1st Edition

Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture

By James F. Power, Rajendra Prasad Copyright 1997
    382 Pages
    by CRC Press

    Sustainability of agricultural systems is a major global concern due to population growth and a number of environmental factors. This book addresses the key to the development of sustainable agriculture-management of soil fertility. Combining data from temperate and tropical regions, it presents a complete picture of how various soils can best be managed under widely different environmental conditions.
    Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture is an excellent reference for environmental and agricultural professionals as well as a textbook for undergraduate and graduate students preparing for a career in agriculture or soil fertility management.

    Introduction
    Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Goals
    Factors Determining Sustainability
    Soil Fertility
    Essential Plant Nutrients
    Criteria for Essentiality
    Basis for Classification of Nutrients as Primary, Secondary, and Micronutrients
    Primary Nutrients, Secondary Nutrients, and Micronutrients
    Functions of Essential Nutrients in Plants
    Soil the Sustainer
    Soil Organic Matter
    Soil Water
    Soil Air
    Soil Mineral Matter
    Soil Colloids
    Soil Living Organisms
    Soil Colloids
    Clay Minerals
    Oxide Minerals
    Organic Matter
    Humus, Its Structure and Properties
    C:N Ratio
    Factors Affecting the Organic-Matter Content of Soils
    Soil Acidity
    Acids
    The pH Concept
    Determination of Soil pH
    Active and Potential Acidity
    Buffering Capacity
    Nature of Soil Acidity
    Factors Affecting Soil Acidity
    Soil pH and Crop Production
    Lime Requirement
    Liming Materials
    Fineness of Limestone
    Soil Salinity and Sodicity
    Coverage and Special Features
    Criteria for Determining Salinity/Sodicity
    Classification
    Reclamation and Management of Saline Soils
    Crop Production on Saline Soils
    Reclamation and Management of Sodic Soils
    Crop Production on Sodic Soils
    Nitrogen
    Soil Organic N
    Mineralization of Soil Organic Nitrogen
    Factors Affecting Nitrification
    Nitrogen Immobilization
    Ammonium Fixation (Nonexchangable Ammonium)
    NH4 vs. NO3- Nutrition of Plants
    Biological Nitrogen Fixation
    Nitrogen Fertilizers or Industrial Nitrogen Fixation
    Efficient Nitrogen Management
    Increasing N Use Efficiency
    Nitrogen Availability Indices
    Nitrogen-Deficiency Symptoms
    Phosphorus
    Soil Phosphorus
    Phosphate Retention or Fixation in Soil
    Factors Affecting the Retention of Phosphorus by Soil
    Phosphate Fertilizer Reaction Products in Soil
    Intensity (I) and Quantity (Q) Factors in Phosphorus Availability
    Soil Testing for Phosphorus
    Phosphorus-Deficiency Symptoms in Plants
    Phosphate Fertilizers
    Efficient Phosphate Management
    Potassium
    Forms of Soil Potassium
    Quantity/Intensity Relationships
    Potassium Fixation
    Leaching of Potassium
    Potassium Fertilizers
    Efficient Use of Potassium Fertilizers
    Sulfur
    Sulfur in Soils
    Sulfur and Its Oxidation
    Oxidation of Pyrites
    Assessing S Needs of Soil
    Sulfur Deficiency Symptoms in Plants
    Sulfur Needs of Crops
    Sulfur Fertilization
    Calcium and Magnesium
    Calcium and Magnesium in Soil
    Factors Affecting the Availability of Calcium and Magnesium in Soils
    Leaching of Calcium and Magnesium
    Determining Available Calcium and Magnesium
    Calcium and Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms
    Calcium and Magnesium Amendments
    Iron and Manganese
    Amounts and Forms of Iron and Manganese
    Soil Solution Iron and Manganese
    Factors Affecting Iron and Manganese Availability
    Soil Tests for Iron and Manganese
    Deficiency Symptoms of Iron and Manganese
    Toxicity Symptoms of Iron and Manganese
    Iron and Manganese Fertilizers
    Copper and Zinc
    Amounts in Soil
    Forms of Copper and Zinc in Soils
    Factors Affecting the Availability of Copper and Zinc
    Soil Tests for Copper and Zinc
    Deficiency Symptoms in Plants
    Copper and Zinc Fertilizers
    Boron and Molybdenum
    Boron
    Molybdenum
    Chlorine
    Chlorine in Soils
    Addition of Chlorine to Soils
    Testing Soils for Chlorine Deficiency
    Chlorine Deficiency Symptoms
    Chlorine Toxicity Symptoms
    Interactions with Other Nutrients
    Chlorides and Plant Diseases
    Crop Responses to Chloride Fertilization
    Chloride Fertilizers
    Beneficial Elements
    Sodium
    Silicon
    Cobalt
    Nickel
    Aluminum
    Vanadium, Lanthanum, and Cerium
    Nutrient Interactions
    Interactions
    Interactions of Primary Macronutrients
    Interactions of Micronutrients
    Organic Manures
    Crop Residues
    Animal Manures
    Composting
    Organic Farming
    Integrated Nutrient Management
    Cropping Systems, Soil Fertility, and Fertilizer Use
    Legumes in Crop Rotations
    Intercropping Systems
    Intensive Cropping Systems and Soil Fertility
    Fertilizer Application in Cropping Systems
    Index
    Each chapter contains References.

    NTI Copy (already approved)

    Biography

    James F. Power, Rajendra Prasad

    "For all agricultural library collections."
    -CHOICE