Physical and chemical properties of major upland soils in Shandong Province of China

In the present study, physical and chemical properties of major upland soils in Shandong Province, China, were examined for the purpose of sustainable and continuous use of agricultural land. The particle density ranged from 2.58 to 2.67 Mg/cubic m and the bulk density ranged from 1.30 to 1.39Mg/cubic m. The organic matter content was in a generally low level of 10.1 to 20.8g/kg and was found to be a controlling factor of soil productivity in Shandong Province. The contents of plant-available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were strongly affected by the plant-nutrient management practice of soils. The cation exchange capacity ranged from 18.2 to 25.8 cmol/kg, indicating the high potentiality of soils for fertilizer retention.