Soil Science: An Introduction

Soil testing informs the farmers of the imbalances in the soil and guides them in adopting specific fertilizers or soil conditioners to deal with the diagnosed issues. These tests can equip us in taking preventive and corrective measures even before sowing the crop, and that results in an un-compromised final yield. Thus, it is evident that the testing of agricultural soil is pertinent in India. The book contains 14 chapters covering all aspects of soil testing and soil microbiology, which include introduction, sanitation safety guidelines of the lab, physical properties of soil analysis, chemical properties of soil analysis, water sample analysis, prepare soil and water health card, manures and fertilizers: nutrient contents and their identification, organic farming, good lab practices, introduction to soil microbiology, soil microbiology and biogeochemical cycle, soil microbiology and biodegradation and biogeneration, effect of pesticides and other chemicals on the soil, microbiology of the soil and its analysis. It is hoped that this book will be useful for scientists, teachers, students and lab-technicians associated with soil and plant analysis.