Importance of Soil and Mineral Characteristics in Supporting Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Soil consists of four main components: Minerals, organic matter, air, and water, which are arranged in the space to form the soil body. Inorganic minerals in the soil come from rock fragments and other primary minerals. Sustainable soil fertility is supported by the nutrient content contained in the minerals. The research objectives were: 1) to observe the physical and chemical properties of soil in the upper (0-50 cm) and lower layer (>50-112.5 cm); 2) to observe microscopically the upper and lower layer. Microscopic observations of the topsoil and subsoil of the samples included The material composition of the topsoil and subsoil matrix, identifying the type of nutrient-bearing minerals for sustainable crop development. The research was carried out in early 2024; the research location and sampling were carried out in Pepalang District, Mamuju Regency, West Sulawesi. The research used survey methods and analysis of soil physical properties. Soil mineral analysis included making thin sections of Kubina box samples and micromorphological analysis using a polarizing microscope. The analysis of the physical properties of soil samples was carried out at the Soil Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin University Makassar. For the analysis of clay mineralogy, an X-ray diffractometer was used at the Laboratory of Optics and Petrography, Faculty of Engineering, Hasanuddin University. The results showed that there are seven types of minerals found in the three profiles in the study area: Quartz, biotite, muscovite, K-feldspar, plagioclase, opaque and clay minerals. The chemical properties, texture, clay content and minerals that are easily weathered indicate that the soil has the potential to be developed crops because there is still potential for K, Ca, Mg and Na nutrients. High rainfall and intensive weathering require inputs such as improved drainage and the use of balanced fertilizers. This is necessary to support sustainable agricultural land productivity.