Soil and Fertilizer Mangement

Soil is an important natural resource which forms a basis for agriculture. For efficient management of this soil, fundamental knowledge about soil, its behavior and its influence on crop growth is required. Plants require nutrient for their successful growth. The essential plant nutrients and their major role in the growth and development of plants are described in order to identify the principal factor limiting the crop production. Fertilizers and manures are used to supply plant nutrients. It is very important to learn about fertilizers and manures, since they are not only important in agriculture but also in environmental safety.

2. Objectives
After going through this course, you will be able to -
know the process of soil formation, different types of soils, properties, and related problems.
to know the role of nutrients and fertilizers and the effect on soil and crops.
to determine and detect the soil problems.

3. Job Opportunities
i) Self employment - as soil tester
ii) Wage employment - work in any soil testing lab.

4.1 Scheme of Studies
(a) Theory 60%
(b) Practicals 40%
5. Entry Qualification
10th passed or equivalent
6. Passing Criteria
33% seperatel in theory and Practical

7. CONTENTS
A Theory
Soils, & Rocks : Definition, importance of soil, components of soil

phic Rocks, Minerals
Soil Formation : Wheathering, factors or soil formation, soil profile
Soils of India, Properties of Soil : Soils of India, Physical properties, soil-
: Chemical properties of soil-
Biological properties of soil-
Module II Soil Related Problem
Units 1Physical problems : Highly permeable-low permeable soils, surface crusting, sub-solid hardpan, fluffyness.
Units 2 Chemical problems : Salinity, sodicity, acidity
Module III Soil Nutrients and Their Major role
Units 1 Essential Plant nutirents
Units 2 Soil fertility
Units 3 Macronutrients : Nitrogen Phosphorous, Potassium, important factors affecting the plant availability
Units 4 Secondary nutrients : Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, deficiency symptoms of secondary nutrients.
Units 5 Micronutrients : Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Molybdenum, Boron and Chlorine
Module IV Fertilizers and Their effect on soil and crop
Units 1 Fertilizers : Nitrogenous, Phosphatic. Potassic, secondary micronutrients and mixed or compound fertilizers.
Units 2 Organic manures : Animals and poultry manure, biological wastes, green manures.
Units 3 Bio-Fertilizers : Rhizobium, Azospirillum, Phospho bacterium
Units 4 Integrated nutrient : Need, concept and approaches.
Management

B. PRACTICALS
1. Description of an alluvial soil profile, black soil profile, red soil profile, laterite soil profile
2. Visit to a Geological Laboratory for identifying Rocks and Minerals, Visit to the Soil Survey Organisation
3. Estimation of soil texture by feel method
4. Estimation of soil bulk density by cylinder method
5. Description of bulk density of a soil clod by wax coating method
6. Description of particle density by cylinder method
7. Description of soil pore space
8. Charactersing soil colour by munsel colour chart
9. Description of soil moisture by gravimetric method
10. Determination of soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) using portable pH and EC meters
11. Determination of soil pH using indicator solution and indicator paper
12. Determination of available nitrogen and phosphorus using a soil testing kit,
13. Estimation of available potassium using a soil testing kit
14. Visit to a Soil Testing Laboratory
15. Determination of lime requirement of acid soil
16. Estimation of gypsum requirement of alkali soil
17. Identification of fertilizers and study of physical characteristies of fertilizer
18. Visit to a fertilizer manufacturing factory, fertilizer mixing unit, fertilizer Control Organization
19. Preparation of neem cake coated urea, coaltar coated urea, gypsum coated urea
20. Placement of fertilizers under we and garden land conditions
21. Foliar spray of micronutrients
22. Preparation of vermicompost
23. Visit to a sewage treatment plant
24. Visit to a Municipal compost plant