Glossary

Cation exchange capacity, or CEC, describes the capacity of soil materials to hold exchangeable positively charged ions. These include nutrient ions such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and ammonium. For mango nutrition it helps explain why different soils retain and release nutrients differently, but it is not a complete fertility score or a fertilizer prescription. Interpret CEC with soil pH, test results, and the tree's condition rather than assuming a high number means every nutrient is available in the right amount.