What are causes of diminished soil fertiuy
Answers
Diminished soil fertility:
- Erosion, compaction, nutrients imbalance, pollution, acidification, water logging, loss of soil biodiversity and increasing salinity have been affecting soil across the globe, reducing its ability to support plants life and so grow crops.
Soil fertility decline:
Soil fertility decline occurs when the quantities of nutrients removed from the soil in harvested products exceed the quantities of nutrients being applied.
This results in a reduction of plant growth and yields.
Contributing factors:
Nutrients may be removed from the soil by:
Growing crops
Soil erosion
Leaching
Effects:
- Organic matter plays a key role in maintaining soil fertility. It holds nitrogen and sulfur in organic forms and other essential nutrients such as potassiumand calcium.
- Off-site looses of nutrients can occur through the soil.
Fertiliser use:
The usual management response to nutrient removal or loss isto apply fertiliser. It is unable to produce economic crops yields and high protein grains without the use of fertilizers.
Subsoil depletion:
Limited in season rainfall often causes crops to meet their water requirements from the subsoil. This has resulted insubsoil depletion of nutrients even though the surface soil may have adequate levels due to redistribution.