4 CAUSES OF ACIDIC SOIL

 soil PH is the measure of how acidic or alkaline soil is.

the more hydrogen ions in the soil the more acidic it is.

the more hydroxyl ion in the soil the more alkaline it is.

4 CAUSES OF ACIDIC SOIL


Soil is a naturally occurring substance forming the thin uppermost layer of the earth's surface made by the accumulation of the weathered materials on which plants and animals live.

Acidic soil can be defined as those having PH  less than 5.5 in 1:1 water extract.

soil acidity affect many biological and chemical reaction

The following are factors which may cause the soil to become acidic:

Parent materials. Rocks like granite and rhyolite are acidic rocks and on disintegration and decomposition of these rocks results in the accumulation of acid soil materials.

Organic matters. The carboxylic, enolic, and phenolic materials present in organic matter debris, dissociate releasing hydrogen ions thus contributing towards soil acidity.

Climate. In heavy rainfall areas, the continuous leaching process removes most of the calcium carbonate and gypsum from soil giving rise to increased soil acidity.

Roots biomass and soil organisms. Respiration by plant roots and soil microorganisms are major contributing factors to soil acidity.

Carbon dioxide liberated during respiration reacts with water to produce carbolic acid which in turn breaks down to produce hydrogen ions.

On another hand when plants exchange cations with the external medium they give an equivalent number of hydrogen ions thus contributing to soil acidity.

How to fix high pH soils (alkaline soil) on your farm

  • make sure your farm have good drainage which may help to flush out things which cause high soil PH for example magnesium. having good drainage does not make soil PH drop instantly however over time it will decrease.

  • apply elemental sulfur to your farm

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