Soil Science

Introduction to problematic soils — types, extent in India, and impact on agricultural productivity.

BSc Agriculture notes on types of manures: bulky organic manures, concentrated organic manures, FYM, compost, vermicompost, green manures, oil cakes, bone meal, and nutrient content.

Lecture notes covering Fundamentals of Soil Science as per ICAR 5th Dean Committee syllabus. Course Code: SSAC 121 | Credits: 3(2+1).

Learn what soil science studies and how pedological and edaphological viewpoints help us understand soils in agriculture.

Learn what soil chemistry studies and why chemical reactions in soil matter for nutrient availability, contamination, and crop response.

Saline soils — characteristics, genesis, and distribution in India.

Green manures-Oilcakes-.

Explains Earth's origin and geologic evolution as a foundation for soil genesis in BSc Agriculture.

Lecture notes covering Soil Chemistry, Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management as per ICAR 5th Dean Committee syllabus. Course Code: SSAC 122 | Credits: 2(1+1).

Soil pH and Buffer pH.

Core Soil Science courses for BSc Agriculture covering soil formation, properties, fertility, nutrient management, fertilizers and problematic soils.

Management of saline soils — leaching, drainage, salt-tolerant crops, and bio-drainage.

Lecture notes covering Manures, Fertilizers and Soil Fertility Management as per ICAR 5th Dean Committee syllabus. Course Code: SSAC 222 | Credits: 3(2+1).

Composting of organic.

Covers major rocks, minerals, and their role in parent material and soil development for BSc Agriculture.

Soil pH and Percent Base.

Lecture notes covering Problematic Soils and their Management as per ICAR 5th Dean Committee syllabus. Course Code: SSAC 223 | Credits: 2(1+1).

Sodic soils — characteristics, deflocculation, and poor physical properties.

Classification of fertilizers.

Explains physical, chemical, and biological weathering processes that initiate soil formation.

Soil as a source.

Reclamation of sodic soils — gypsum requirement, amendments, and phytoremediation.

Learn the major nitrogenous fertilizers and the industrial processes used to convert atmospheric nitrogen into fertilizer nitrogen.

Covers CLORPT soil-formation factors and their influence on soil properties and distribution.

Forms of nutrients.

Saline-sodic soils — properties and combined management approach.

Manufacturing of.

Introduces soil horizons, profile development, and diagnostic features for field interpretation.

Understand how nutrients move from soil to the root surface and how roots absorb them for plant growth.

Acid soils — characteristics, aluminum and manganese toxicity, and distribution in India.

Manufacturing of urea.

Explains soil texture and core physical properties that control water, air, and root behavior.

Nitrogen—Transformation.

Lime requirement and acid soil management — liming materials, methods, and acid-tolerant crops.

Slow release N fertilizers.

Describes soil structure types, grades, and their effect on tilth, aeration, and root growth.

Phosphorus.

Waterlogged soils — causes, impacts, and surface and subsurface drainage.

Controlled release.

Covers aggregate formation, stability, and their role in soil porosity and physical behavior.

Potassium.

Calcareous soils — CaCO3 effects on nutrient availability and micronutrient deficiency management.

P fertilizers.

Explains compaction, colour interpretation, density, and porosity for practical soil evaluation.

Secondary nutrients —.

Contaminated and polluted soils — heavy metals, pesticide residues, and industrial effluents.

Single and triple.

Covers field capacity, wilting point, and plant-available water for irrigation and crop planning.

Micro nutrients —.

Bioremediation and phytoremediation — microbial cleanup, hyperaccumulator plants, and biochar.

Potassic fertilizers.

Explains saturated and unsaturated water flow, infiltration, and hydraulic conductivity in soils.

NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY.

Understand the role of secondary and micronutrient fertilizers, with emphasis on zinc sulphate and ferrous sulphate as important commercial sources.

Covers soil temperature behavior, heat flow, and thermal constants relevant to crop growth.

SOIL FERTILITY.

Complex fertilizers.

Introduces soil colloids, surface charge behavior, and nutrient-holding mechanisms.

PREDICTING YIELDS.

Mixed fertilizers.

Explains 1:1 and 2:1 clay mineral structures and their implications for swelling and fertility.

FERTILITY EVALUATION.

Understand the materials used in fertilizer mixtures, including nutrient carriers, conditioners, neutralizers, fillers, and the idea of unit value.

Covers ion adsorption, cation exchange, and base saturation concepts in soil chemistry.

SOIL TESTING.

BIOFERTILIZERS.

Explains sources, decomposition, and agronomic importance of soil organic matter.

SOIL TESTING.

IMPACT OF FERTILIZERS.

Covers humus formation, fractions, and their contribution to soil fertility and buffering.

FERTILITY SURVEY.

FERTILIZERS CONTROL.

Explains carbon and nitrogen cycling, C:N ratio, and decomposition dynamics in soils.

PERMANENT MANURIAL.

Learn the meaning of agrochemicals, the main classes of pesticides, and the basic organic chemistry background needed to understand them.

FERTILIZERS.

Pesticide Formulations.

Learn why fertilizer use remains important for productivity growth and how policy, pricing, and quality regulation shape fertilizer use in agriculture.

Pesticide Formulation.

Tolerance limit in Plant.

ORGANOPHOSPHATES.

Genesis, Characteristics.

ORGANOPHOSPHATES—.

Genesis, Characteristics.

CARBAMATES.

Genesis, Characteristics.

BOTANICALS.

Characteristics and.

Learn the origin, major properties, examples, and mode of action of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides.

ASSESSMENT OF.

HERBICIDES.

Fungicides.

Organic fungicides.

SYSTEMIC FUNGICIDES.

Insecticide act.

Fate of pesticides in.

Plant growth regulators.

Soil fertility, pH, essential nutrients, and soil management for crop production.

