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Fundamentals of Soil Science

Fundamentals of Soil Science

Teacher

Dr. Bishnuprasad Dash

Category

Core Courses

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Course Name: FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE

Code (Credit): ASAC 1101 (2-1-0)

Course Objectives

To impart knowledge to the students on  basic concepts of  soil science.

To develop skills of analyzing basic physico-chemical properties of soil.

CO- PO Mapping

COs Course outcomes Mapping COs with POs
CO1: Students will able to apprehend the fundamentals and principles of Soil Science. PO1, PO2
CO2: Students can elucidate the process involved in formation of soil. PO1, PO2
CO3: Students gain a better insight of pedodiversity in India. PO1, PO2
CO4: Students will able to analyze the basic physico-chemical properties of soil. PO1, PO2
   
PO1: Knowledge Enhancement
PO2: Professional Enhancement

Course Syllabus

THEORY

Unit I : 
Soil as a natural body, Pedological and edaphological concepts of soil. Components of soil. Soil genesis: Composition of Earth's crust- soil forming rocks and minerals – Primary and secondary minerals. Weathering of rocks and minerals. Factors of soil formation. Soil forming processes. Soil Profile.

Unit II: 
Soil physical properties: Soil texture, structure, density and porosity, soil color, consistence and plasticity. Effect of puddling on soil properties. Soil water retention, movement and availability. Soil air, composition, gaseous exchange-problem and its effect on crop growth. Source, amount and flow of heat in soil, Soil temperature and crop growth.

Unit III: 
Soil physico chemical and chemical properties: Soil reaction-pH, soil acidity and alkalinity, buffering, effect of pH on nutrient availability. Soil colloids - inorganic and organic. Silicate clays: constitution and properties, sources of charge, ion exchange, cation and anion exchange capacity and base saturation.

Unit IV: 
Soil organic matter: composition, properties and its influence on soil properties. Humic substances - nature and properties. Soil Biology : Soil organisms : macro and micro organisms, their beneficial and harmful effects, microbial interaction. Soil enzymes.

Unit V : 
Elementary knowledge of soil taxonomy, classification and soils of India - Soil pollution – Types and behaviour of pesticides. Inorganic contaminants. Prevention and mitigation of soil pollution.

PRACTICAL : 
Study of soil profile in field. Study of soil sampling tools, collection of representative soil sample, its processing and storage. Study of soil forming rocks and minerals. Determination of soil density, moisture content and porosity. Determination of soil color. Determination of soil texture by feel and Bouyoucos Methods. Studies of capillary rise phenomenon of water in soil column and water movement in soil. Demonstration of heat transfer in soil. Preparation and standardization of laboratory reagents, indicators and buffers. Determination of soil pH and electrical conductivity. Determination of cation exchange capacity of soil. Estimation of organic matter content of soil. Study of soil map.

Reference Books

Fundamentals of Soil Science; Indian Society of Soil Science (2012), IARI, New Delhi.

Introductory Soil Science; Das, D. K. (2015), 4 th Edition, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

A Text Book of Pedology – Concepts and Applications; Sehgal, J. (2015), Kalyani publishers, New Delhi.

The Nature and Properties of Soils; Weil, R.R. and Brady, N.C. (2017), 15th edition, Pearson Education Limited, England.

Textbook of Soil Science; Biswas, T. D. and Mukherjee, S. K. (2017), 2nd edition, McGraw Hill Education, India.

Session Plan

Theory

 

Session 1:

Soil as a natural body, Pedological and edaphological concepts of soil -Components of soil-Soil genesis-Composition of Earth's crust

Session: 2

Rocks- classification -Minerals – Primary, secondary, essential and accessory minerals – Primary minerals-weatherability of primary minerals-Non-silicate minerals

Session: 3

Weathering – Types of weathering – Physical weathering of rocks – Agents of physical weathering and their role- Biological weathering – Role of flora and fauna in weathering process-Chemical weathering – Solution, hydration, hydrolysis, carbonation, oxidation and reduction

Session: 4

Factors of soil formation-Soil forming processes

Session: 5

Soil profile

Session 6

Soil physical properties: Soil Texture

Session: 7

Soil Structure

Session: 8

Soil density, crusting and tillage

Session: 9

Soil porosity and Soil consistency

Session: 10

Puddling and its effect on Soil properties

Session: 11

Soil permeability and Soil color

Session: 12

Soil water-properties, classification Soil water potential -Hysteresis

Session: 13

Movement of soil water

Session: 14

Soil moisture constants and measuring techniques

Session: 15

Soil air

Session: 16

Soil Temperature

Session: 17

pH, soil acidity and nutrient availability.

Session: 18

Soil salinity and alkalinity

Session: 19

Soil colloids

Session: 20

Silicate clays

Session: 21

Origin of charge in organic and inorganic colloids

Session: 22

Cation and anion exchange capacity of soils

Session: 23

Soil mineral formation and classification

Session: 24

Soil biology

Session: 25

Biological N fixation-C:N ratio-PGPR

Session: 26

Soil organic matter

Session: 27

Microbial interaction

Session: 28

Soil taxonomy and nomenclature

Session: 29

Soil classification-Diagnostic soil horizons-surface and subsurface-soil moisture and temperature regimes

Session: 30

Soils of India

Session: 31

Soil pollution -causes, prevention and mitigation of soil pollution

Session: 32

Behaviour of pesticides and inorganic contaminants

PRACTICALS

Session: 1

Chemical analysis- Principles, Techniques and Calculations

Session: 2

Study of soil sampling tools

Session: 3

Collection of soil sample

Session: 4

Storage and Processing of soil sample

Session: 5

Determination of Bulk density by core sampler method

Session: 6

Determination of Particle density of soil

Session: 7

Determination of soil texture by Bouyoucos hydrometer

Session:8

Description of soil profile in field

Session: 9

Determination of infiltration rate by double ring infiltrometer

Session: 10

Determination of soil texture by feel method

Session: 11

Determination of soil pH

Session: 12

Determination of electrical conductivity of soil

Session: 13

Determination of soil color by Munsell color chart

Session: 14

Determination of organic carbon in soil by Walkley and Black method

Session: 15

Determination of soil moisture

Session: 16

Identification of rocks and minerals

Our Main Teachers

Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Science, M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management

  Present Position Associate Professor (Soil Science),MSSSoA, CUTM Mobile: 91-9439353031 , E-mail: arunabha@cutm.ac.in Education Bachelor of Science (Agriculture). Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Agra, India in 2008 Master of Science (Soil and Water Conservation). Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidlaya –(BCKV), Nadia, West Bengal, India in 2010 Research topic Water Requirement of Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) PhD […]