Soil Management

1. Presented By:-
Subham
Dwivedi

2. • Acts as the key resource in crop production
• It supports the physical, chemical, and
biological processes
• Regulates water flow such as
 Infiltration
 Root-zone storage
 Deep percolation
 Run-off

3. Soils can classified on the basis of particle size
Inorganic soils
Less than 10% of organic matter in the surface layer
Amounts of sand silt and clay constitute the inorganic portion.
Sandy Soils
Coarse Textured and have large pore spaces
Poor water holding capacity
Low nutrient retaining ability
Loamy Soils
Significant amount of sand, silt and clay
Described as sandy loam or silty loam or clay loam depending upon
the predominating component of the soil

4. Clay Soil
Fine textured and have small pore-spaces.
Not suitable for raising most of the horticulture crops.
Mangoes can be practically grown in rich clayey soil, it produces
more of vegetative growth with little fruit production
Organic Matter
Formed by Decomposed plant and animal tissue & micro organism
Forms dark non crystalline colloidal substance called humus.
Organic matter are reservoirs of plant nutrients
Green Manure Crops-A rapid method of increasing the
organic matter content in the soil.

5. The capacity of soil to nourish and sustain plant growth
Fertility is maximum in the top layer (15-60 cm) & declines as it goes deeper and deeper
Factors responsible for depletion of soil fertility
• Erosion
• Leaching ; and ;
• Volatization
The soil depth should be 1-2m for most of the fruit crops for normal growth and development.
Shallow soils with hard and com pact subsoil layers like rocks and heavy clay should be avoided
for fruit crops as in such soils that root grows in the top layer of soil parallel to the surface .
Such trees are easily uprooted by winds or premature death of trees may also occur.

6. A pH of neutral and below 7 and acidic and above are alkaline
Soil reaction influences nutrient availability.
Influences the activity of soil bacteria which in term affects the plant nutrients
Soil can be made :-
Less alkaline by applying acid producing chemical
E.g. Aluminium sulphate , sulphur and gypsum.
Less acidic by applying hydrated lime or lime stone
Area of heavy rainfall leaching removes many soluble carbonates resulting in more acidic
soils

7. A well drained soil is essential.
Water table should be below 2m at all times of the
year.
Higher water table promotes leaching and affects
nutrient concentration
Rotting of roots due to prolonged submergence of
roots in moisture , disease incidence will be more.
Less water can stunt plant growth and reduce crop
yield.

8. 2000 million microbes in a tablespoon of soil
The main groups of soil microbes are
Algae minute chlorophyll plants
Fungi without chlorophyll
Bacteria unicellular organisms
1.Cause organic matter to heat, decay and release the nitrogen
continued in them as ammonia.
2.Convert ammonia into nitrous acid and nitrites by uniting it
with the basic elements in the soil.
3. Convert nitrites to nitrates in which form the plant gets their
nitrates from the soil through their roots in a state of solution.
4.Some live in the nodules of leguminous plants and those
nitrogen directly from the air and fix it in those nodules to be
built into nitrogen compounds useful to themselves and to plant
by other set of organisms

9. The proper use of Herbicides, Insecticides, Fungicides.
Biological Pest Management Practices are also
practiced.

10. Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants !

11. Thanks For Your Attention !