Question

What do you understand by soil treatment? What should we do if the soil is too acidic? What should we do if the soil is too basic? [5 MARKS]

Answer 1

Soil Treatment: 2 Marks
Too acidic: 1.5 Marks
Too basic: 1.5 Marks

With the increase in demand of crops, farmers have started using excessive fertilizers which is affecting the acid-base balance in the soil. Plants do not grow well when the soil is either too acidic or too basic. This process of restoring the acid-base balance in the soil is called soil treatment.

When the soil is too acidic, it is treated with bases like quicklime (calcium oxide) or slaked lime.
If the soil is too basic, organic matter is added to it, which neutralizes the basic nature of the soil by releasing acids.