SSAC-121 SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT

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Objectives

To provide a comprehensive knowledge of soil fertility, plant nutrition, fertilizers, and nutrient
management.

Theory

History of soil fertility and plant nutrition. criteria of essentiality. Role, deficiency and
toxicity symptoms of essential plant nutrients, Mechanisms of nutrient transport to plants, factors
affecting nutrient availability to plants. Chemistry of macro and micronutrients. Soil fertility
evaluation, Soil testing. Critical levels of different nutrients in soil. Forms of nutrients in soil, plant
analysis, rapid plant tissue tests. Indicator plants. Introduction and importance of manures and
fertilizers. Fertilizer recommendation approaches.
Integrated nutrient management. Chemical fertilizers: classification, composition and properties of
major fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient fertilizers, Complex fertilizers, Customized
fertilizers, water soluble fertilizers nano fertilizers Soil amendments, Fertilizer Storage, Fertilizer
Control Order. Methods of fertilizer recommendations to crops. Factor influencing nutrient use
efficiency (NUE), methods of application under rainfed and irrigated conditions.
STCR/RTNM/IPNS, Carbon sequestration and Carbon Trading, Preparation and properties of major
manures (FYM, Compost, Vermicompost, Green manuring, Oilcakes).

Practical

Introduction of analytical instruments and their principles, calibration and applications of
Coloremetry and flame photometry; Estimation of soil organic carbon Estimation of alkaline
hydrolysable N in soils; Estimation of soil extractable P in soils; Estimation of exchangeable K in
soils; Estimation of exchangeable Ca and Mg in soils; Estimation of soil extractable S in soils.
Estimation of DTPA extractable Zn in soils; Estimation of N in plants; Estimation of P in plants.
Estimation of K in plants; Estimation of Sin plants.

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Lecture Schedule: Theory

1. History of soil fertility and plant nutrition. 1
2. Criteria of essentiality 1
3. Role, deficiency and toxicity symptoms of essential plant nutrients, 3
4. Mechanisms of nutrient transport to plants 2
5. Factors affecting nutrient availability to plants. 2
6. Chemistry of macro and micronutrients 2
7. Soil fertility evaluation, Soil testing. 2
8. Critical levels of different nutrients in soil 2
9. Forms of nutrients in soil, plant analysis, rapid plant tissue tests. 2
10. Indicator plants 1
11. Introduction and importance of manures and fertilizers 1
12. Fertilizer recommendation approaches 1
13. Integrated nutrient management 1
14. Chemical fertilizers: classification, composition and properties of major fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient fertilizers, Complex fertilizers, Customized fertilizers, water soluble fertilizers nano fertilizers 3
15. Soil amendments, Fertilizer Storage, Fertilizer Control Order. 1
16. Methods of fertilizer recommendations to crops. 1
17. Factor influencing nutrient use efficiency (NUE), methods of application under rainfed and irrigated conditions 1
18. STCR/RTNM/ IPNS 2
19. Carbon sequestration and Carbon Trading 1
20. Preparation and properties of major manures (FYM, Compost, Vermicompost, Green manuring, Oilcakes). 2

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Lecture Schedule: Practical

1. Introduction of analytical instruments and their principles, calibration and applications of Colorimetry and flame photometry 2
2. Estimation of organic carbon in soil 1
3. Estimation of alkaline hydrolysable N in soils 1
4. Estimation of soil extractable P in soils 2
5. Estimation of exchangeable K in soils 1
6. Estimation of exchangeable Ca and Mg in soils. 1
7. Estimation of soil extractable S in soils 1
8. Estimation of DTPA extractable Zn in soils 1
9. Estimation of N in plants 2
10. Estimation of P in plants 2
11. Estimation of K in plants 1
12. Estimation of S in plants 1

Total practical classes 16

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Suggested readings

1. Introductory Soil Science by Dilip Kumar Das, Kalyani Publishers
2. Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management by S. S. Singh, Kalyani Publishers
3. Soil Fertility and Fertilizers by Samual L. Tisdale, Werner L. Nelson and James D. Beaton,
   Macmillan Publishing Company, New York
4. The nature and Properties of Soils by Harry O. Buckman and Nyle C.