ARS-NET Soil Sciences study material

Here I am looking for the ARS-NET Soil Sciences syllabus, will you please provide me the same?????????

[Quick Sam]

As per your request here I am sharing the ARS-NET Soil Sciences syllabus:

Unit 1: Pedology
Concept of land, soil and soil science. Composition of earth crust and its relationship
with soils; Rocks, minerals and other soil forming materials; Weathering of rocks and
minerals; Factors of soil formation; Pedogenic processes and their relationships with
soil properties; Soil development; Pedon, polypedon, soil profile, horizons and their
nomenclature. Soil Taxonomy - epipedons, diagnostic subsurface horizons and other
diagnostic characteristics, soil moisture and temperature regimes, categories of the
system and their criteria; Interpretation of soil survey data for land capability and
crop suitability classifications, Macro-morphological study of soils.
Application and use of global positioning system for soil survey. Soil survey- types,
techniques. Soil series- characterization and procedure for establishing soil series,
benchmark soils and soil correlations. Study of base maps: cadastral maps,
toposheets, aerial photographs and satellite imageries. Use of geographical
information system for preparing thematic maps.

Unit 2: Soil Physics
Soil physical constraints affecting crop production. Soil texture – textural classes.
Soil structure – classification, soil aggregation and significance, soil consistency, soil
crusting, bulk density and particle density of soils and porosity, their significance and
manipulation. Soil water- retention and potentials. Soil moisture constants.
Movement of soil water - infiltration, percolation, permeability, drainage and methods
of determination of soil moisture. Darcy’s law. Thermal properties of soils, soil
temperature, Soil air- composition, gaseous exchange, influence of soil temperature
and air on plant growth. Soil erosion by water- types, effects, mechanics. Rain
erosivity and soil erodibility. Runoff - methods of measurement, factors and
management, runoff farming. Soil conservation measures.
Characterization and evaluation of soil and land quality indicators; Causes of land
degradation; Management of soil physical properties for prevention/restoration of
land degradation; Identification, monitoring and management of waste lands; Land
use-land cover mapping and land use planning using conventional and remote
sensing techniques; Concept of watershed – its characterization and management.
ARS-NET Soil Sciences syllabus








For detailed syllabus download the attachment given below: