Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: DTE
Context: The study highlights the potential loss of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) in Indian soils due to acidification, impacting soil health, crop growth, and carbon sequestration.
- Soil acidification, driven by industrial activities and intense farming, could lead to the depletion of 3.3 billion tonnes of SIC from the top 0.3 meters of soil over the next 30 years.
- Acidic soils affect approximately 30% of cultivable land in India, with the northeastern region being particularly affected.
Soil acidification is a natural process that occurs when the concentration of hydrogen ions in the soil increases.
This reduces the soil’s pH.
Soil acidification can be accelerated by some agricultural practices, such as:
Removing plant and animal products, Leaching excess nitrate, Adding some nitrogen-based fertilizers, Building up mostly plant-based organic matter, and Using ammonium-based fertilizers.
