Table of ContentsFactors Affecting Soil pHChange in Soil pHIncrease in Acidic Soil pHDecrease in Alkaline Soil pH Water pHImportanceMeasuring Water and Organic Matter pH qualitySoil pH and organic matter affect soil functions and nutrients. More specifically, pH affects pesticide performance, influences nutrient solubility and organic matter decomposition. To understand nutrient availability and growing conditions necessary for normal growth of specific crops, it is important to understand the factors that affect soil pH and pH on nutrient availability. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Soil organic matter performs different functions in soil, including nutrient retention, soil water-holding capacity, and soil aggregation. It is a key indicator of soil quality. Soil organic matter levels have declined over the past century in most soils due to overgrazing of grasslands and conversion of grasslands to tillage. Soil pH: Soil pH is determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+). Soil pH is a measure of the alkalinity and acidity of soil solutions (soil water with its dissolved substances), on a scale from 0 to 14. Acidic soils have a pH less than 7 and Basic solutions have a pH greater than 7. By definition, pH measured on the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. As the concentration of hydrogen ions increases, the pH decreases. Soil pH is influenced by base-forming cations and acid-forming cations in the soil. Common acid-forming cations are iron, aluminum, and hydrogen, while base-forming cations are potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. The optimal pH for many plants is between 5.5 and 7.5. However, some plants adapt to pH values ​​outside of this range. The methods for determining pH are as follows. Observation of the soil profile: Certain characteristics of the profile can be indicators of acidic, alkaline or saline conditions. Using an inexpensive test kit in which a small sample mixes with solutions having indicators that change color depending on acidity. Using a small sample of litmus paper mixed with distilled water, a strip of litmus paper is inserted into it. If the soil is acidic, the paper turns red and if it is basic, it turns blue. Using the electronic pH meter, solid-state electrodes or glass in moist soil or in soil with a water mixture, the pH is read on a display. have a digital display.Factors Affecting Soil pHThe natural pH of soil depends on the composition of minerals in the parent soil material and the weathering reactions that the parent material undergoes. In warm environments, soil acidification is the product of weathering leached by water flowing through the soil. Whereas in dry environments, leaching and weathering are less and the soil pH is neutral or alkaline. Nutrient availability in relation to soil pH: Soil pH affects plant nutrient availability: Aluminum toxicity affects plant growth. However, by limiting root growth, it reduces nutrient availability. Due to root damage, nutrient absorption is reduced and macronutrient deficiency occurs in highly acidic to ultra acidic soils. The availability of molybdenum is increased when the pH is high because the molybdate ion.