What is the significant of soil pH?
Soil pH influences many soil characteristics that are important to its quality.
Characteristics included:
Availability of nutrients to plants: In acidic soils some important nutrients such as
phosphorous, magnesium, and calcium become less available to plants. Moreover, soil pH
affects microorganism activities that are responsible for breaking down organic matter as
well as many chemical reactions that are taking place in the soil. Thus, the availability of
nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus to plants will be reduced.
Aluminum and manganese toxicity: Under acidic conditions, Al+++ that normally is firmly
attached to the soil particles begins to dissolve and enters into the soil solution. Small
amounts of Al+++ in the soil solution can prohibit root growth of many plants. Similarly,
high Mn
++ concentration interferes with the growth of aerial parts of plants and therefore,
significantly reduces final yield.…
Pesticide effectiveness: Many pesticides are effective only if soil pH is appropriate. In acid
soils the pesticides may change to an undesirable form, becoming ineffective. Their
degradation in the soil may not happen as expected, and could pose a problem for the
next crop.
Plant diseases: Sometimes, many plant diseases are caused or exacerbated by extremes
of pH, because this makes essential nutrients unavailable to crops or because the soil
itself is unhealthy. For example, chlorosis of leaf vegetables and