Soil Sample B3 with Adiathi folia grown on it.

Table 1.1 pH Results

Soil to Volume of H2O 1M KCl 0.01M CaCl2

solution solution
ratio
1:2.5 50ml 5.38 4.19 4.12
1:10 200ml 5.51 4.35 4.23
1:20 400ml 5.59 4.46 4.44

Discussions and Comments.

Table 1.21
Anal Recommend Unit Rati R General Interpretation
ysis ed method s ng ang
e
pH 1:2.5 soil - V > Alkaline soil: Cu An Mg liable to
water ery 8.5 be unavailable; may be high
suspension hig Na; possible B toxicity;
h otherwise as below:
H 7.0- Decreasing availability of P and
igh 8.5 B to deficiency at higher
values. Above 7.0 increasing
liability of deficiency of Co, Cu,
Fe, Mn, Zn.
me 5.5- Preferred range for most crops;
diu 7.0 lower end range too acidic for
m some.
low < Acid soil; possibly Al toxicity
5.5 and excess Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn
deficient Ca, K, N, Mg, Mo, P, S,
(and B below pH 5)

Soil pH can be defined as the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion activity
(concentration) in the soil. And is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil2.
Comparing the values we have on the table 1.1 we observe that the value of the pH
increases as the volume of the electrolyte increases (the soil becomes more alkaline
as the volume of electrolyte increases). Landon (1991) stated this in his publication,
“it is known that pH in Water increases with the dilution of the suspension.”3 Here it
applies for the \water as w\ell as the other electrolytes used in the determination of

1
Landon J. R. (1991), The Booker Tropical Soil Manual, pp 112-113
2
Tisdale L.S. et al.(1985), Soil Fertility and Fertilizers.
3
Ibid
the pH. We also observe that for each given volume of electrolyte or ratio of soil to
electrolyte the pH value is lowest in CaCl2 and increases to KCl which is a neutral salt
and then is Highest in water.

From the table 1.2 we observe that for the 1:2.5 soil water suspension the value is
greater than our corresponding value and the characteristics are given as “acid soil;
possibly Aluminium toxicity and excess Cobalt, Cupper, Iron, Zinc, deficient in
Calcium, Potassium, Nitrogen, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Sulphur”4 and very strongly
acid according to the lecture notes given by Prof. E.Y. Safo. (2007)5.

Such acid soils occur due to certain conditions among which include:

 Soil being under intense leaching by fresh water which contains free
protons6 this could be the case if the soil sample was taken near a river,
stream or other fresh water bodies.

 Acidity also results when acid components for instance Carbon dioxide (CO2)
produced from the burning of fuels are discharged into the atmosphere
enter into solution with water and precipitate as rain and causes acidity in
poorly buffered soils7.

 Also acidity is caused by legumes which take up excess cations and obtain
nitrogen by biological fixation8.

 Harvesting of plant and trees resulting in the removal of excess cations.9

 Again most soils become acidic if they are exposed for a sufficient length of
time to rain water causing through drainage10.

 And finally plants that take up more cations (strictly cation charge) than
anions (anion charge) they synthesize more organic acids and excrete
protons from their roots this lowers soil pH.11

Having said some of the causes of soil acidity let us now consider the effects of
acidity on the soil, plants and environment.

4
Ibid
5
Safo EY(2007), Soil Reactions(pH),
6
Sposito Garrison. (1989) The Chemistry of soils, pp 209
7
Rendig V. V. et al (1989), Principles of soil-plant Interrelations. Pp 187-193
8
Wild A. (1993), Soil And the Environment, pp166-188
9
Ibid
10
Ibid
11
Ibid
  Firstly, phosphate sorption is known to increase with decreasing pH thus
phosphates are sorped more onto the soil particles in acid soils.12

 Aluminium toxicity occurs at pH as low as those we obtained from our soil

sample13.
 And finally acidity in the soil is an indication that the basic cations (CA, Na,
Mg, K) which are among the most essential of plant nutrients, are acutely
lacking in the soil, probably leached away or absorbed by the plan roots.
With this it is clear that acid soils are not favourable for agricultural crop
production, but that not withstanding certain plants do excellently well in acid
soils even soils with pH as low as 3.0. Examples of such plants are
rhododendrons, blueberry, some conifers and some plants belonging to the
Ericaceae family14

In conclusion, knowing that acid soils are not suitable for our agricultural
purposes which we are interested in, we can adopt some practices to prevent
soils from becoming acidic among these are: Cover cropping to prevent the rain
from leaching away too much of the basic cations in the soil, application of more
organic matter to the soil to adsorb the cations onto the surface of the micelles to
prevent excessive leaching, avoid indiscriminate cutting down of trees and bush
burning which removes excess cations and releases acid components into the
atmosphere respectively. But when all these fail and the soil does become acidic,
favourable plant conditions can be returned liming with a calculated amount of
lime for example-le Calcium Oxide (CaO).15

References
Rendig V. V. et al, (1989), Principles of soil-plant Interrelations. McGraw Hill Publishing
Company. New York.
Tisdale L.S. et al.(1985), Soil Fertility and Fertilizers. Macmillan publishing company.
Wild A. (1993), Soil and the Environment, Cambridge University Press.
Lopez-Hernandez et al, (June 1974): The Journal of Soil Science. Vol 25, No 2, Oxford.
Cabrera et al, (June 1977) The Journal of Soil Science. Vol 28, No2, Oxford University
Press
Ryan et al (1986) see Rendig V. V. et al, (1989), Principles of Soil-Plant interrelations,
McGraw Hill Publishing Company.
Wild A. (1993), Soil and the Environment, Cambridge University Press.
Landon J. R. (1991), The Booker Tropical Soil Manual, Longman.
Safo E. Y. (2007), Soil Reactions (pH).
Sposito Garrison. (1989) The Chemistry of soils, Oxford University Press.

12
Lopez-Hernandez et al, (June 1974): The Journal of Soil Science. Vol 25, No 2, pp 207
13
Cabrera et al (June 1977 The Journal of Soil Science). Vol 28, No2, pp259-265
14
Ryan et al (1986) see Rendig V. V. et al(1989), Principles of Soil-Plant interrelations, pp187-193
15
Wild A. (1993), Soil And the Environment, pp166-188