Fertility (soil)

Fertility (soil)

Fertile soil has the following properties:

• It is rich in nutrients necessary for basic plant nutrition, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
• It contains sufficient minerals (trace elements) for plant nutrition, including boron, chlorine, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, sulfur, and zinc.
• It contains soil organic matter that improves soil structure and soil moisture retention.
• Soil pH is in the range 6.0 to 6.8 for most plants but some prefer acid or alkaline conditions.
• Good soil structure, creating well drained soil, but some soils are wetter (as for producing rice) or drier (as for producing plants susceptible to fungi or rot) such as agave.
• A range of microorganisms that support plant growth.
• It often contains large amounts of topsoil.

In lands used for agriculture and other human activities, fertile soil typically arises from the use of soil conservation practices. Basically the ability of a soil to supply plant nutrients.