COURSE SYLLABUS

SOIL 101 – Principles of Soil Science

2nd Semester, School Year 2022-2023

Part I
PHILOSOPHY Total human development with appropriate competencies
VISION A globally competitive university
MISSION Provides high quality instruction, research and extension
GOAL To lead in transforming human resources into productive self-reliant
citizens and responsible leaders
Graduate At DMMMSU we aim to produce highly competent, specialized and
Attributes globally competitive professionals. This is operationalized into
graduate attributes that should be attained by the time students will
graduate from the university.
1. Professionally competent
Exemplify the competencies and value required of their
professions
2. Committed and responsible leader
Demonstrate professional, social and ethical responsibility
consistent with their roles as local and global citizens.
3. Effective communicator and collaborator
Can effectively communicate and work in multi-disciplinary
teams.
4. Critical thinker and innovator
Use relevant information and research drawn facts in rendering
sound decisions and developing insights for new knowledge.
5. Reflective lifelong learner
Engage in lifelong learning for continuous professional growth
and development
6. Responsible environment steward.
Manage a sustainable environment, promoting peace and
prosperity for mankind

Core Values SERVICE: Service to our stakeholders

PRODUCTIVITY: Productivity with passion for work
EXCELLENCE: Excellence in our programs through scholarly
undertakings
COMMITMENT: Commitment in delivering our mandates
INNOVATIVENESS: Innovation towards attaining operative systems,
breakthroughs, and milestone
ADVOCACY: Advocacy in transforming lives
LEADERSHIP: Leadership for transformation, Empowerment,
and sustainable development

Program The BS Agriculture graduates are expected to be globally competitive

Outcomes agriculturists, as major players in sustainable agriculture and in the
protection of our environment through the following specific program
outcomes;
a. Exemplify the competencies and values required of a professional
agriculturist in areas of instruction, research and extension programs,
projects and activities.

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b. Practice the concepts of agricultural productivity and

sustainability in the context of national, regional and global
developments as professional agriculturist.
c. Effectively engage, communicate and work in multifaceted
disciplinary teams related to agricultural production and post-
production/ post-harvest handling activities.
d. Promote and develop sound agricultural technologies for various
clients and in the manpower development in agriculture through
research and extension activities.
e. Consistently employ relevant tools in information technology in
solving agriculture-related problems through active participation in
any lifelong learning activities
f. Responsible steward of existing and future sustainable
Course Credit Three (3) units

Course Nature, Properties and Management of Soils

Description
Contact Lecture: 2 hours/ week
Hours/Week Laboratory: 3 hours/week
Course CPSC 101- Principles of Crop Production
Prerequisite/s AGRI 106- Organic Chemistry
Course At the end of the semester, the students must be able to:
Outcomes 1. Present to the students a unified view of the soil as a medium
for plant growth and as a natural resource;
2. Develop in the student skills in problem solving, problems
requiring the use of numerical data obtained from physical,
chemical and biological experiments involving the soil;
3. Provide basic information about the role of plant nutrients so
that the students will be able to recognize and diagnose soil
problems associated with poor plant growth;
4. Develop in the student the ability to apply the principles of soil
management in the control to soil fertility, soil pH, and soil
erosion; and
5. Develop in the student the ability to interpret soil survey
report
6.
Course Lecture: Learning activities, Quizzes, Summative Test, Assignment,
Requirements Midterm Exam, Final Exam,
Laboratory: Laboratory activities/exercises

Grading System Class Standing = 60%

Midterm/Final Exam = 40%
Total =100%

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Part II

Course Outline and Timeframe

Time Frame Course Content/Subject Matter

Week 1 I. Definition and Composition of Soil
a. Soil defined: Edaphological and Pedological
b. Fields of Specialization in Soil Science
c. Composition of the Soil
- Air
- Water
- Organic matter
- Mineral matter

Week 2 d. Composition of Mineral Matter

- The three major fractions: sand, silt and clay
- The clay fraction: crystalline and non-crystalline components

e. Elemental Composition of the Earth’s Crust

f. The Essential Nutrient Elements
- Macro and Micronutrients
- Criteria of Essentiality
- Ionic forms of nutrients

Week 3 II. Soil Formation and Development

a. Soil Forming Rocks and Minerals
- Rocks and minerals: definition
- Classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
- Mode of formation of igneous rock: intrusive, extrusive
- Other points of differences of igneous rock: texture, color,
acidity
- Examples of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks
- Primary vs Secondary minerals and examples of each class

Week 4 b. Weathering
- Definition
- Physical weathering: exfoliation and cracking due
totemperature changes, crystal growth, abrasion, movement
of Earth’s crust, prying action of roots
- Chemical weathering: hydrolysis, hydration, oxidation,
carbonation, solution.

