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The book begins with an exploration of the history of soil fertility and plant nutrition, presenting the evolution of scientific understanding in this field. Fundamental concepts such as essential and beneficial elements, criteria of essentiality, and the roles of essential plant nutrients are discussed, along with methods for identifying nutrient deficiencies through plant symptoms. A detailed examination of macroand micronutrients—including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, secondary nutrients, and micronutrients—provides a robust foundation for understanding their functions, dynamics, and management.A significant focus is placed on soil fertility evaluation, highlighting methods for assessing soil nutrient status through laboratory analysis and field diagnostics. The book also delves into fertilizer use efficiency and the methods and timing of fertilizer application, ensuring readers gain practical knowledge for optimizing nutrient uptake by crops.

To address the growing interest in sustainable agriculture, this book explores organic manures, chemical fertilizers and their classification, and nanofertilizers, with an emphasis on their properties, applications, and integration within modern nutrient management systems. The Fertilizer Control Order and the concept of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) are also covered to ensure readers are acquainted with regulatory and sustainable practices. Additionally, the book discusses soil amendments, providing insights into improving soil structure and correcting soil pH for better crop performance.

The book begins with an exploration of the history of soil fertility and plant nutrition, presenting the evolution of scientific understanding in this field. Fundamental concepts such as essential and beneficial elements, criteria of essentiality, and the roles of essential plant nutrients are discussed, along with methods for identifying nutrient deficiencies through plant symptoms. A detailed examination of macroand micronutrients—including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, secondary nutrients, and micronutrients—provides a robust foundation for understanding their functions, dynamics, and management.A significant focus is placed on soil fertility evaluation, highlighting methods for assessing soil nutrient status through laboratory analysis and field diagnostics. The book also delves into fertilizer use efficiency and the methods and timing of fertilizer application, ensuring readers gain practical knowledge for optimizing nutrient uptake by crops.

To address the growing interest in sustainable agriculture, this book explores organic manures, chemical fertilizers and their classification, and nanofertilizers, with an emphasis on their properties, applications, and integration within modern nutrient management systems. The Fertilizer Control Order and the concept of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) are also covered to ensure readers are acquainted with regulatory and sustainable practices. Additionally, the book discusses soil amendments, providing insights into improving soil structure and correcting soil pH for better crop performance.

THEORY

1. Soil Fertility History and Plant Nutrition

2. Essential and beneficial elements, criteria of essentiality

3. Role of essential plant nutrients

4. Methods to identify deficiency symptoms using plants

5. Nitrogen

6. Phosphorus

7. Potassium

8. Secondary nutrients

9. Micronutrients

10. Soil Fertility Evaluation

11. Fertilizer Use Efficiency

12. Method and time of fertilizers application

13. Organic manure

14. Classification of chemical fertilizers

15. Nanofertilizers

16. Fertilizer Control Order and Integrated Nutrient Management

17. Soil amendments

PRACTICALS

1. Determination of available potassium in soils

2. Determination of available micronutrients in soil

3. Determination of available sulphur in soils

4. Determination of available phosphorus in soils

5. Determination of exchangeable cations in soils

6. Determination of micronutrients in plants

7. Determination of total sulphur in plant samples

8. Determination of total nitrogen in plant samples

9. Determination of total phosphorus and potassium in plant samples

10. Determination of organic carbon in soils

11. Introduction to the principles and uses of analytical instruments