Soil pH is of utmost importance in plant growth as it influences nutrient availability, toxicities and the activity of soil organisms. Soil pH regulates plant nutrient availability by controlling the chemical forms of the different nutrients and also influences their chemical reactions. As a result, soil and crop productivities are linked to soil pH value. Though soil pH generally ranges from 1 to 14, the optimum range for most agricultural crops is between 5.5 and 7.5. However, some crops have adapted to thrive at soil pH values outside this optimum range. Soil pH is affected by the mineral composition of the soil parent material and the weathering reactions undergone by that parent material.
