SOIL COMPONENT AND ITS PROPERTIES
All soils contain mineral particles, organic
matter, water and air. The combinations of
these determine the soil's
properties – its texture, structure, porosity,
chemistry and colour. Soil is made up of
different-sized particles. Sand particles tend to
be the biggest.
WHAT IS SOIL?
Soil is a biologically active porous medium
that is present on the uppermost layer on the
uppermost layer of the Earth’s crust formed by
weathering processes under various influences.
TYPES OF SOIL
CLAY SOIL
Clay soil is a type of soil that is comparatively heavy as it has higher water
retention capacity and a higher concentration of nutrients.
The soil is made up of over 25% clay particles that are smaller in size and thus
hold a large amount of water.
Clay soil drains water slowly and thus takes longer to warm up in the summer
without drying out.
However, because it is a heavy and dense type of soil, it doesn’t provide space
for plant roots to flourish.
SAND SOIL
Sandy soil is a type of soil that contains a higher proportion of sand and less clay.
Sandy soil is light, dry, and warm that tends to be more acidic than other types of soil.
Because the size of the sand particle is larger than other particles, they have low water
retention capacity and fewer nutrients.
The lack of enough moisture and nutrients makes the soil less suitable for crop
production.
However, the soil can be made suitable by adding organic matter to increase water and
nutrient content.
SILT SOIL
Silt soil is a light soil with a higher fertility rate with soil particles that are large than
clay but smaller than sand.
The soil is smooth and of fine quality that holds water better than the sandy soil.
The soil can also be easily transported by moving currents, and it is found near water
bodies.
Silt soil is considered the best type of soil for agricultural practices as it has sufficient
nutrients and enough moisture for plant growth.
LOAM SOIL
Loam soil is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay soil that combines the
properties of all three types of soil to make it more fertile.
The soil has enough pores as well as water retention capacity to promote
crop production.
The level of calcium and pH of loam soil is also of the appropriate
amount due to the presence of inorganic matter.
THE SOIL PROPERTIES ARE:
Texture
Structure
Porosity
chemistry
colour
SOIL TEXTURE
Soil texture refers to the size of the soil particles that is dependent on the relative
proportions of mineral components like sand, silt, and clay.
Soil texture is further influenced by soil porosity, infiltration, and water retention
capacity.
The texture of soil differs with soil type; sandy soil feels gritty, silt feels smooth, and
clay is sticky and mouldable.
SOIL STRUCTURE
The textural components of soil, including sand, silt, and clay might result in
aggregates as a result of their clumping. The aggregates further clump together to
form peds.
Information on the structure of soil gives information on the soil texture, matter
content, and biological activity.
Soil structure is influenced by physical processes that might be improved or destroyed
by the choice of farming practices.
SOIL DENSITY
The average soil particle density ranges from 2.60 to 2.75 grams per cm 3, which usually remains
unchanged for a given soil.
The soil particle density is lower for soils with high organic matter content and higher for soil with
higher mineral content.
Soil particle density is different from soil bulk density which is always less than soil particle density.
Soil density usually depends on the soil texture and structure and the composition of the soil.
SOIL POROSITY
Soil porosity is defined by the number of pores present within the soil.
The porosity of soil is determined by the movement of air and water within the soil.
Healthy soils usually have more number of pores between and within soil aggregates,
whereas poor quality soils have few pores or cracks.
Soil porosity is influenced by soil texture and structure. The pore size in soil affects
the ability of plants and organisms to access water, oxygen, and other gases and
minerals.
SOIL CONSISTENCY
Soil consistency refers to the ability of the soil to stick to itself or other
objects and to resist deformation and rupture.
Three moisture conditions define soil consistency; air-dry, moist, and wet.
The consistency of dry soil ranges from loose to hard, whereas that of wet
soil ranges from non-sticky to sticky.
Soil consistency is an important property that determines the ability of soil to
support buildings and roads.
SOIL COLOUR
Soil color is determined primarily by the organic composition of the soil.
Soil color is one of the factors that help in the prediction of other soil characteristics
within a soil profile.
Observation of soil color is a qualitative means of measuring organic, iron oxide, and
the clay contents of the soil.
Besides, soil color is also influenced by the mineral content of the soil as the color
might change as a result of oxidation of degradation.
THERE ARE THREE CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Cation exchange capacity (CEC)
Soil pH
Soil salinity
CATION EXCHANGE CAPACITY (CEC)
Cation exchange capacity is the maximum amount of total
cations that a soil sample is capable of holding at a given pH.
The cation exchange capacity of the soil is taken as an indicator
of soil fertility, nutrient retention, and the ability of soil to
protect groundwater from cation contamination.
SOIL PH
The reactivity of soil is expressed in terms of the soil pH, which determines the acidity and alkalinity
of the soil.
It is the measure of the hydrogen ion concentration in the aqueous solution of soil which ranges
between 3.5 to 9.5.
Usually, soils with high acidity contain higher amounts of aluminum and manganese, and soil with
higher alkalinity has a higher concentration of sodium carbonate.
In terms of soil fertility, agricultural production tends to be more in acidic soil.
SOIL SALINITY
Salts in the soil are transported from salt tables in water resources that
then accumulate due to evaporation.
Salinization of soil also occurs during irrigation processes from
drainages. The salt accumulation affects the degradation of organic
matter in soil and the vegetation on the soil.
The most common salts that are present in soil include magnesium
sulfate, potassium sulfate, and carbonates.
