This is of great use and

1. BANDA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE & TECHNOLOGY , BANDA
 PROBLEMATIC SOILS & THEIR MANAGEMENT
 TOPIC- CONCEPT OF SOIL QUALITY & SOIL HEALTH
 PRESENTED BY – PRESENTED TO -
DR. DEO KUMAR
2111 , 2112 , 2113 , 2114 , 2115

2. SOIL HEALTH -
•Definition – The continued capacity of the
soil to function as a vital living ecosystem
that sustains
plants, animals and human .

3. SOIL QUALITY -
 According to Doran & Parkin , In 1949 Defined
soil quality as “ the capacity of a soil to function ,
within ecosystem boundaries , to sustain
productivity , maintain environment quality ,
and promote plant and animal health .”

4. ❧ Soils are the storehouses for water and nutrients. Plants draw on these
stores as needed to produce roots, stems, leaves, and, eventually, food
and fiber for human consumption.
❧ The soil matrix is the major incubation chamber for the
decomposition of organic wastes, for example, pesticides, sewage,
and solid wastes.
❧ The reason that soil quality matters is that healthy soil can store and
process more water. Poor quality, depleted soil, won't hold water and
will make it impossible for your plants to thrive and survive.
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL QUALITY-

5. 1. INHERENT SOIL QUALITY – Inherent soil quality
refers to the aspects of soil quality relating to a soil ‘s natural
composition and properties influenced by the natural long term
factors and processes of soil formation . These generally can not be
influenced by human management .
Soil quality includes both inherent and dynamic
quality .
TYPES OF SOIL QUALITY

6. 2 . DYNAMIC SOIL QUALITY -
• It is equivalent to soil health , refers to soil properties that change
as a result of soil use and management over the human time scale .
 The term ‘ soil health ’ has been generally preferred by farmers ,
while scientists have generally preferred ‘ soil quality ’.

8.  Climate
 Time
 Living Organism
 Topography
 Parent Material
FACTORS AFFECTING SOIL QUALITY -

9. SOIL QUALITY PARAMETERS
Physical Factor
• Soil depth & Water
Holding Capacity
• Physical environment-
Structure, Aeration,
Drainage, Texture,
Density
• Soil Erosion- Water and
Wind Erosion
Chemical Factors
Nutrient Availability-
Capacity & Intensity
Factor
• Soil Reaction- Acidic,
Saline, Sodic Soil
• Presence of toxic
elements
• Ion Exchange
Phenomena(CEC & AEC)
Biological Factors
Microorganisms present
and their interaction
among themselves
• Earth worms activities
• Soil Enzyme Activity
• Organic Matter content

10. CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTHY SOIL -
1 . Good soil tilth – Soil tilth refers to the over all physical character
of soil in the context of its suitability for crop production .
2 . Sufficient depth – It refers to the extent of soil profile through
which roots are able to grow to find water and nutrients .
3 . Good water storage & Good Drainage – During a heavy rain , a
healthy soil will take in and store more water in medium and small
pores but will also drain water more rapidly from large pores .
4 . Low weed Pressure – Weed pressure is a major constraint in crop production .
weeds compete with crops for water and nutrients that are essential for plant growth .

11. SOIL QUALITY INDEX-