Cation Exchange

Not all soils are created equal. Chemistry helps agriculture succeed in a variety of environments. This video explains how soils (often negatively charged) interact with nutrients (often positively charged) through cation exchange. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of a soil determines how frequently and in what doses it should receive fertilizer. © 2016, NMSU Board of Regents. NMSU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. This material is based upon work supported by the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement No. 2014-38422-22089. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.