Here are some books that you may find useful during your studies. Search the Bennies catalogue Accessit for more, or browse the Non-fiction collection NFS.
The Basics of Plant Structures by 
Plants anf Fungi by 
Plants & fungi : multicelled life by 
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Today's video is a look at how does soil pH actually affect plant growth? We know for most vegetables we should aim for a pH of 6-7.5 for the best growth but I wanted to find out why it is so important? From the research I did I found 5 reasons why a certain soil pH is important for the growth of plants
Why is pH important to agriculture? Nutrient availability (some nutrients become unavailable to plants at low or high pH levels). Determines soil amendments to be used. Indicates if it is advantageous or necessary to adjust pH level.
In this week's Ag PhD Farm Basic, Brian and Darren Hefty discuss nutrient tie-up, and how to get the most nutrients into your plants for maximum yields.
It is well known that chemical properties of soil has a major effect in the plant growth. Now we can optimize the plant’s growth by adding specific fertilizers and minerals. Another property of soil that we can control and may have some affects on plants growth is the PH of soil.
Soils can be naturally acid or alkaline, and this can be measured by testing their pH value. Having the correct pH is important for healthy plant growth. Being aware of the long-term effects of different soil management practices on soil pH is also important. Research has demonstrated that some agricultural practices significantly alter soil pH.
At extreme pH the availability of some nutrients is decreased, e.g. phosphorus and molybdenum at low pH, and zinc at high pH; and the solubility of elements toxic to plants is increased, e.g. aluminium and manganese at low pH.