Components of soil. Lecture 2
Components of soil Mineral soil consists of four major components i.e., inorganic or mineral materials, organic matter, water and air. In a representative loam surface soil, the solid mineral particles comprise about 45% of the soil volume and organic matter 5%. At optimum moisture for plant growth, the pore space is divided roughly in half, 25 %, of volume being water space and 25 % air. The proportions of air and water are subjected to rapid and great fluctuations. The four soil components occur in a thoroughly mixed condition in soil and this mixture encourages interactions within and between the groups and permits marked variations in the environment for the growth of plants. The proportion of different components in the diagram depicts the good soil condition for plant growth (Loam surface soil).The air and water are extremely variable and their proportions determine in large degree the soil’s suitability for the plant growth. ...
