Soil Physics, Chemistry & Structure

Beneath every productive field lies a complex interplay of physical, chemical, and structural properties that determine how soil holds water, releases nutrients, and supports root growth. Texture, porosity, aggregation, pH, cation exchange capacity, and mineral composition all shape what a soil can do — and how it responds to management. Understanding these fundamentals is essential for diagnosing problems, predicting behaviour, and making sound agronomic decisions. The Soil Physics, Chemistry & Structure session gathers soil scientists and field practitioners to unpack the mechanisms that govern soil function, from the molecular reactions controlling nutrient availability to the architecture of aggregates that lets air and water move through the profile.

Why do some soils compact easily while others drain freely? How do chemical reactions at the particle surface dictate fertility? These are the questions explored through current research and applied diagnostics presented here. Anyone attending this Agriculture Conference can expect a deeper grasp of how physical and chemical processes interact, and how that knowledge translates into better tillage, irrigation, and amendment choices. By treating soil structure and soil chemistry as connected rather than separate disciplines, the session equips growers, advisors, and researchers to read their soils more accurately and manage them with greater precision.