- Key findings
- Over 30% of cultivable land in India is said to carry acidic soil, impacting plant growth.
- Acidic soils are those that have a pH value of less than 5.5.
- Soil acidification might lead to the loss of Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC) from topsoil.
- SIC includes mineral forms of carbon like calcium carbonate produced by the weathering of parent material or from the reaction of soil minerals with atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).
- Over 30% of cultivable land in India is said to carry acidic soil, impacting plant growth.
- Soil Acidification is a process by which soil pH decreases over time.
- Factors Accelerating Soil Acidification
- Leaching of nitrogen released from ammonium-based fertilizers.
- Organic residues on decomposition release organic acids.
- Roots, during active growth stages, release CO2 into the soil resulting in the formation of carbonic acid.
- Impacts of Soil Acidification
- Loss of SIC: SIC is mostly carbonate. Low pH levels dissolve carbonate and remove it either as CO2 gas or release it directly into water.
- Loss of Microbes: Bacteria cannot survive in acidic conditions.
- Aluminum Toxicity: When soil pH drops, aluminum becomes soluble, and its amount in soil solution increases which is toxic to the roots of sensitive plant species.
- Other Impacts: Rise in Pathogenic fungi, Decreased Nutrients availability, etc.
Managing Acid Soils
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