Principles of Soil and Water Analysis

Sustainable agricultural management approaches in the soil environment is the key to sustained food security, soil quality and livelihood security. The damage to soil fertility and depletion of plant nutrient elements in soil has emerged as major threats to the sustainability of diverse agricultural production systems. Therefore, soil and water testing is considered an important tool to assess the essential plant nutrient elements need to formulate crop and site specific nutrient recommendations vis-à-vis climate change strategies. Soil test based nutrient use optimizes economic returns and minimizes risks of environmental pollution. Characterization of soil mineralogical, microbiological or biochemical properties within an experimental area among different treatments or cropping systems it requires the utmost attention to planning details. It is imperative to establish experimental objectives as a prelude to developing the sampling plan. As a component of development of sampling plan, one must begin by evaluating the environment from which samples will come. To accomplish this goal one must determine the physical and chemical features of the experimental area that includes the basic agents of nutrient supply i.e. soil and water. It contains principles and reactions of chemical analysis, soil sampling and analytical techniques for the determination of physical and chemical parameters of soil and water samples. The book on Soil and Water Analysis will be helpful to the Soil Chemists, Agriculture Officers, Specialists and research scholars of soil testing laboratories and other laboratory technicians/assistants. …