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Sustainable agricultural management approaches in the soil environment is the key to sustained food security, soil quality and livelihood security. The damage to soil fertility and depletion of plant nutrient elements in soil has emerged as major threats to the sustainability of diverse agricultural production systems. Therefore, soil and water testing is considered an important tool to assess the essential plant nutrient elements need to formulate crop and site specific nutrient recommendations vis-à-vis climate change strategies. Soil test based nutrient use optimizes economic returns and minimizes risks of environmental pollution. Characterization of soil mineralogical, microbiological or biochemical properties within an experimental area among different treatments or cropping systems it requires the utmost attention to planning details. It is imperative to establish experimental objectives as a prelude to developing the sampling plan. As a component of development of sampling plan, one must begin by evaluating the environment from which samples will come. To accomplish this goal one must determine the physical and chemical features of the experimental area that includes the basic agents of nutrient supply i.e. soil and water. It contains principles and reactions of chemical analysis, soil sampling and analytical techniques for the determination of physical and chemical parameters of soil and water samples. The book on “Soil and Water Analysis” will be helpful to the Soil Chemists, Agriculture Officers, Specialists and research scholars of soil testing laboratories and other laboratory technicians/assistants.

Preface

1. Analytical Chemistry – Basic Concepts

1.1 Volumetric Analysis

1.2 Titration

1.3 Law of Equivalence

1.4 Types of Titration

1.5 Types of Indicators

1.6 Determination of Equivalent Mass

1.7 Expression of Concentration of Solutions

2. Principles of Analytical Instruments

2.1 pH Meter

2.2 Conductivity Meter

2.3 Spectrophotometer

2.4 Flame Photometry

2.5 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer

2.6 Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES)

3. Soil Analysis

3.1 Concepts of Soil Sampling

3.2 Concepts and Objectives of Soil Testing

3.3 Collection and Processing of a Composite Soil Sample

3.4 Soil Texture

3.5 Bulk Density, Particle Density and Pore Space in Soil

3.6 Determination of Water Holding Capacity (WHC) in Soil

3.7 Determination of Soil Moisture

3.8 Determination of Electrical Conductivity (EC) and pH in Soil

3.9 Estimation of Redox Potential in Soil

3.10 Organic Carbon Content (O.C.) in Soil

3.11 Available Nitrogen (N) in Soil

3.12 Available Phosphorus (P) in Soil

3.13 Available Potassium (K) in Soil

3.14 Available Sulphur (S) in Soil

3.15 Exchangeable Calcium (Ca) & Magnesium (Mg) Content in Soil

3.16 Available Micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) Content in Soil

3.17 Available Boron (B) Content in Soil

3.18 Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

3.19 Lime Requirement in Soil

3.20 Gypsum Requirement of Sodic Soils

3.21 Exchangeable Acidity

3.22 Phosphate Fixing Capacity of Soil

3.23 Potassium Fixing Capacity of Soil

4. Basic Concepts of Water Quality

4.1 Suitability of Irrigation Water

4.2 Water Quality Evaluation

4.3 Water Quality Index (WQI)

4.4 Water Quality Guidelines

4.5 Guidelines for Irrigation with Waste Water

4.6 Collection, Processing and Storage of Water Sample

4.7 Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in Water Sample

4.8 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in Water Sample

4.9 pH and Electrical Conductivity (EC) of Water Sample

4.10 Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in Water Sample

4.11 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in Water Sample

4.12 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in Water Sample

4.13 Carbonates (CO32-) and Bicarbonates (HCO3-) in Water Sample

4.14 Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) in Water Sample

4.15 Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC)

4.16 Chloride Toxicity and its Determination in Water Sample

4.17 Nitrate (NO3) Content in Water Sample

4.18 Sulphate (SO4) Content in Water Sample

4.19 Sodicity Problem

4.20 Determination of the Sodium (Na) and Potassium (K) Content in Water Sample

4.21 Boron (B) Toxicity

4.22 Other Trace Elements

4.23 Microbiological Analysis of Water Sample

Suggested Reading

Appendices