissolution of toxicity of elements in the soil and the availability of elements for plants. Also, soil pH is very important in the speed of soil formation. Soil pH has a significant effect in maintaining the exchange process of cathode and anode.

Soils can be classified according to their pH value:

• 6.5 to 7.5—neutral
• over 7.5—alkaline
• less than 6.5—acidic, and soils with pH less than 5.5 are considered strongly acidic.

 

Desirable Soil pH for Optimum Crop Production  

 

The desirable pH range for optimum plant growth varies among crops. While some crops grow best in the 6.0 to 7.0 range, others grow well under slightly acidic conditions. Soil properties that influence the need for and response to lime vary by region. A knowledge of the soil and the crop is important in managing soil pH for the best crop performance.

Soils become acidic when basic elements such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium held by soil colloids are replaced by hydrogen ions. Soils formed under conditions of high annual rainfall are more acidic than are soils formed under more arid conditions.