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.

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NMSU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. This material is based upon work supported by the HispanicServing Institutions Education Grants Program, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement No. 20143842222089. 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.