Soil Fertility and Plant

Nutrition

Rogelio R. Picart Jr., Lic. Agr.

M. Sc. Agri.
Soil Fertility Defined
• Is the status of a soil with respect to
its ability to supply elements
essential for plant growth without
toxic concentration of any
element.(Foth and Ellis, 1988)
• Focuses on adequate and balanced
supply of elements or nutrients to
satisfy the needs of plants
• Knowledge on the origin of crop is
important
Examples:
1. Cassava
• Native to humid tropics
• Grows well on strongly acidic soil (Al
is associated)
2. Wheat
• Originated on steppes where soils are
neutral and alkaline
• Low tolerance to soluble aluminum
(root growth is restricted)
Soil Productivity

• Is a measure of the soil’s ability to produce a particular

crop or sequence of crops under a specified
management system
• Encompasses soil fertility plus all other factors affecting
plant growth
• Strong positive correlation between fertility and physical
properties of soil is observed
• E.g. unproductive soils due to drought
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
Roman Era
• Soil fertility management practices started (e.g.
• Interest in soil fertility manuring, liming, crop rotation, fallowing) to
likely originated with the build-up and supply nutrients
development of
agriculture
• ½ of the world’s farmers
still use methods similar
to Roman times and of
Middle Ages and early Renaissance
the Middle Ages period
• Accumulation of knowledge and improvement
of agricultural practices were slow
Search for the Nourishment of Plants
Jan Baptista Van Helmont (15th century)
 Belgian Chemist
Middle Ages  Conducted an experiment about 169 pound willow
 Foundation of sciences tree for 5 yrs by adding only H2O
were being laid  Conclusion: Tree grew because of water
 Focused on discovering
how vegetation or John Woodward (17th century)
plant growth was  Reviewed the findings of Van Helmont and others
nourished
 Set up an experiment with 4 treatments
 Different theories
evolved proposing  Treatments: rainwater, river water, and 2 sewerage
water, saltpeter, soil, treatments
and other juices of the  Hypothesis: In all treatments plants have an
earth as the primary abundance water supply and should have grown
constituents equally if water was the nourishment of vegetation
 Findings: Plant growth increased with an increase
in the amount of terrestrial matter in the water
Search for the Nourishment of Plants
Justus von Liebig
18th century
 Analytical balance was invented
 Aided in scientific discovery due to its
capability to weigh very small quantities
of chemicals and solutions
 Discovery about respiration process and
basic concepts of photosynthesis
 Disproved Van Helmont’s findings
 Proved that plant roots take up nutrient
elements for the most part as ions
• German chemist
• Summarized the major findings and
brought an end to the search for the
nourishment of vegetation
• Plants get most of their C from CO2, H2O
is a source H and O, soil is a source of
elements
• Erronously believed that plants absorbed
their N as ammonia from the atmosphere
• Published a book entitiled, “Organic
Chemistry in Its Application to Agriculture
and Physiology” in 1840 which marks the
beginning of agricultural science
Fertilizer Development
• Earliest materials used as
sources of N, phosphorus,
and potassium
• NANO3 from Chilean mines to
supply N
• Bones and guano to supply P
(calphos)
• Wood ashes and evaporate
salt deposits to supply K
1830
 Treatment of bones with sulfuric acid to increase
the solubility of the P
1842
 Sir John Lawes of England
- Started the first commercial manufacture of
superphosphate
1843
 Rothamsted Experimental Station in London began
field experiments
1850
 first mixed fertilizer was made in Baltimore,
Maryland
1855
 RES declared that soil fertility could be maintained
for many years with chemical fertilizers
1861
 First commercial mining of salts occurred in
Germany
Fertilizer Development

Cotinuation
1880 – N fixation of bacteria of the genus Rhizobium was understood
1913 – Fritz Harber and Karl Bosch led the development of an efficient
process for the production of synthetic ammonia in Germany

Today , N is the most generally limiting nutrient for crop

production. N fertilizers are mostly derived in ammonia synthesis.
Recent developments in fertilizers include: (1) more
concentrated lower cost matl’s (2) pesticide incorporation (3)
improved physical and chem properties (e.g. slow-release ferts)
Factors of Soil Fertility
To be fertile, a soil must have conditions favorable for the development and
functioning of plant roots
1. Favorable physical properties
a) Good aeration and drainage
b) Proper moisture holding capacity
2. Favorable chemical properties
a) Optimal reaction (pH)
b) High buffer capacity
c) High nutrient holding capacity (CEC)
d) Absence of toxic matl’s (salinity, toxic organic and inorganic compounds)
3. Favorable microbiological priorities
a) Active functioning of beneficial microorganisms
b) Suppressive activity of harmful microorganisms
4. Abundant and well-balanced nutrient supply
a) Macro-nutrients
b) Micronutrients
Growth and Factors Affecting Soil Fertility
Growth – progressive development of an organism
• Development of a plant can be expressed (dry weight, length, height, or
diameter)
• The overall growth may occur by one or al of three types of change:
a) Structural parts may increase in number
b) May increase in size, or
c) Spaces between parts may enlarge
Factors Affecting Plant Growth
1. Genetic Factor
The genetic constitution of a given plant species limit the extent to which the
plant may develop. No environmental condition no matter how favorable can
extend those limits.
Important characteristics that could be incorporated into the genetic make-up
of a plant:
a) High yield
b) Disease and insect resistance
c) Resistance to adverse climatic conditions (cold,heat, shade and drought)
d) Height
e) Palatability (eating quality)
f) Resistance to adverse soil conditions (acidity & alkalinity, deficiency & toxicity)
Factors Affecting Plant Growth
1. Environmental factors
Environment – aggregate of all the external conditions and influences affecting
the life and development of an organism.
Environmental factors include:
a) Atmospheric
b) Biotic
c) Lithospheric
Factors Affecting Plant Growth
1. Environmental factors (cont’n)
A. Atmospheric
1. Solar energy – the quality, intensity and duration of light
Photoperiodism – the behavior of plants in relation to day length
a. Short-day – plants will flower only when the photoperiod is as short or shorter than the
critical period of time
b. Long-day – plants tat will flower only when the period of time they are exposed to light
is as long or longer than the critical period
c. Indeterminate plants – plants that complete their reproductive cycle over a wide range
of daylength.
2. Air composition – The CO2 content of the atmosphere; certain gases such as SO2
when release to the atmosphere in sufficient quantities are toxic to plants
3. Temperature
- Influences photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, water, nutrient uptake and growth of
microorganisms
- Survival limit of living organisms generally in bet. 35 deg C and 75 deg C
- Growth of most agricultural crops increases between 15-40 deg C
Factors Affecting Plant Growth
1. Environmental factors (cont’n)
B. Biotic
a) Fertilization- heavy fertilization may encourage greater vegetative growth and
better environmental conditions of certain disease organisms
b) Imbalance of nutrients – may increase disease incidence
C. Lithospheric
a) Moisture
- growth of many land plants is proportional to the amount of water present
- restricted by both very low and very high levels of moisture
b) Soil reaction (pH)
- May affect plant growth by its influence on the availability of certain elements and
growth of some important soil microorganisms
c) Soil structure and soil air composition – presence of adequate amount of O2 in soil
air is necessary for normal functioning of the roots and other microorganisms
d) Supply of mineral nutrient elements- required for maximum agricultural production