DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:

 Degradation means undesirable and unwanted changes brought about by human activities along with natural phenomenon. Soil degradation is among serious prevailing issues in our modern era. It is badly affecting soil’s natural fertility to enhance our economic values along with ecological issues. It is being caused due to natural and anthropogenic activities. The level of degradation depends on degree of degradative processes; duration of usage of such degraded land and its management. Land degradation causes exploitation of soil resources, reduces soil productivity and alters composition of vegetations; thus influencing billions of people around the globe directly or indirectly. The aim of this course is basically to develop understanding of the students about the use and management of degraded soils. Plants need a variety of nutrient elements to live and grow so, the effective management of degraded soils can lead to enhanced agricultural productivity of such degraded soils.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:

After the successful completion of this course students will be able to manage different degraded soils in order to sustain their agricultural productivity. The students will also be able to diagnose soil problems and  manage nutrients in different types of degraded soils.

COURSE CONTENTS:

Theory

1. Degraded soils: Introduction, causes and types
2. Nutrient dynamics in degraded soils
3. Nutritional limitations and potentials of different degraded soils
4. Macro and micro nutrients
5. Causes and process of nutrient deficiency and toxicity
6. Approaches for nutrient management in degraded soils
7. Fertilizer use, integrated , agronomic and genic

Recommended Books:

1. Havlin, J. L, S. L. Tisdale, W. L. Nelson and J. D. Beaton. 2005. Soil Fertility and Fertilizers: An Introduction to Nutrient Management. 7th Ed. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.
2. Fageria, N. K., V. C. Baligar and C. A. Jones. 1997. Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Field Crops. 2nd Ed. CRC Press, Denver, CO, USA.
3. Tanji, K. K. 1990. Agricultural Salinity Assessment and Management: Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practices No. 71, American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, USA.
4. Pessarakali, M. (ed.). 1999. Handbook of Plant and Crop Stress. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, USA.

Assessment Criteria

Sessional: 12 (project, presentation, participation)

Project: 06

Presentation: 03

Participation: 03

Mid exam: 18

Final exam: 30