Why does one need to study about soil and what is its importance?
You would be aware that, from the dawn of agriculture, cultivators
were attracted to fertile soils of river valleys. Early Greek and Roman writers have described farming systems that involved leguminous plants, use of ashes and sulphur as soil su pplements. German chemist Justus von Liebig (1840) found that crop yields were increased by adding minerals to soils. He proposed that the mineral elements in the soil added as manures and fertilizers are essential for plant growth. According to him certain factors are essential for plant growth and if any one of these factors is limiting (controlling) plant production would be reduced. Soils are studied today to ascertain which of these factors is below desired level and how its limitation to plant
growt h can be removed.