What is the role of soil pH in plant health and productivity?
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Soil pH regulates many chemical and biochemical reactions of soil that control nutrient absorption, plant growth, and productivity. Careful management of soil pH is necessary for soil vitality, crop yield, and quality. Each nutrient exhibits varying levels of solubility across the pH spectrum. Hence, it is necessary to maintain optimum soil pH for healthy plant growth.
a)Acidic Soil – (pH <7)
Soil acidity leads to reduced availability of various soil nutrients and toxicity of some . The nutrients applied through organic matter or fertilizers are either present in inaccessible form or eroded through leaching. The ability of microorganisms to degrade organic matter decreases dramatically.
b)Alkaline Soil – (pH >7)
Due to the high pH level, the soil often lacks nutrients like Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu despite the high mineral content. It causes certain minerals to become chemically bound in the soil, making them less available to crops and resulting in poor growth and productivity
c)The physical, chemical, and biological aspects of soil improve with a pH nearly neutral.
d)Undesirable soil pH also leads to – (a) Poor flower and fruit setting (b) Nutrient deficiencies in crops (c) Abnormal leaf pigmentation (d) Insufficient nodulation in legumes (e) Decline in beneficial microbes population and rise in pathogenic organisms
Effect of soil pH on plant growth
Soil pH measures the number of hydrogen ions in the soil. On a pH scale of one to fourteen, a pH scale of less than seven is considered acidic. A pH scale of exactly seven is considered neutral. A pH scale of more than seven is considered alkaline. The pH of soil is affected by the amount of nutrients and chemicals that are soluble (i.e. dissolved) in soil water. This helps determine the amount of nutrients available in soil.
Moreover, whether acidic, neutral, or alkaline soil is better for a plant depends on its type. For instance, the lavender plant produces more productivity once the soil pH is about eight. We take another example. The blueberry plant requires a pH scale of soil of 4.5 to 5.5. It needs an acidic pH level to produce healthy blueberries.
One should study and research different plants to find which soil pH level suits each plant and understand their health and productivity. One may use a pH test strip in soil water to check the soil’s pH level. Of course, there are various other methods to determine the same. One of the best methods is to test it in the laboratory using specialised equipment.
Soil pH measures the number of hydrogen ions in the soil. On a pH scale of one to fourteen, a pH scale of less than seven is considered acidic. A pH scale of exactly seven is considered neutral. A pH scale of more than seven is considered alkaline. The pH of soil is affected by the amount of nutrients and chemicals that are soluble (i.e. dissolved) in soil water. This helps determine the amount of nutrients available in soil.
Moreover, whether acidic, neutral, or alkaline soil is better for a plant depends on its type. For instance, the lavender plant produces more productivity once the soil pH is about eight. We take another example. The blueberry plant requires a pH scale of soil of 4.5 to 5.5. It needs an acidic pH level to produce healthy blueberries.
One should study and research different plants to find which soil pH level suits each plant and understand their health and productivity. One may use a pH test strip in soil water to check the soil’s pH level. Of course, there are various other methods to determine the same. One of the best methods is to test it in the laboratory using specialised equipment.
Soil pH measures the number of hydrogen ions in the soil. On a pH scale of one to fourteen, a pH scale of less than seven is considered acidic. A pH scale of exactly seven is considered neutral. A pH scale of more than seven is considered alkaline. The pH of soil is affected by the amount of nutrients and chemicals that are soluble (i.e. dissolved) in soil water. This helps determine the amount of nutrients available in soil.
Moreover, whether acidic, neutral, or alkaline soil is better for a plant depends on its type. For instance, the lavender plant produces more productivity once the soil pH is about eight. We take another example. The blueberry plant requires a pH scale of soil of 4.5 to 5.5. It needs an acidic pH level to produce healthy blueberries.
One should study and research different plants to find which soil pH level suits each plant and understand their health and productivity. One may use a pH test strip in soil water to check the soil’s pH level. Of course, there are various other methods to determine the same. One of the best methods is to test it in the laboratory using specialised equipment.