How can we reconcile the apparent contradiction between the statement "All productive soil are fertile" and "all fertile soil are not productive"?
Soil fertility is vital to a productive soil, but a fertile soil is not necessarily a productive soil. The majority of organic matter, approximately 50 percent of plant-available phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are concentrated in the topsoil (A-horizon). A productive soil technically is also fertile. However, a fertile soil is not necessarily productive. That is because fertility mainly refers to plant nutrient status of the soil as plant growth medium. But, it is not just nutrients that the farmers should manage for proper production. Soil fertility means nutrients in the soil, as also depends on (i) Inherent or Natural Fertility: (ii) Acquired Fertility: (i) Natural Factors: (ii) Artificial Factors: and soil productivity means to support the plant in the soil through physical, chemical, biological for growth and development of plant. Considered the most fertile of soil type, loamy soils are a combination of sandy, clay and silt particles. The clay and silt particles improve moisture retention while the sand minimizes compaction and improves drainage. Loamy soils don't get dried out in the summer, but also don't get water-logged in winter. Soil fertility is only one aspect of soil productivity but it is a very important one. As, a soil may be very fertile, but produce only little vegetation because of a lack of water or unfavorable temperature. Soil fertility is the ability of the soil to provide all essential plant nutrients in available forms and in a suitable balance and capability of soil to produce specified crop yield under well-defined and specified systems of management of inputs and environmental conditions. For instance, a highly weathered, infertile soil usually contains a light-colored layer in the subsurface soil from which nutrients have leached away. On the other hand, a highly fertile soil often has a deep surface layer that contains high amounts of organic matter.
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