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    Lec 9

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    rajap02
    Problem soil lecture 9

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    Lec 9

    Uploaded by

    rajap02
    3 views13 pages
    Problem soil lecture 9

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    Problem soil lecture 9

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    3 views13 pages

    Lec 9

    Uploaded by

    rajap02
    Problem soil lecture 9

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    Acid soil

    • Soil acidity refers to presence of higher concentration of H+ in soil


    solution and at exchange sites.
    • pH of lower than 7.0

    pH range Nature of acidity


    3-4 Very strong
    4-5 Strong
    5-6 Moderate
    6-7 Slight
    Kinds of Soil Acidity
    (i) Active acidity
    • Hydrogen (H+) and aluminium (Al3+) ions in the soil solution.
    • The magnitude of this acidity is limited.
    (ii) Exchange acidity
    • Adsorbed hydrogen (H+) and Aluminium (Al3+) ions on the soil colloids.
    • The magnitude of this acidity is very high.
    • It is also called potential / reserve acidity.
    (iii) Residual Acidiey

    • Hydrogen (H+), Aluminium (Al3+), Aluminum hydroxy ions Al(OH)2+ and


    Al(OH)2+ bounded in non-exchangeable form by clay and organic
    matter in the soil.
    Total acidity
    • The summation of active and exchange acidity is called total acidity.
    Total acidity = Active acidity + Exchange acidity.
    Formation of Acid Soil

    (i) Leaching due to heavy rainfall

    • High rainfall or precipitation leach appreciable amounts of


    exchangeable bases (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+) from the surface
    soils and relatively insoluble compounds of Al and Fe remains in
    the soil.
    • The nature of these soils is acidic and its oxides and hydroxides
    react with water (H2O) and release hydrogen ions in solution and
    soil becomes acidic.

    (ii) Acidic parent material

    • Acidic parent materials like granite and gneiss develop soil


    acidity.
    (iii) Acid forming fertilizers and soluble salts

    • Ammonium sulphate (NH4)2SO4


    increases soil acidity
    • Ammonium nitrate NH4NO3

    Example:
    (NH4)2SO4 2 NH4+ + SO42-
    Ammonium sulphate

    NH4+
    2 NH4+ + SO42- + Ca Clay Clay + CaSO4 (Leached out)
    NH4+ Calcium sulphate

    NH4+ H
    Nitrification
    Clay + 3O2 Clay + 2HNO3
    NH4+ Nitric acid
    H
    Acid soil
    (iv) Humus and other organic acids

    Releases weak organic acids

    Decomposition of organic matter

    Solubilizing bases

    (v) Aluminosilicate minerals

    hydrolysis
    Low pH Al3+ + H2O Al (OH)2+ + H+
    Aluminium
    hydrated aluminium hydroxide
    (vi) Carbon dioxide (CO2)

    root activity
    release
    CO2 + H2O H2CO3
    Carbonic acid
    microbial metabolism

    (vii) Hydrous oxides

    hydrolysis
    oxides of iron and aluminium H+

    (VIII) Industrial Effluents

    Oxides of nitrogen and sulphur + H2O Acid


    Industrial release
    Example Acid rain
    2S + 3O2 + 2 H2O 2 H2SO4
    Sulphuric Acid
    Effects of Acid soil

    ❖ Increased solubility and toxicity of Al, Mn and Fe


    ❖ Deficiency of Ca and Mg
    ❖ Reduced availability of P and Mo
    ❖ Reduced microbial activity
    Acid Soils in India and Tamil Nadu

    49 m.ha area acidic in India

    36 m.ha have soil pH less than 5.6

    13 m.ha have soil pH in the range of 5.6 to 6.5

    2.6 M.ha are acidic in Tamil Nadu

    Nilgris and Kodaikanal


    High rainfall zone of Kanyakumari districts
    Parts of Pudukottai, Sivagangai, Cuddalore Vilupuram districts
    Reclamation

    Application of Lime is the best management practice for acid soil

    Acid tolerant plants

    Crop pH
    Azalea 4.5-5.0
    Avocado 6.0-6.5
    Camelia 4.5-5.5
    Macadamia 5.0-6.5
    Pineapple 4.7-5.7
    Taro 5.5-6.5
    Acid sulphate soils

    • Acid sulphate soils are extremely acid soils.


    • They have a pH which is less than 4.0 in some
    layer (in the upper 50 cm) of the profile.
    • The acidity is due to presence of sulphuric acid
    and iron aluminium sulphates.
    • They are derived from marine sediments high is
    pyrites and poor in bases.
    • Sulphur oxidation is an acidifying process.

    • Found in Kerala ,Orissa, Andrapradesh, Tamil Nadu & West Bengal.


    Formation of Acid sulphate soil

    • The soils and sediments to becoming acid sulfate soils formed within
    the last 10,000 years, after the sea level rise.

    • Sulfate in the seawater mixed with land sediments.

    • Under these anaerobic conditions, lithotrophic bacteria such as


    Desulforvibrio desulfuricans form iron sulfides (pyrite).

    • The pyrite is stable until exposed to air, at which point the pyrite
    oxidises and produces sulfuric acid.

    oxidation
    2S + 3O2 + 2H2O H2SO4

    (elemental sulphur) (sulphuric acid)


    oxidation
    H2S + 2O2 H2SO4

    (Hydrogen sulphide) (sulphuric acid)


    Characteristics of Acid sulphate soil

    • Acid sulphate soils are usually clay.


    • Acid sulphate soils also called cat-clays
    • The organic carbon content varies from 1.5 to 18%.
    • The cation exchange capacity is 10-25 meq/100gm.
    • Available nitrogen and phosphorus are low.
    • There may be toxicity of iron, alumimium, H2S in these soils.
    • These soils when submerged, are nearly neutral in reaction but
    when these are drained are dried they become extremely acidic
    and lethal to crop plants.
    Reclamation

    • These soils can be managed for growing crops.


    • Reclamation measures depend on the degree of water control.
    • If water is available, the soils are kept continuously flooded or
    saturated to prevent acidification.
    • The soils are then limed, fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus and
    crops grown in the wet season.

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