HAWAII COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

College of Tropical Agricu lture and Human Resources

SOIL REACTION (pH)

by Wade W. McCall and Roger T. Watanabe*

Soils have many physical, chemical, and biological more acid. When soils are formed , they contain
properties that determine their suitability for the varying amounts of bases such as calcium , magne­
growth of plants. Soil reaction, or pH , is one very sium , potassium, and sodium . These bases are re­
important property that has great influence on the moved from the soil by the process of leaching and
growth of soil microorganisms and higher plants plant uptake. As they are removed, they are re­
and on the soil management required for satisfac­ placed by hydrogen or aluminum ions, causing the
tory crop production. soil to become more acid. These bases are elements
essential for the growth of plants. As plants take
What Is pH? up these elements, the roots release hydrogen to
Soil reaction, or pH , is a measure of the acidity or the soil solution. ·Hydrogen is also released by the
alkalinity of the soil solution or of the amount of decomposition of organic matter in the soil. Alumi­
active hydrogen-ions present in the soil. To simplify numcomes from the weathering of soil minerals.
the expression of pH, a scale numbered from 0 to
14 has been adopted. Neutrality (such as in pure To meet the demand for increased crop yields, large
water) corresponds to pH 7, or the middle of the amounts of fertilizer are required. These fertilizers
scale. Acidity increases as pH values decrease from generally contain large amounts of nitrogen needed
7 to 0, and alkalinity increases as pH values increase by crops. Most of the nitrogen contained in ferti­
from 7 to 14. Soil pH values in Hawaii are generally lizer is in the ammoniacal form. Ammoniacal nitro­
between pH 4 and pH 8, and values between 5 and gen is adsorbed by the soil and in a few weeks is
7.5 are most common. converted into the nitrate form , releasing hydrogen
ions to the soil. Hydrogen ions from all these sources
Many soils in Hawaii are acid, especially those that result in the soil becoming more acid.
have been used for pineapple and sugarcane pro­
duction, where large amounts of acid-forming ferti­ Soils differ in the extent to which each of the above­
lizers have been added to the soil for many years. mentioned processes affects acidity. Also, organic
Most soils found in the high-rainfall areas are acid matter, the amount and type of clay minerals, and
also. Many soils found in the low-rainfall areas are the amount and type of adsorbed ions all influence
neutral (pH 7) or alkaline. The white sands of pH of the soil. Organic matter is important because
Hawaii are alkaline because they are composed of its decomposition releases hydrogen that increases
coral, which is high in calcium carbonate-the acidity (lowers pH) and because it forms part of
principal ingredient of limestone. Many of the the colloidal complex in the soil. Clay makes up
young volcanic ash soils are alkaline due to the the remainder of the colloidal complex. This col­
presence of potassium, magnesium , calcium , and loidal complex provides soil with exchange capacity
sodium, which ar~ part of the minerals that make that adsorbs and holds various ions such as those of
up lava, volcanic ash, and cinders. However, as these hydrogen and the bases. The exchange capacity
materials .weather , the potassium, sodium , calcium constitutes most of the buffering capacity of the
and magnesium are removed due t o leaching, and soil and slows the rate at which pH changes. Th e
the soil becomes more acid. colloidal complex adsorbs both basic and acid ions .
The pH of the soil reflects the proportion of each
Why Soils Become More Acid of these present in the colloidal complex.
Soils become more acid with time, unless they are
controlled by proper soil management practices. Influence Of pH Upon Plant Growth
There are many reasons why these soils become Plants differ in the optimum pH range over which

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Depart­
ment of Agriculture. Noel P. Kefford, Director of the Institute and Dean of the College, Cooperative Extension Service, Col ­
lege of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822. An Equal Opportu­
nity Employer providing programs and services to the citizens of Hawaii without regard to race, color, national origin, or sex.
 they grow best. Above or below this range their skilled operator. The equipment for the electro­
growth may be affected. metric method is relatively expensive, and requires
one hour or more of contact of soil and water
The pH also affects the availability of each plant before the measurements are made. When correctly
nutrient in the soil. In strongly acid soils (pH below done, it is accurate to within 0.1-0.2 pH unit,
5), aluminum, iron, zinc, copper, boron, and depending on the sensitivity of the meter.
manganese availability increases and these ions may
reach levels toxic to plants. Strongly acid soils are Adjusting Soil pH
usually depleted of bases-calcium, magnesium, Adjusting soil pH is one of the more important soil
potassium, and sodium-so that plants may be management practices used to produce more favor­
unable to obtain the quantities of these nutrients able conditions for plant growth. Adjusting soil pH
necessary for their growth. Strongly acid conditions will not make any nutrient that may be lacking in
also reduce the availability of phosphorus and the soil more available for plant use. Acidity is
molybdenum to the plant. Alkaline conditions reduced by the use of agricultural lime, and alkali­
reduce the availability of iron, zinc, copper, boron, nity is reduced by the use of sulfur, iron sulfate, or
manganese, and phosphorus to the plant. similar acid-forming materials. The subject of adjust­
ing soil pH will be covered in another Instant Infor­
How to Determine pH mation sheet.
Soil pH may be determined either colorimetrically
or electrometrically. The colorimetric method is *Soil Management Specialist and Assistant Specialist in Soil
simple, inexpensive, and accurate to within 0.2-0.5 Science, respectively.
pH unit, depending on the dye or mixture of dyes
used. The soil is saturated with the dye, the soil NOTE: The use of trade names is for the convenience of
and dye are allowed to remain in contact for a few readers only and does not constitute an endorsement of
minutes, and then the color developed is compared these products by the University of Hawaii, the College of
with colors on a color chart. The electrometric Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Hawaii
method uses a pH meter that measures the hydro­ Cooperative Extension Service, and their employees.
gen ion concentration by the use of electrodes. It is
the most accurate method when properly done by a Reprinted June, 1980-2M

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