Soil pollution occurs when soil is contaminated by substances like heavy metals, chemicals, and inorganic compounds from sources such as coal, sewage, and fertilizers. This contamination can harm plant growth and human health. Agriculture relies on fertilizers and pesticides to improve soils and protect crops, but overuse and misuse of these chemicals can pollute soils and create other problems. Both organic and inorganic fertilizers are used to provide nutrients to soils, but organic fertilizers tend to be safer and better for soil quality as they release nutrients slowly and support soil microbes. Pesticides are also used to control pests but can contaminate soils and harm other organisms if over-applied. Proper management of fertilizers and pesticides

2.  Soil pollution is –
 Contamination of soil by heavy metals, inorganic
compounds, chemicals, salts.
 It has an adverse effect on plant growth and
human health.
 Soil pollutants-
 Substances causing soil pollution like coal, sewage,
fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
 Agriculture chemicals includes-
 Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides,
fertilizers.

3.  Used to correct soil deficiencies.
 Necessary nutrients like nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium, calcium,
magnesium and many more are
obtained from fertilizers.
 Two types-
 Organic fertilizers
 Inorganic fertilizers

4.  Organic fertilizers-
 Obtained from
naturally occurring
substances.
 Made from plant,
animal byproducts.
 Compost , manure,
marine byproducts.
 Inorganic fertilizers-
 Synthetically
manufactured.
 Like nitrogen
fertilizers, potassium
fertilizers,
phosphorous
fertilizers.
 Readily dissolved in
soil.

5.  Compost-
 Made from decomposed plant matter
such as vegetable peels, egg shells.
 Manure-
 Comes from livestock animals such as
cattle, chickens, horses and sheep.
 Marine byproducts-
 Fish scrap

6. Manure products are one of the most common natural fertilizers
available.

7.  Accumulation of soil
acidity in soil which
increases aluminium
availability and hence
toxity .
 Fertilizer burn.
 Nitrogen fertilizer can be
converted by soil
bacteria to nitrogen
oxide, a greenhouse gas
which also causes acid
rain.

8.  Remain longer in soil
 Release nutrients slowly
 Less likely to burn roots of plants
 Enhance soil health
 Nurture soil microbes

9.  To kill, destroy pests.
 Imp. Pesticides are DDT,
organophosphates, aldrin, furodan.
 Pesticides get absorbed by soil particles.
 Decrease fertility of soil
 Toxic effect on human

10.  Organochlorine pesticides-
 DDT, chlordane
 Pyrethroid pesticides-
 Pyrethrin
 Biopesticides-
 Derived from natural material like plants,
animals, bacteria.
 Canola oil, baking soda

11.  Reduces soil life from 2 to 16 years.
 Reach a destination other than their
target species when sprayed.
 Reduces nitrogen fixation
 Pests develop resistance to pesticides,
necessitating new pesticides.
 Destroys habitats, threatens species
 Contamination of ground water.

13.  Biological Controls-
 Parasites, predators to kill pests.
 Bacteria can be also used to kill pests.
 Quarantine-
 Restriction on the importation of plant and
animals that could contain pests.
 Interplanting-
 The alternate row of planting can provide a
habitat for predators of pests to the other
row.

14.  Used to kill unwanted plants.
 Organic herbicides-
 Expensive
 Less effective than synthetic herbicides
 Spices, vinegar
 Do not damage crops as naturally
made.

15.  Chemical compounds used to kill fungi.
 Fungi can cause serious damage in
agriculture.
 Result in critical loss of yield, quality and
profit.
 Dangerous to human health.
 Eg- Neem oil, Tea tree oil, etc.

16.  US Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)- reports that over 1 billion tons of
pesticides are used in the US every year.
 . Agricultural use accounted for 80% of
pesticide use in the US.
 . The US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) -responsible for monitoring
pesticide levels on fruits and vegetables.

17.  Between the years of 2004-05 and 2009-10,
the total consumption of fertilizer has
increased by 43% .
 . Consumption of potash increased
by merely 15 kg/ha during last 27 years from
less than 2 kg in 1971-72 to 17.1 kg in 2008-
09.
 The Fertilizer consumption (% of fertilizer
production) in India was 166.29 in 2009,
according to a World Bank report,
published in 2010.