Not necessary . Lets kindly remember what we used to be taught in our schooling days: all fertile soils are not productive and all productive soils are not fertile.This is the premise of soil fertility soil and soil productivity, and in between , number of factors act to harmonise the soil fertility with productivity. A classical example of low kaolinitic dominated low fertlity soils representing Alfisols , but these soils are so productive because of revailing high rainfall .

A fertile soil is productive as well as non productive. This soil is based on environmental factors including texture, structure, soil water supply, pH, temperature and aeration. The ability to supply essential plant nutrients and water in adequate amounts and proportions for plant growth and reproduction; and The absence of toxic substances which may inhibit plant growth.A fertile soil contains an adequate supply of all the nutrients required for plant growth. The full potential of crops is not realized if a shortage of nutrients occurs at any time during the growth cycle. This is true even though plants are capable of remarkable recovery from short periods of starvation. This soil is based on environmental factors including texture, structure, soil water supply, pH, temperature and aeration.

@ Anoop Kumar Srivastava

@ Prem Baboo

Stated properly.

Fertile soil is not necessarily a productive soil, texture & structure. clay soils can be heavier or lighter than sandy soils. Look at the attached file for more information.

All productive soils are fertile but, all fertile soils may not be productive. This is simple. To be productive, many other factors are responsible along with a fertile soil.

It is the management of the fertile soil that makes it productive.One has to make a constraint analysis of a particular ( fertile soil) for the production of a desired crop , plan and execute the agronomic practices which will remove/minimize the constraints and help the crop to express its full potential in the form crop yield and quality of produce.Then ,we can call that particular soil productive.

To be productive, the soils needs to be fertile, plus the environment and the management practices as fertile soils may not be productive due to constraints but, productive soils are always fertile plus constraints removal and management given.

waterlogged/submerged soils are grouped under problem soils even its fertility is good in terms of nutrient availability and soil reaction. because soil fertility is the function of soil productivity associate with many other factors responsible.

Fertile soil is a soil with high concentration of nutrients but it is productive only if the nutrients are in available forms i.e. they can be accessible to the crops grown in the area which depend on soil moisture, CEC, pH level, Texture and the management.

The earlier concept of soil fertility has gradually been extended/transformed and there is now no much difference between soil fertility and soil productivity. As per Merriam Webster Dictionary , soil fertility is capacity of a soil to provide crops with essential nutrient(emphasis is only on nutrients). Earlier many Soil Science books defined soil fertility as' the quality of soil that enables it to provide nutrients in adequate amounts and in proper balance for the growth of specified plants or crops'.It omits soil physical and biological conditions required for crop productivity ( the real measure of soil productivity).Recent FAO definition 'Soil fertility is the ability of a soil to sustain plant growth, by providing essential plant nutrients and favourable physical, and biological characteristics as a habitat for plant growth'.When favourable physical and biological conditions are included in the definition of soil fertility, the difference between soil fertility and the soil productivity is narrowed down. Further , there is no independent measure of soil productivity, except crop productivity. Now the soil productivity is defined as' the capability of a soil to produce specified crop yield under well defined systems of management of inputs and environmental conditions'. Environmental conditions may include chemical, physical and biological conditions . In the recent past the soil quality/soil health concepts taken into their fold the two terms soil fertility and soil productivity making them in a way redundant , though the terms are being used. Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils so that they are sustainable for future generations (NRCS,USDA). A part from crop production, animal and human health are also included in the definition of soil health. Now soil soil functions (based on soil health concept) are extended to ecosystem services/ functions, making them much broader in scope and importance.

The productivity of soil depends upon soil fertility as well as several associated factors, such as climate and environmental conditions, external inhibitions, pathogenic activities, etc., Thus, it may not be productive always, if other associated factors are not considered simultaneously.

Good Soumya R Mishra

@ Soumya Ranjan Mishra, the factors mentioned by you affect crop production but how can you isolate and attribute the magnitude of that effect to soil productivity. One can not attribute too many factors external to soil (not part of soil) to soil productivity.Then, what is the difference between soil productivity and crop productivity? The soil productivity mainly depends on soil nutrient supply, physical and biological conditions of soil including drainage and aeration but several other factors external to soil affect crop productivity. Some distinction has to be made between soil productivity and crop productivity.

According to Karlen (2005) soil productivity encompasses soil fertility plus the inherent and management-related factors affecting plant growth and development.The critical soil functions influencing productivity within any soil are those that provide physical support, a rooting medium with plant-available water, air for respiration and essential nutrients. Management decisions regarding tillage, fertilization, crop rotation, irrigation and drainage are more important practices that significantly affect soil productivity(Encyclopedia of soils in the environment 2005).

Greetings

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. Several other physical, chemical and biological soil properties, as well as, climatic factors, cultural practices (sowing date, sowing depth, crop varieties, etc) and economic factors also needs to be managed for a properly productive farm. My colleagues here have mentioned several of those physical, chemical and biological factors above.

Best wishes.

I think the limiting factor in this situation is the environmental conditions and in which extends it will serve the demands of the cultivated crop. So if wevhave fertile soil plus optimum environment it's gonna be a win win

there is a difference between soil fertility and soil quality. soil fertility is strongly related to crop fertility, here all factors cited by Soumya Ranjan Mishra must be considerated. However soil quality influence greatly soil fertility. this concept include toxicity factors (heavy metals, pathogen ...).all these factors cannot be separate when explaining crop productivity.

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Fertile productive soils are soils for which internal and external factors relating to the soil itself, such as heat and rain, are suitable.