Soil Properties (Physical, Chemical, Biological, Mechanical)

Soil is an anchor for plant roots and as a water holding reservoir for needed moisture, soil delivers a hospitable place for a plant to take root. Some of the soil properties affecting plant growth include soil texture, aggregate size, porosity, aeration, and water holding capacity. Soil physical properties refer to properties such as soil texture, bulk density, aggregation, aggregate stability, and soil water content and water retention. Malaysian soils vary widely in texture from as low as 3" to over 90" of clay content. The two main soil chemical properties controlling chemical processes in the soil system are cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil acidity. In Malaysia, peatland occupies 2.7 million ha, accounting for about 8" of the total land area of the country. Biological processes in soil can develop soil structure. Some bacteria and fungi produce substances during organic matter decomposition that chemically and physically bind soil particles into microaggregates.