The term ‘Soil’ has been derived from Latin word ‘Solum’ which means earthy material necessary for the growth of plants. Soil may be defined as a mixture of organic as well as weathered rocK materials present in the uppermost part of earth soil crust.
The soil is formed through a number of physical, chemical and biological processes occurring slowly for long periods of time. It is an important abiotic factor in which the root grows, anchors the plant and supplies necessary water and nutrients to the plant. Thus soil is a store house of minerals, a reservoir of water, a conserver of soil fertility, a producer of vegetable crops, a home of wild life and live stocks.