A Practical Manual on Soil Testing

Contents: 1. Soil testing and its importance, soil sample collection, processing and handling in laboratory. 2. Soil physical test. 3. Soil chemical tests. 4. Soil organic and inorganic carbon tests. 5. Available soil and plant nutrients test. 6. Soil biological tests. 7. Polluted samples analysis. 8. Laboratory help. The study of Soil properties and their analysis deals with the application of principles of various disciplines in Soil Science research. It is imperative to have a detailed information on the protocols for accurate measurement of different properties of soil to devise methodologies to optimize the soil physico-chemical environment, soil fertility status and soil biological properties for sustainable agricultural production. Keeping this in mind, laboratory manual is designed as an aid to teach laboratory exercises of the basic Soil Science courses for under-graduate, postgraduate and Doctoral programme courses are being offered in the Division of Soil Science. These courses deal with both theoretical and practical aspects of soil science. There was a long felt need to provide a comprehensive practical manual on measurement of different soil parameters as per need based course curriculum for the under-graduates, post-graduate students, scientists and research scholars working on this piece. This manual is primarily based on the contents of Soil Science courses included in the curriculum of the Rajmata Vijayaraje Sciendiya Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Gwalior, M.P. This manual provides a description of the compound experimental procedures through a simple, easy-to understand step-by step manner with good illustrations and samples. I am sure that the manual will be useful to the various disciplines of Soil Science students working on soil physico-chemical, soil fertility, soil biology and soil pollution aspect at RVSKVV and State Agricultural Universities as well as to other personnel engaged in Soil Science research and teaching. The authors justify greetings for their effort in bringing out this useful manual.…