agricultural soil

Soil is one of the basic elements necessary for the functioning of terrestrial biological systems. It is a primary source of nitrate compounds, water, and mineral elements, and a home for decomposing organisms in the food chain. Arable soil is classified according to a number of factors, the most important of which are: soil type, fertility, and components, the amount of fresh water in its pores, soluble organic and mineral salts, and good ventilation necessary for plant roots to breathe through it.

Components of agricultural soil

Soil contains three basic components: liquid materials, solid materials, and gaseous materials, as follows:

Solid materials

Consists of two basic elements:

Mineral granules: including gravel, clay, sand, and silt (silt).

Organic matter or dubal: is the soil resulting from the decomposition of living organisms after their death, or from the waste resulting from them while they are alive, and it is considered one of the most fertile types of soil, due to its content of nutrients important for plant growth, in addition to its role in improving soil properties, when added to clay soil, the cohesion between its particles decreases, which contributes to increasing its ventilation, and facilitates the penetration of roots inside it, and this is positively reflected on plant growth, but when added to sandy soil, the width of its pores decreases, which contributes to increasing its ability to retain water in larger quantities, and thus reducing the loss of its nutrients.

Liquid materials

Water is one of the essential elements for plant growth, as it helps dissolve the mineral materials that make up the soil, which stimulates plant growth, and its increase or decrease affects the properties of the soil, as the soil that can retain water within its pores for the longest possible period is considered one of the best and most fertile types of soil, unlike soil through which water is easily drained, so it loses its moisture and dissolved nutrients in it as well.

Gaseous materials

Air permeates the soil particles, and part of it is dissolved in its elements, as ground air is composed of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and some other gases, and as we know, the presence of air is necessary for the plant because the roots need it to breathe, such as the stem and leaves, and its deficiency leads to suffocation of the roots and the death of the plant.

Benefits of soil

For plants, it stabilizes the plant and provides it with support. Provides the plant with its need for water and dissolved salts. Provides the roots with the oxygen they need for breathing.

Soil division

Soil is generally viewed as a mixture of four basic materials, and these materials are divided so that about 45% of the soil is composed of rocky particles that have been exposed to disintegration over time by wind and water in addition to chemical processes. The soil also consists of about 5% of organic materials resulting from the decomposition of plant and animal remains, in addition to about 25% of the soil components, which is water, and another 25% that constitutes air.

Soil Components

Air

Air is naturally present in the Earth’s atmosphere, and its presence in the soil helps in forming pockets that allow water to pass through the soil to reach the plants growing above and below it.

Water

Water is an important component of soil that carries dissolved salts and other chemicals that plants need to survive. Soil types vary in their ability to retain water, as clay soil forms a mixture that has the ability to retain water better than other types, but it must be noted that some types of plants cannot live in moist clay soil.

Minerals

Soil types are divided according to the particles that make them up, which are the result of the disintegration of rocks and minerals. Sandy soil has the largest particles among these types, and is characterized by the instability of water molecules between them. It is usually poor in the nutrients that plants need because it is the result of the disintegration of quartz and other minerals. While silt soil is a type with smaller particles than sand and is the result of the disintegration of quartz and some rocks, clay soil contains the smallest particles of soil, and is usually rich in minerals and nutrients such as iron, potassium and calcium.

Organic Materials

Organic materials are available in the soil as a result of the decomposition of plant and animal remains. As this process occurs, the organic materials in these remains are exposed to essential nutrients that plants use in their vital processes.

Features of a good soil mixture

The following points address some of the characteristics related to a good agricultural soil mixture:

It has good drainage for irrigation water. It can be easily re-moistened again after it dries, without becoming dull. It does not suffer from shrinkage and moving away from the sides of the planting pot when it dries from water. It has a pH suitable for most types of crops, and this acidity usually ranges between 5.0-6.5. It can be stored without being exposed to any significant changes in its chemical or physical properties. It should be of an appropriate weight, and this is noted by not being too heavy when lifted, or too light so that it flies easily with the wind. Pay attention to its freedom from elements that are considered agricultural pests, such as weed seeds or pathogens. It does not cost much economically, and can be obtained easily.

Types of agricultural soil available in Egyptian lands

At first, Dr. Mohamed Abdel Aziz talked about the types of agricultural soil available in Egypt, which are divided into three types: “clay, calcareous, sandy”, explaining that each of them needs a specific pattern of treatments, related to irrigation and fertilization, in addition to the different crops that thrive in it, which requires familiarity with the best available scientific methods, to reach the desired goal, and the highest rates of quality and productivity.

Clay agricultural soil and the trend towards modern irrigation techniques

“Abdel Aziz” stressed the need to use appropriate irrigation treatments, which are compatible with the features and capabilities of clay agricultural soil, most notably its high water retention rate, which requires changing the patterns followed, and moving towards rationing and modern irrigation techniques such as “sprinkling and dripping”.

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