ABSTRACT
What deƒnes a “fertile soil” is determined by the combination of both the physical (texture, structure, proƒle depth, water-holding capacity, drainage, etc.; see Chapter 7, “Physical Properties of Soils”) and physiochemical properties (pH, level of available essential plant elements, cation/anion exchange capacities (see Chapter 8, “Physiochemical Properties of Soil”). A fertile soil may be deƒned either on the basis of its own physical-chemical properties, or based on crop performance and yield. For example, some compact alkaline desert soils, when fertilized and with adequate water applied, will produce wheat yields at or near world records, while some of the most productive soils in the world, high in organic matter content with a deep soil proƒle, tilled when wet, will reduce soil tilth, resulting in poor plant growth and product yield.
