Hydrogen and aluminum reduce soil pH and are therefore considered acidic cations. Soils with a low pH may have high levels of hydrogen and aluminum, causing plant growth problems. However, in soils with pH levels that are slightly acidic or basic, cations such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium are more abundant. These cations are therefore considered basic. The percent of a soil's CEC that is occupied by basic cations is termed the percent base saturation.
Soil testing is essential to profitable crop production.
However, the work doesn't stop when the soil is sent into a laboratory. Spend the time to learn what your soil test report means. Only then can wise management decisions be made. All rights reserved.