Soil fertility: Soil fertility is defined as the quality that enables the soil to provide proper nutrient compounds in proper amounts and in proper balance for the growth of specified plants. Soil fertility is also defined as the ability of soil to supply adequately the nutrients normally taken from the soil by plants.
The capacity of soil to provide essential chemical nutrients for plant growth. It is the combination of soil properties and an aspect of soil-plant relationships. Organic matter improves soil fertility by the mineralization of nutrients.
Some Terminologies :
Plant nutrition: Plant nutrition is defined as the supply and absorption of chemical compounds required for plant growth and metabolism. It is the process of absorption and utilization essential for plant growth and reproduction.
Nutrient: A nutrient may be defined as a chemical compound or ion required by an organism. The mechanism by which the nutrients are converted to cellular material or used for energetic purposes is known as metabolic processes.
Beneficial elements: The elements, the essentiality of which for growth and metabolism have not been unequivocally established, but which are shown to exert beneficial effects at very low concentrations are often referred to as beneficial elements or potential micronutrients. The beneficial effect of these nutrients may be due to the ability of these elements to affect the uptake, translocation, and utilization of the essential elements. They may be essential only for certain plant species or under specific conditions. Eg: Silicon, Vanadium, Cobalt, Aluminium .
