Soils: An Introduction to Soils and Plant Growth

Front Cover
Prentice-Hall, 1965 - Crops and soils - 363 pages
Fundamentals of soil science and plant growth. Soil science and plant growth. Physical properties of soils. Mechanical analysis. Soil separates. Texture. Coarse fragments. Organic soils. Particle density. Bulk density. Pore space. Soil structure. Soil consistence. Parent materials of soils. Residual materials (mineral and rocks). Soil formation and classification. Climate and soil formation. Soil surveys and their use. Soil profile. Chemical and colloidal properties of soils. Colloidal clay (clay crystals). Organic soil colloids (humus). Soil pH. Fixation of ammonium. Fissation of potassium. Phosphorus fixation and chelation. Life in the soil. Soil microflora and soil structure. Plant roots. Soil-inhabiting mammals. Earthworms. Arthropods and gastropods. Protozoa and nematodes. Distribution of soil microflora. Physiological classification of bacteria. Autotrophic bacteria. Heterotrophic bacteria. Symbiotic (legume) bacteria. Nonsymbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Nonnitrogen-fixing heterotrophic bacteria. Fungi. Actinomycetes. Algae. Organic matter. Soil water. Plant nutrition. Nitrogen. Phospforus. Potassium. Calcium. Magnesium. Sulfur. Micronutrients. Foliar nutrition of plants. Soil physical conditions and plant nutrition. Soil science applied to problems of plant growth. Lime and liming practices. Consumption of lime. Why soils are acid. Liming materials. Effect of lime on soil pH. The lime balance sheet. Fertilizers and their characteristics. Materials supplying phosphorus. Use of fertilizers. Fertilizer placement. Fertilizers increase soil moisture efficiency. Tillage. Water conservation. Precipitation. Forests and water conservation. Soil conservation. Irrigation. Drainage. manure, compost, sewage sludge, and sawdust. Compost. Sewage sludge. Soil and plant diagnosis.

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Contents

Physical Properties of Soils
22
Parent Materials of Soils
38
Materials Transported by Wind
44
Copyright

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