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SLM201Agricultural Sciences2 Unitsintermediate

Principles Of Soil Science

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles of soil science. It explores fundamental soil concepts, including soil definition, origin, development, and forming factors. The course covers soil physical properties, interactions, types, and their agricultural implications. Students will learn about soil fertility components, organic matter, soil reaction, aeration, essential nutrients, fertilizers, and soil-plant analysis. The course concludes with soil fertility improvement and maintenance for sustainable crop yields.

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120h

Study Time

13

Weeks

9h

Per Week

basic

Math Level

Course Keywords

Soil ScienceSoil FertilitySoil ManagementPlant NutritionSoil Analysis

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level

Builds on foundational knowledge

65%

intermediate

➕

Math Level

Basic Math

🔬

Learning Type

Hands-on Practice

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Soil Genesis

2

Soil Physics

3

Soil Chemistry

4

Soil Biology

5

Soil Fertility

6

Soil Classification

7

Soil Survey

8

Plant Nutrition

9

Fertilizers

10

Soil Management

11

Soil Conservation

Total Topics11 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

tutor-marked assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

final examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Computer Based Test

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Agronomist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Soil Scientist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Environmental Consultant

Apply your skills in this growing field

Agricultural Extension Officer

Apply your skills in this growing field

Farm Manager

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

AgricultureEnvironmental ManagementLand ReclamationFertilizer ProductionNatural Resource Management

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week

1

Module 1: The Soil Habitat

2h

Unit 1: Some Basic Concepts of Soil

2 study hours

•Define soil and its importance.
•Explain the composition of soil.
•Discuss the various uses of soil.

Week

2

Module 1: The Soil Habitat

2h

Unit 2: Origin and Development of Soil (Soil Genesis)

2 study hours

•Describe the different types of rocks that serve as parent materials.
•Explain the factors and processes that form soil.
•Discuss the characteristics of different soils.

Week

3

Module 1: The Soil Habitat

2h

Unit 3: Fundamental Concepts of Soil Physics

2 study hours

•Explain soil texture and its importance.
•Describe soil permeability and related properties.
•Discuss soil compaction and porosity.

Week

4

Module 1: The Soil Habitat

2h

Unit 4: Soil Classification and Survey

2 study hours

•Explain soil classification and survey.
•Describe different types of soil surveys.
•Discuss the characteristics used for soil classification.

Week

5

Module 1: The Soil Habitat

2h

Unit 5: Plant Growth Requirements

2 study hours

•Identify factors contributing to crop growth.
•Explain the concept of the principle of limiting factor in crop production.
•Discuss plant nutrient essentiality.

Week

6

Module 2: Processes in the Soil Environment

2h

Unit 1: Water in the Soil-Plant System

2 study hours

•Discuss the gains and losses of water in the soil-plant system.
•Explain the effect of well- and poorly-drained soils.
•Describe the management of soil water for efficient use by crops.

Week

7

Module 2: Processes in the Soil Environment

2h

Unit 2: Soil Aeration and Temperature

2 study hours

•Explain how redox potential affects nutrient availability.
•Discuss the importance of optimum soil temperatures for plant growth.

Week

8

Module 2: Processes in the Soil Environment

2h

Unit 3: Soil Organic Matter and Soil Organisms

2 study hours

•Discuss the importance of maintaining organic matter.
•Explain the reasons for low organic matter content in soils.
•Describe the roles of organisms in the transformation of soil organic matter.

Week

9

Module 2: Processes in the Soil Environment

2h

Unit 4: Soil Reaction: Acidity and Alkalinity

2 study hours

•Explain soil acidity and conditions that make soils acidic.
•Discuss the effects of soil reaction on plant growth.
•Describe lime and liming practices.

Week

10

Module 2: Processes in the Soil Environment

2h

Unit 5: Soil Colloids and Ion Exchange in Soils

2 study hours

•Explain the interactions between the solid and solution phases of the soil.
•Discuss cation exchange reactions and cation exchange capacity.
•Describe the implications of cation exchange in plant nutrition.

Week

11

Module 3: Soil-Plant Nutrients Interaction

4h

Unit 1: Fertilizers as Agricultural Input

2 study hours

•Discuss different types of fertilizer materials.
•Explain fertilizer formulations and economic use of fertilizers.
•Describe fertilizer specifications and calculations.

Unit 2: Nitrogen as Plant Nutrient

2 study hours

•Describe the forms and functions of nitrogen in plants.
•Explain the nitrogen cycle and factors affecting N-transformations.
•Detect N-deficient symptoms in crops.

Week

12

Module 3: Soil-Plant Nutrients Interaction

4h

Unit 3: Phosphorus Nutrition in Plants

2 study hours

•Explain forms and functions of phosphorus in soil and plants.
•Discuss the problem of p-recovery in acid and alkaline soils.
•Detect p-deficiency syndromes in field crops.

Unit 4: Potassium Nutrition in Plants

2 study hours

•Discuss potassium cycling problems in agricultural and forestry systems.
•Explain the high potassium demand by crops.
•Describe potassium cycling problems both in agricultural and forestry systems.

Week

13

Module 4: Soil Fertility Evaluation and Management

4h

Unit 5: Sulphur, Calcium and Magnesium

2 study hours

•Explain the functions of sulphur, calcium and magnesium in crops.
•Describe the factors affecting their functions in crops and availability in soils.

Module 4: Soil Fertility Evaluation and Management

2 study hours

•Review all course materials.
•Work on assignments.
•Prepare for final examination.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Focus on understanding soil-forming factors and their impact on soil properties (Units 1-2).

2

Practice soil texture identification using the 'Feel Method' and soil triangle (Unit 3).

3

Create concept maps linking Units 4-5 to understand how soil classification relates to plant growth requirements.

4

Review the chemical equations in Units 6-9 to understand nutrient availability under different soil conditions.

5

Memorize the deficiency symptoms of major and secondary nutrients (Units 10-14).

6

Practice fertilizer calculations and understand fertilizer ratios (Unit 15).

7

Understand the principles of soil analysis and testing, including sampling procedures (Units 16-17).

8

Focus on the reclamation and management of halomorphic soils (Unit 19).

9

Review soil and water conservation practices, including the Universal Soil Loss Equation (Unit 20).

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