Acidification may strip Indian soils of 3.3 billion tonnes of essential carbon: Study

Posted 16 Apr 2024

2 min read

Key findings
- Over 30% of cultivable land in India is said to carry acidic soil, impacting plant growth.
  - Acidic soils are those that have a pH value of less than 5.5.
- Soil acidification might lead to the loss of Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC) from topsoil.
  - SIC includes mineral forms of carbon like calcium carbonate produced by the weathering of parent material or from the reaction of soil minerals with atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).

Factors Accelerating Soil Acidification
- Leaching of nitrogen released from ammonium-based fertilizers.
- Organic residues on decomposition release organic acids.
- Roots, during active growth stages, release CO2 into the soil resulting in the formation of carbonic acid.

Impacts of Soil Acidification
- Loss of SIC: SIC is mostly carbonate. Low pH levels dissolve carbonate and remove it either as CO2 gas or release it directly into water.
- Loss of Microbes: Bacteria cannot survive in acidic conditions.
- Aluminum Toxicity: When soil pH drops, aluminum becomes soluble, and its amount in soil solution increases which is toxic to the roots of sensitive plant species.
- Other Impacts: Rise in Pathogenic fungi, Decreased Nutrients availability, etc.

Liming: Incorporation of Lime, Gypsum, or dolomite into upper cultivable soil layer.
Using Industrial By-products: Press mud from sugarcane industry, basic slags from the iron and steel industries, and flue dust from cement plants can be used.
Growing acid-tolerant crops e.g. Sugarcane and bananas

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