Do you want to learn how you can improve your soil quality? This course will teach you that and more! This course will teach you every important thing you need to know to start managing your soil successfully; such as learning the chemical properties involved in soil, the different methods to test soil nutrition, the problems that may arise and how to prevent them, the nutrients that soil needs, and more.
Agricultural soil management
Understand soil management for profitable farming.
Learn about problems that can affect soil and how to deal with them
Essential for anyone working with the soil.
Course Aims
Develop a broad understanding of the physical and chemical properties of soils.
Develop skills in sampling and field testing soils for basic physical and chemical properties
Understand the principles, methods and techniques of sustainable soils management.
Understand the principles and practices of earthworks.
Understand causes and remediation methods of land degradation and soil problems.
Develop a broad knowledge in the use of growing containers for agriculture.
Develop strong understanding of soil science and its impact on plant growth.
Develop practical knowledge about managing soil for particular cropping uses.
Course Outline
There are 8 lessons in this course:
Introduction: Soils And Soil Classification
Soil health and Agricultural soils
What is soil health?
Soil Composition and Formation
Classifying Soil Groups and Soil Landscapes
Soil Profiles
Soil Horizons
Key Properties of Selected Soil Groups
Parent Materials
Classifying Soils According to Hydrological Properties
Soil hydrology Groups: Uniform Coarse-textured Soils, Permeability Contrast Soils; Cracking Clays; Medium to Fine Textured soils
Properties of Soils and Plant Nutrition
Understanding Soils
Mineral and Rock
How Soils Develop Naturally
Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Geo-chemical Weathering Processes
Pedo-chemical Weathering
Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
Organic Carbon
Soil Colour
Texture and its Effect on Plant Growth
Structure and its Effect on Plant Growth
Consistence and its Effect on Plant Growth
Depth of Profile and how it Relates to Plant Growth
PH and Plant Growth
Porosity and Plant Growth
Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Toxicity
Soil Testing Methods
Tilth and Organic Matter
Soil Sampling for Chemical Analysis
General Principles of Soil Analysis
Tools for Field Sampling and Soil Investigation
Digging a Sample Pit or Hole
Finding Out about your Soil
Settlement Activity
Soil Structure Activity
Recording Soil Colour
Testing Consistence
Describing Texture
Test for Free Carbonates
Soil pH Testing
Stability of Clods to Wetting (Slaking and Dispersion)
Bulk Density Testing
Measurement of Organic Matter Content of Soil
Measuring Salinity
Measuring Water Content
Fertiliser Solubility
Affect of Lime on Soil
Laboratory Testing of Soils
Land Degradation and Other Soil Problems
Soil Structure Decline
Water Repellence
Erosion
Hard-Layers in Soils
Transient Bonding; Compaction; Cementation; and Natural Rigidity
Sub-Soil Compaction: Compression, shearing and smearing
Soil Acidification
Alkalinity and Sodicity
Water-logging
Salinity
Chemical Residues
Soil Management on Farms
Conservation Farming
No-Tillage (Zero tillage)
Minimum Tillage
Trap Cropping
Cover Crops and Green Manure Cropping
Alley Farming (AF)
Contour Farming and Strip Farming
Controlled Traffic Farming
Stubble Management
Establishing Water and Nutrient Management Plans
Soil Conservation Earthworks
Integrated Pest Management
Direct Drilling in Pasture Establishment
Soil Management in Orchards
Soil Management in Market Gardens
Crops: Soil and Nutrient Requirements (Part A)
Wheat
Oat
Barley
Crops: Soil and Nutrient Requirements (Part B)
Narrow-Leafed Lupins
Canola
Faba Beans
Grapes
PBL Soil project – Soil Investigation and Report
evaluate a range of soils for a given situation
determine soil problems or limitations that exist for a given land use
decide on suitable soil management strategies for the selected land
Do you want to learn how you can improve your soil quality? This course will teach you that and more! This course will teach you every important thing you need to know to start managing your soil successfully; such as learning the chemical properties involved in soil, the different methods to test soil nutrition, the problems that may arise and how to prevent them, the nutrients that soil needs, and more.
Agricultural soil management
Understand soil management for profitable farming.
Learn about problems that can affect soil and how to deal with them
Essential for anyone working with the soil.
Course Aims
Develop a broad understanding of the physical and chemical properties of soils.
Develop skills in sampling and field testing soils for basic physical and chemical properties
Understand the principles, methods and techniques of sustainable soils management.
Understand the principles and practices of earthworks.
Understand causes and remediation methods of land degradation and soil problems.
Develop a broad knowledge in the use of growing containers for agriculture.
Develop strong understanding of soil science and its impact on plant growth.
Develop practical knowledge about managing soil for particular cropping uses.
Course Outline
There are 8 lessons in this course:
Introduction: Soils And Soil Classification
Soil health and Agricultural soils
What is soil health?
Soil Composition and Formation
Classifying Soil Groups and Soil Landscapes
Soil Profiles
Soil Horizons
Key Properties of Selected Soil Groups
Parent Materials
Classifying Soils According to Hydrological Properties
Soil hydrology Groups: Uniform Coarse-textured Soils, Permeability Contrast Soils; Cracking Clays; Medium to Fine Textured soils
Properties of Soils and Plant Nutrition
Understanding Soils
Mineral and Rock
How Soils Develop Naturally
Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Geo-chemical Weathering Processes
Pedo-chemical Weathering
Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
Organic Carbon
Soil Colour
Texture and its Effect on Plant Growth
Structure and its Effect on Plant Growth
Consistence and its Effect on Plant Growth
Depth of Profile and how it Relates to Plant Growth
PH and Plant Growth
Porosity and Plant Growth
Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Toxicity
Soil Testing Methods
Tilth and Organic Matter
Soil Sampling for Chemical Analysis
General Principles of Soil Analysis
Tools for Field Sampling and Soil Investigation
Digging a Sample Pit or Hole
Finding Out about your Soil
Settlement Activity
Soil Structure Activity
Recording Soil Colour
Testing Consistence
Describing Texture
Test for Free Carbonates
Soil pH Testing
Stability of Clods to Wetting (Slaking and Dispersion)
Bulk Density Testing
Measurement of Organic Matter Content of Soil
Measuring Salinity
Measuring Water Content
Fertiliser Solubility
Affect of Lime on Soil
Laboratory Testing of Soils
Land Degradation and Other Soil Problems
Soil Structure Decline
Water Repellence
Erosion
Hard-Layers in Soils
Transient Bonding; Compaction; Cementation; and Natural Rigidity
Sub-Soil Compaction: Compression, shearing and smearing
Soil Acidification
Alkalinity and Sodicity
Water-logging
Salinity
Chemical Residues
Soil Management on Farms
Conservation Farming
No-Tillage (Zero tillage)
Minimum Tillage
Trap Cropping
Cover Crops and Green Manure Cropping
Alley Farming (AF)
Contour Farming and Strip Farming
Controlled Traffic Farming
Stubble Management
Establishing Water and Nutrient Management Plans
Soil Conservation Earthworks
Integrated Pest Management
Direct Drilling in Pasture Establishment
Soil Management in Orchards
Soil Management in Market Gardens
Crops: Soil and Nutrient Requirements (Part A)
Wheat
Oat
Barley
Crops: Soil and Nutrient Requirements (Part B)
Narrow-Leafed Lupins
Canola
Faba Beans
Grapes
PBL Soil project – Soil Investigation and Report
evaluate a range of soils for a given situation
determine soil problems or limitations that exist for a given land use
decide on suitable soil management strategies for the selected land