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(i) The following factors cause soil degeneration. Leaching, Continuous cropping, Change of pH (ii) Describe how these factors influence soil degeneration.

(i) The following factors cause soil degeneration.
Leaching
Continuous cropping
Change of pH
(ii) Describe how these factors influence soil degeneration.

Answers


Faith
Leaching
Soil nutrients are lost to lower horizons during the leaching processes. The nutrients percolate into the horizon B. Mineral elements like nitrates, potassium, magnesium and sulphate are lost through this percolation. This is why farmers use fertilizers to replenish the lost content.

Continuous cropping
This involves the growing crops on the same piece of land from season to season. The land is not allowed to rest. The soil becomes exhausted because the crops continue sucking the nutrients.

Change of pH
The applications of fertilizers on land continuously may affect the soil pH value. The acidity of soils is increased by ammonium based fertilizers like ammonium nitrate or sulphate. This increased acidity interferes with the activities of some microorganisms like bacteria and fungi.
Faimus answered the question on March 17, 2018 at 09:09

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