Final answer:
The soil components capable of storing nutrients include clay, humus, and silt; each offers a structure conducive to nutrient retention and provides essential benefits for plant growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The materials with the ability to store nutrients are clay, humus, and silt.
Humus is the organic component of soil that includes decomposed plant and animal matter. It provides a critical storage environment for water and minerals, which are essential nutrients for plants. The structure of humus improves the general quality of soil, making it a vital component for nutrient retention.
Clay and silt are inorganic particles that differ in size. Clay, with its fine particles and high surface area, can hold a significant amount of nutrients through cation exchange. It is known for its capacity to retain water and nutrients, albeit with slow drainage. Silt, with its slightly larger particles than clay, also has the ability to store nutrients. However, sand has a very low capacity for nutrient storage due to its large particle size and poor water-holding characteristics.
The capacity to store water and nutrients is essential for soils to support plant growth and maintain agricultural productivity.