Soil definition, minerals, weathering, soil formation (pedogenesis), soil profile, horizons, soil types of India for CUET Agriculture

Texture, structure, colour, porosity, density, soil water, consistency, soil colloids, CEC, pH, EC for CUET Agriculture

Soil science, irrigation methods, weed and pest control, and detailed study of major Indian crops for CUET Agriculture.

Fertility vs productivity, essential nutrients, macro/micro nutrients, deficiency symptoms, nutrient roles, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus and potassium in soil for CUET Agriculture

Manures, fertilizers, green manuring, biofertilizers, soil amendments, application methods, INM for CUET Agriculture

Physical properties (texture, structure, bulk density, porosity), chemical properties (pH, CEC, organic matter, soil reaction), soil water constants (field capacity, PWP), soil colour and horizon development.

IBPS AFO interview agriculture questions: agronomy, soil pH, Soil Health Card 12 parameters, IPM, crop seasons, animal husbandry breeds, and aquaculture. Carries 35% interview weight.

Soil formation, classification (USDA, FAO), physical and chemical properties, fertility management and amendments. Covers Soil Properties, Soil Fertility & Soil Amendments — high-weightage for all agriculture exams.

Essential plant nutrients, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, NPK fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient management, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations, integrated nutrient management practices.

Soil amendments — organic matter, lime, gypsum, compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, green manure crops, micronutrient correctives. Integrated nutrient management for sustainable and productive agriculture.

IBPS AFO interview agronomy questions: Norin 10 gene in Green Revolution, Khaira disease from zinc deficiency, all 12 SHC parameters, Jhoom regional names, and crop scientific names.

Physical properties (texture, structure, bulk density, porosity), chemical properties (pH, CEC, organic matter, soil reaction), soil water constants (field capacity, PWP), soil colour and horizon development.

Soil formation, classification (USDA, FAO), physical and chemical properties, fertility management and amendments. Covers Soil Properties, Soil Fertility & Soil Amendments — high-weightage for all agriculture exams.

Essential plant nutrients, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, NPK fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient management, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations, integrated nutrient management practices.

Soil amendments — organic matter, lime, gypsum, compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, green manure crops, micronutrient correctives. Integrated nutrient management for sustainable and productive agriculture.

Physical properties (texture, structure, bulk density, porosity), chemical properties (pH, CEC, organic matter, soil reaction), soil water constants (field capacity, PWP), soil colour and horizon development.

Soil formation, classification (USDA, FAO), physical and chemical properties, fertility management and amendments. Covers Soil Properties, Soil Fertility & Soil Amendments — high-weightage for all agriculture exams.

Essential plant nutrients, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, NPK fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient management, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations, integrated nutrient management practices.

Soil amendments — organic matter, lime, gypsum, compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, green manure crops, micronutrient correctives. Integrated nutrient management for sustainable and productive agriculture.

Physical properties (texture, structure, bulk density, porosity), chemical properties (pH, CEC, organic matter, soil reaction), soil water constants (field capacity, PWP), soil colour and horizon development.

Soil formation, classification (USDA, FAO), physical and chemical properties, fertility management and amendments. Covers Soil Properties, Soil Fertility & Soil Amendments — high-weightage for all agriculture exams.

Essential plant nutrients, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, NPK fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient management, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations, integrated nutrient management practices.

Soil amendments — organic matter, lime, gypsum, compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, green manure crops, micronutrient correctives. Integrated nutrient management for sustainable and productive agriculture.

Physical properties (texture, structure, bulk density, porosity), chemical properties (pH, CEC, organic matter, soil reaction), soil water constants (field capacity, PWP), soil colour and horizon development.

Soil formation, classification (USDA, FAO), physical and chemical properties, fertility management and amendments. Covers Soil Properties, Soil Fertility & Soil Amendments — high-weightage for all agriculture exams.

Essential plant nutrients, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, NPK fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient management, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations, integrated nutrient management practices.

Soil amendments — organic matter, lime, gypsum, compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, green manure crops, micronutrient correctives. Integrated nutrient management for sustainable and productive agriculture.

Physical properties (texture, structure, bulk density, porosity), chemical properties (pH, CEC, organic matter, soil reaction), soil water constants (field capacity, PWP), soil colour and horizon development.

Soil formation, classification (USDA, FAO), physical and chemical properties, fertility management and amendments. Covers Soil Properties, Soil Fertility & Soil Amendments — high-weightage for all agriculture exams.

Essential plant nutrients, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, NPK fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient management, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations, integrated nutrient management practices.

Soil amendments — organic matter, lime, gypsum, compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, green manure crops, micronutrient correctives. Integrated nutrient management for sustainable and productive agriculture.

Physical properties (texture, structure, bulk density, porosity), chemical properties (pH, CEC, organic matter, soil reaction), soil water constants (field capacity, PWP), soil colour and horizon development.

Soil formation, classification (USDA, FAO), physical and chemical properties, fertility management and amendments. Covers Soil Properties, Soil Fertility & Soil Amendments — high-weightage for all agriculture exams.

Essential plant nutrients, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, NPK fertilizers, secondary and micronutrient management, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations, integrated nutrient management practices.

Soil amendments — organic matter, lime, gypsum, compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, green manure crops, micronutrient correctives. Integrated nutrient management for sustainable and productive agriculture.

Complete ICAR JRF Soil Science syllabus 2026 — Code 03 unit-wise topics for analytical chemistry, soil physics, soil chemistry, clay minerals, fertility, fertilizers, soil biology, classification, pollution, and GIS basics.

ICAR JRF Physical Science/Soil Science (Code 03) — soil physics, soil chemistry, plant nutrients, fertilizers, remote sensing, GIS, PYQ quizzes 2020–2025.