Scribd
Upload
4 views

SOIL-SCIENCE-LECTURE-06 (1)

The document discusses soil fertility, emphasizing the importance of 17 essential elements for plant growth, including macronutrients and micronutrients. It highlights the significance of soil testing for nutrient management and the impact of pH on nutrient availability. Additionally, it covers organic and conservation agriculture practices aimed at sustaining soil health and optimizing crop production.

Uploaded by

Lestor Narib
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
4 views

SOIL-SCIENCE-LECTURE-06 (1)

The document discusses soil fertility, emphasizing the importance of 17 essential elements for plant growth, including macronutrients and micronutrients. It highlights the significance of soil testing for nutrient management and the impact of pH on nutrient availability. Additionally, it covers organic and conservation agriculture practices aimed at sustaining soil health and optimizing crop production.

Uploaded by

Lestor Narib
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 12

9/12/2022

LECTURE 6: Soil Fertility

Compiled by: Brian J. Mhango

Soil Fertility
• There are 17 known elements that are essential
for plant growth
• Plants require nutrients that are not created
through photosynthesis
– H, O, C Plants get from air and
water
• Macronutrients
– N, P, K High amounts
– Ca, Mg, S Lesser amounts
• Micronutrients
– Fe, Mn, B, Mo, Cu, Zn, Cl Small amounts

1
9/12/2022

Plant Nutrients
NPK

• Can be added to soil through commercial


fertilizer, animal manure or compost
• To know the amounts to apply, you need a
soil test
• Excesses and deficiencies can cause poor
plant growth or death

Nitrogen

• Most of soil nitrogen is in the form of organic


matter

• Promotes growth and color

• Excess causes excessive growth, weak stems

2
9/12/2022

Growth dwarfed and thin: overall plant is light green in color


and turning yellow in the late season

Phosphorus
• Primary source: specific minerals and OM

• Promotes seed development, reproduction, cell


division

• Enhances root development and water uptake by


the roots

• Excess may lead to deficiencies in other nutrients

3
9/12/2022

• The first symptoms are


downward curling of
the leaf

• The interveinal tissue


becomes a paler green
and eventually dies

• There may be a
marginal scorch on the
older leaves.

Phosphorus (P)

Potassium

• Source in soil: minerals

• Increases winter hardiness, reduces diseases,


important in ripening of fruits and vegetables

4
9/12/2022

Potassium (K)
• Leaves are smaller, dark
olive green and have a
dull appearance.

• There is a tendency for


the leaves to curl
downward and the leaf
petioles to become
darker red.

• Brown spots develop


interveinally on the
under surface of the
leaves.

What’s pH all about?


• pH is determined by soil type
• Can effect plant growth and nutrient
availability
• Different plants have different soil pH
requirements
• Can be adjusted through soil amendments

5
9/12/2022

Soil pH Ranges

Mineral Fraction & CEC


Cations: positively charged ions (e.g. K+, NH4+)
Cation exchange capacity (CEC): the maximum quantity of total cations
that a soil is capable of holding.
Clay fraction and SOM: Small particle size  Large negatively charged
surface area  More positions to hold cations  High CEC

Clay – Many positions Sand– Few positions


to hold cations H+ to hold cations

Ca2+
Mg2+ Sand
NH4+
Clay
Na+
K+
H+ H+ K+ H+

Illistration adapted from: http://www.spectrumanalytic.com/support/library/ff/CEC_BpH_and_percent_sat.htm

6
9/12/2022

Mineral Fraction & CEC


CEC depends on
- Clay content
- Type of clay mineral
- SOM content
- Soil pH

Clay minerals differ in structure


• 1:1 clay minerals
– CEC varies with soil pH
– Found in most upland soils in SSA
• 2:1 clay minerals
– Large inherent CEC capacity
– Found in fertile lowland soils

Illustration adapted from Lory ‘Structure of Clays’ www.soilsurveys.org

Organic fraction: SOM


SOM: plant and animal residues, in various stages of decompisition

Picture: http://www.guiadejardineria.com/jardineria/suelos-y-abonos/page/7/

7
9/12/2022

Organic fraction: SOM


- Contains essential plant nutrients
- Improves the soil’s Cation Exchange
Capacity % Organic matter
- Improves the soil’s water-holding Litter layer 1 2 3 4 5
capacity (SOM can hold up to five times its
Top soil
own weight in water!)
- Improves water infiltration
- Buffers soil pH Sub soil
- Binds with toxic elements in the soil
- Improves soil structure by stimulating Organic matter
activity of soil flora and fauna
- Regulates the rates and amounts of
nutrients released for plant uptake

 SOM is a key issue in soil fertility


management!
Illustration adapted from: http://www.tekura.school.nz/departments/horticulture/ht106_p4.html

Nutrient deficiencies

8
9/12/2022

Nutrient deficiency: exercise

Nutrient deficiency: Exercise

P-deficient K-deficient
- Stunted growth - Browning of
- Purplish colouring leaf edges

9
9/12/2022

Summary Soil fertility management


options

Soil organic
matter

CEC

Porosity
Conservation Nutrients
Texture agriculture - Functions
- Availability
Organic - Mobility
agriculture - Deficiencies
Mimimizing
losses of added
nutrients
- Erosion
- Leaching
- volatilization

Organic Agriculture
Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils,
ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and
cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse
effects.

10
9/12/2022

Conservation Agriculture (CA)

A concept for resource-saving agricultural crop production that strives to


achieve acceptable profits together with high and sustained production levels
while concurrently conserving the environment (FAO, 2007).

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is defined as a sustainable agriculture production


system comprising a set of farming practices adapted to the requirements of
crops and local conditions of each region, whose farming and soil management
techniques protect the soil from erosion and degradation, improve its quality and
biodiversity, and contribute to the preservation of the natural resources, water
and air, while optimizing yields.
Some concepts related to CA are:
•No tillage
•Groundcovers
Source: European Conservation Agriculture Federation

Fertilizer Use by Markets and Economic


Regions, 2005/06 (kg/ha)
Developing Markets Developed Markets

Transitional Markets Economic Regions


Sub-Saharan Africa 7
Eurasia 24 World
Africa 24
South Africa 42
Oceania 62
Central America 64
Developed Countries 85
Latin America 90
North America 96
South America 99
North Africa 105
United States 109
World 109
Developing Countries 127
Eastern Europe 158
Western Europe 165
Asia 177

11
9/12/2022

Don’t guess, test the soil !

12

You might also like