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Lecture No. 4 Soil PH

This document summarizes key points from a lecture on soil pH: 1) Soil pH is defined as the negative log of hydrogen ion concentration on a scale from 0 to 14, with values below 7 considered acidic and above 7 considered alkaline. The degree of soil acidity is determined by measuring the pH of a soil-water slurry. 2) Soil pH is affected by natural processes like leaching and by cropping practices and fertilizer use. Optimal pH ranges are 5.5-6.5 for mineral soils, 5.4-6.0 for organic soils, and 5.2-5.8 for organic soilless media. 3) The soil buffer pH measures hydrogen

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Mark Robert Catolos
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28 views

Lecture No. 4 Soil PH

This document summarizes key points from a lecture on soil pH: 1) Soil pH is defined as the negative log of hydrogen ion concentration on a scale from 0 to 14, with values below 7 considered acidic and above 7 considered alkaline. The degree of soil acidity is determined by measuring the pH of a soil-water slurry. 2) Soil pH is affected by natural processes like leaching and by cropping practices and fertilizer use. Optimal pH ranges are 5.5-6.5 for mineral soils, 5.4-6.0 for organic soils, and 5.2-5.8 for organic soilless media. 3) The soil buffer pH measures hydrogen

Uploaded by

Mark Robert Catolos
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Soil Science 1-Lecture 4

Soil pH

Presented by
Mark Robert T. Catolos, L.A
Soil pH: Its Determination and
Interpretation
COURSE
Definitions
CONTENTS Causes of Soil Acidity
Water pH Determination of Mineral Soil,
Organic Soil and Organic Soilless Rooting
Media
Soil pH: Its Determination and
Interpretation
COURSE
pH Determination Using a Calibrated pH
CONTENTS Meter
Another Soil pH Determination Procedure
Salt pH Determination for a Mineral Soil
Soil pH: Its Determination and
Interpretation
COURSE
Soil pH constancy
CONTENTS Plant Root Function
Soil Acidity and NPK Fertilizer Efficiency
Soil pH Effect on Elemental Availability
and/or Soil Solution Composition
Soil pH: Its Determination and
Interpretation
COURSE
Soil Buffer pH
CONTENTS pH Determination of Water
Soil pH:Its
Determination and
Interpretation
Water pH
Determination of
Mineral Soil,
Organic Soil and
Organic. Soilless
Rooting Media
pH Defined

pH is defined as the negative


log of the hydrogen ion (H+)
concentration on a scale
from 0 to 14, with 7.0 being
the neutral point, and less
than 7.0 defined as “acidic”
and greater than 7.0 as
“alkaline.”
pH Defined

An acid soil can be defined


as “one whose water pH is
less than 7.0, which is the
neutral point in the pH scale”

The degree of soil acidity is


determined by measuring
the pH in a soil–water slurry.
Causes of Soil Acidity

A soil can become acidic as a


result of natural processes, the
effects of temperature and
rainfall (soil profile leaching),
and enhanced by the effects of
cropping and crop removal, and
by use of acid-forming fertilizers
3 Interacting Factors

Concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in solution

Hydrogen ions (H+) in equilibrium between the


colloidal faction and that in solution

The proton effect of the colloidal material present


pH Determination
Using a Calibrated
pH Meter
Another Soil pH
Determination
Procedure
Salt pH Determination for a Mineral
Soil
For soils with low colloidal content and/or when
the ion content in solution is low, pH meter
readings are difficult to make because the meter
does not quickly settle on a fixed point.
A salt pH determination is made in a slurry of
mineral soil and salt solution, either one-
hundredth molar calcium chloride (0.01M CaCl2)
or one normal potassium chloride (1N KCl).
pH Interpretation: Mineral Soil
The optimum mineral soil water pH range for best
plant growth is between 5.5 and 6.5, although
there are exceptions for certain soil types and
plant species.

Below pH 5.5, the availability of the essential


elements P and Mg decline, while the
concentration of Al, Mn, and for some soils Cu,
begin to advance into the toxic range
pH Interpretation: Organic Soils
The optimum organic soil water pH range for best
plant growth is between 5.4 and 6.0, although there
are exceptions for some organic soils (depending
on the physiochemical properties of the mineral
and organic components) and plant species.

The availability for root absorption of many of the


essential plant nutrient elements declines sharply
as the water pH increases above 6.4
Soil pH Constancy

A common procedure is to lime a soil when the soil


water pH reaches a particular level of acidity, then
applying sufficient lime to bring the soil to the
desired pH.
For most acidic soils and cropping, systems, the so-
called ideal soil water pH is around 6.4
pH Interpretation: Organic Soilless
Medium
The optimum organic soilless medium water pH
range for best plant growth is between 5.2 and 5.8,
although there are exceptions for certain soilless
media, depending on the content and properties of
the major ingredients, whether there is sphagnum
peat moss, pinebark, perlite, vermiculite, or compost
in the mix, and the plant species. The availability for
root absorption of many of the essential elements
declines sharply as the water pH increases above 6.0.
Plant Root Function

The pH of this zone is less than that of the


surrounding rooting medium, contains an active
microbiological population known as microrhizophae
feed by substances released from the root, and is an
area where elemental ions interact, to be either
absorbed by the root or removed from solution by
either precipitation or chelation, and therefore made
unavailable for root absorption.
Soil Acidity and NPK Fertilizer
Efficiency
Soil pH Effect on Elemental Availability
and/or Soil Solution Composition
Soil Buffer pH

The soil buffer pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion


(H+) concentration that exists on the soil colloids.
This determination is important sense it is a
measurement required for determining the lime
requirement of an acid soil.

Normally, a buffer pH determination is not made if


the soil water pH is greater than 6.8.
End of Lecture 4

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