Balanced Eco Solutions

CEC soil, or Cation Exchange Capacity, is the soil's ability to hold onto positively charged nutrient ions (cations) like calcium (), magnesium (), and potassium (). A higher CEC means the soil can store more nutrients, while a lower CEC means it holds fewer, requiring more frequent application to prevent plant deficiencies. CEC is a crucial measure of soil fertility and is determined by the amount of clay and organic matter in the soil.

• Soil particles like clay and organic matter have a negative charge. 
• These negatively charged particles attract and hold positively charged cations from the soil solution. 
• Cations such as calcium (), magnesium (), and potassium () are held on these sites and are readily available for plant uptake. 
• When a plant's roots take up these nutrients from the soil solution, more cations are released from the soil particles to replace them, ensuring a continuous supply. 

• Organic Matter: Humus, or decomposed organic matter, has a very high CEC and significantly contributes to the soil's ability to hold nutrients. 
• Clay Content: Clay particles have a negative charge, which is essential for holding cations. Clayey soils generally have a higher CEC than sandy soils. 
• Soil pH: As soil pH increases, the CEC can also increase, particularly on the variable charges found in organic matter. 

• High CEC Soils: These soils can store a large amount of nutrients, making them less prone to leaching. However, plants may have to work harder to extract the nutrients held tightly on the soil particles. 
• Low CEC Soils: These soils are not as effective at holding nutrients. They require more frequent applications of fertilizers to prevent deficiencies, as nutrients can be washed away more easily. 

• CEC is measured in units like meq/100 g or cmol(+)/kg. 
• There is no single CEC value; it is a property of each soil and can be estimated based on its organic matter and clay content. 
• A common rule of thumb is to multiply the percentage of organic matter by two and add that to the percentage of clay multiplied by 0.5 to get an estimated CEC value.