Introduction to Soil Science
By Obianuju Orji PhD
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2:
Chapter3:
SSC 353 Soil Chemistry and Microbiology
Assignment 1
- Discuss in details, ‘INORGANIC COLLOIDS’, using relevant illustrations and examples where necessary.
- What is the CEC of a soil whose base saturation is 30% and exchangeable base cations is 85meq.
- When several silica tetrahedral are associated in the same plane, a……………………………is formed.
- …………………………………………. Is an example of 1:1 silicate clay.
- What is Cation Exchange. Illustrate with relevant equations.
- Calculate the exchangeable base cations in cmolkg-1, of a soil whose base saturation is 60% and CEC is 120 cmolkg-1
- What is the exchangeable acidity of the soil in question 7 above.
- Differentiate between the 1:1 and the 2:1 clay minerals
- What is the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of a soil
- What factors affect CEC.
- Arrange these minerals/organic matter in their order of increasing CEC (organic matter, illite, montmorillonite, kaolinite)
- What is lime requirement.
- Mention two examples of agricultural limes.
- The colloidal fraction of the soil consists of an organic and inorganic portion called…..&….
- Name the two types of silicate clay minerals in the soil.
- Differentiate between an acid and an alkaline soil
- What is soil salinity
- What are the natural causes of soil salinity
- Mention the ranges of soil salinity and the ranges of soil pH
- What are the effects of soil salinity on crops.
- How can you ameliorate salinity in soils and how can you ameliorate acidity in soils.
- Describe briefly the classes of humus, on the basis of solubility.
- Discuss the factors that affect soil acidity
- Discuss the causes of soil acidity
- How does soil acidity affect crop performance.
Effect of Nitrogenous Soil Ammendments on Soil Pysico-chemical Properties and Performance of Castorbean Plant (Ricinus communis) in Rivers State Nigeria.
Orji O.A
Department of Crop/Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture
Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
*Corresponding author’s Email: obianujuada@admin
International Journal of Agriculture And Environmental Resources. Vol 6(1) (2020):28-34.
Abstract
The castor bean seed when cooked and fermented, is a staple food condiment in Nigeria, but its production is low in the humid rainforest zone of Southern Nigeria. A field experiment was conducted in the Rivers State University Teaching and Research Farm in Port Harcourt Nigeria, to evaluate the effect of various nitrogenous soil amendments on the growth and yield of castor bean plant (Ricinus communis). The treatments included 120kgNha-1 equivalent of urea, NPK 20-10-10, poultry droppings, piggery dung and no amendment (control). These were replicated thrice and laid out in randomized complete block design. A Chinese improved variety of castor bean plant (Zibocastor No 5) was planted at a spacing of 1m x 1m within and between row, at a population of 5,000 seeds per hectare. Results showed that the various nitrogenous soil amendments significantly affected all growth and yield parameters measured, but germination was negatively affected. Piggery dung gave the best values of 52.6cm, 24.0, 85.0cm2, 191.5, and 350gplant-1 for plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, number of capsules and capsule weight respectively, when compared to the control with 24.5, 8.0, 40.0cm2, 28.4, 153gplant-1. Results of the physico-chemical properties of the soil showed significant increase in total nitrogen and available phosphorus, and a decrease in exchangeable calcium and magnesium with no significant changes in pH; following soil amendment and cropping. Amending the soil with piggery dung increased yield by 397.0% over the control.
Key words: castor bean, soil, nitrogenous amendments
SOIL PHYSICS MATERIAL 1
Effect of Diferent Lime Materials as an Amendment on the Ph of Potting Soil for Maize (Zea mays) Nursery Production
Orji O.A and Zorbaraol, B.
Department of Crop/Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture
Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
*Corresponding author’s Email: obianujuada@gmail.com
IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science (IOSR-JAVS)
e-ISSN: 2319-2380, p-ISSN: 2319-2372. Volume 13, Issue 4 Ser. I (April 2020), PP 39-44
Abstract
A screen house experiment conducted in Rivers state university teaching and research farm and crop/soil science laboratory, to evaluate the effect of different organic lime materials as an amendment for an acid potting soil for maize (Zea mays) nursery. The lime materials used were egg shell, snail shell, oyster shell, wood ash. Calcium carbonate was used as a basis for comparison and no lime was used as control for all the limes. Results showed that all the different lime materials used appreciably raised the soil pH. Application of the different lime materials showed no significant different among the lime materials but with no lime having the lowest pH value OF 6.2, when compared to the of value pH of the other treatments. The lime materials positively affected all the plant parameters measured. Result showed that white maize variety had the highest percentage germination (89.6%), when compared to the two improved varieties (oba 98 and oba super6); 85.4%, with the yellow local variety having the least % germination of 66.7%. Generally, the combined effect of the different lime materials and maize varieties, showed significant differences (P< 0.05) among plant parameters measured; across the four weeks. Results also showed the effect of the liming varied with both the type of liming materials and the crop variety.
Key words
Lime materials, Amendment, Soil pH, Potting soil.