SOIL PH

SOIL POTENTIAL HYDROGEN

By Ahmad Aminu Ahmad Gusau

Soil potential Hydrogen is the term used to determine the degree of acidity: alkalinity and neutrality of the soil.

for a farmer to obtain high yield of crops from his soil, he has to know the degree of potential hydrogen of the soil and this is done by gauging the amount of hydrogen in the soil.

The potential hydrogen of the soil ranges from 1-14. The potential stands for P while the Hydrogen stands for H.

The potential hydrogen (PH) range of the soil is as follow:

Acidity =  potential hydrogen 6-5

Alkalinity  =  potential hydrogen 7-5

Neutrality  =  potential hydrogen 7

IMPORTANCE OF SOIL POTENTIAL HYDROGEN (PH)

There are three (3) main reasons why a farmer should know the potential hydrogen of the soil. These are as follows:

1. Some crops grow on an acid soil while some grow on neutral to alkaline soil, therefore, with the knowledge of the potential hydrogen (PH) of the soil, the farmer can grow crops that best suit the soil condition.

2. Bacterial activities are always observed best on slightly acid soil. If the soil contains too much acid, the activities of the bacteria is reduced. Therefore, no humus will be formed.

3. The potential hydrogen of the soil can be corrected or improved by the farmer through best agricultural practices.