Week 5 c. Soil Formation and Soil Development

- Factors of soil formation: climate, organisms, relief, parent
material time

d. Soil Development
- Pedogenic processes: addition, losses, translocation in the soil
Body

Week 6 e. The Soil Profile

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Week 7-8 III. Physical Properties of Soils

a. Definition of Physical Properties
-Texture, structure, bulk density, particle density, porosity, water
holding capacity, hydraulic conductivity, consistency and color

b. Soil Texture
- The Twelve Textural Grades
- Properties of sand, silt and clay: size ranges, shapes, chemical
composition, specific surface area
- Significance of soil texture on soil fertility, crop suitability,
porosity/aeration, water relations, tillage
- Soil texture determination: feel method, hydrometer method,
pipette method

c. Soil Structure
- Types: platy, prismatic and columnar, blocky and sub-angular
blocky, granular and crumby, structureless
- Cementing agents: O.M., lime, microbial gums, fine clay
- Soil management related to soil structure

d. Soil Densities
- Definition and formulas for B.D., P.D. and % porosity
- Factors affecting B.D.
- Sample problems

e. Soil Water
- Importance of Water
- Properties of water
- Forces affecting soil water retention and movement: cohesion,
adhesion, osmotic pressure, capillary forces
- Soil moisture tension concepts, unit of expression
- Soil moisture availability: field capacity, hygroscopic coefficient,
permanent wilting point
- Soil moisture measurements

f. Soil Consistency and Color

Week 9 MIDTERM EXAMINATION

Week 10 IV. Chemical Properties of Soils
a. Soil Colloids, Silicate Clays and Organic Colloids
- Definition
- Classification and examples: organic and inorganic

b. Silicate Clays
- Basic structural units: tetrahedron
- Properties of silicate clays:expansion and contraction (type),
bonding, crystal size, specific surface area, shape.
- Sources of negative charges

c. Organic Colloids

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Week 11 d. Factors Affecting Strength of Absorption of Ions in Soil Colloids and

Cation Exchange Capacity

e. Cation Exchange Capacity

f. Base Saturation and Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP)

Week 12 g. Soil pH, Liming and Soil Salinity and Sodicity
- Definition and significance
- Sources of soil acidity
- Kinds of acidity: active and reserve acidity
- Buffering capacity
- Effects on nutrient availability

h. Liming
- Definition and examples of lime
- Relative beutralizing value (RNV)
- Sample problems
Week 13 V. Soil Organism and Organic Matter
a. Kinds of Soil organisms: Microorganisms and macro organisms

b. Bacteria: characteristics and classification

- Oxygen requirements-aerobic, anaerobic, facultative
- Energy and carbon requirements – antotrophic (hototrophic and
chemoautotrophic) and hetero trophic
- Temperature adaption – psychrophyllic, mesophyllic,
thermophyllic

c. Actinomycetes: characteristics and similarity and difference from

bacteria and fungi

d. Fungi: Characteristics and unique adaptation to soil conditions

e. Other organisms: viruses, protozoa, algal, worms, insects, rodents

Week 14 f. Beneficial activities of soil organisms
- Decomposition of organic matter
- Transformation of soil nutrients
- Promoting soil aggregation through by-products of their activities
- Nitrogen fixation (rhizobia) and phosphorus solubilization
(mycorrhiza)

g. Composition of organic matter: carbohydrates, proteins, lignins,

fats, waxes, tannins

h. Organic matter decomposition and end products

- Aerobic (oxidative) decomposition
- Anaerobic (fermentation) decomposition

Week 15 i. Transformation of Nitrogen

- Mineralization, ammonification, nitrification, denitrification,
immobilization, ammonia volatilization, leaching

i. Effects of organic matter on soil properties

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Week 16-17 VI. Soil Survey and Classification

a. Soil Taxonomy
- Definition of Terms
- Importance and Practical Applications
- Master Horizon and Diagnostic Horizon
- Categories of Soil Classification
- Order
- Sub-order
- Great group
- Sub-group
- Family
- Sub-family
- Series
- Soils in the Philippines
b. Soil Survey
- Definition of Terms
- Importance and Practical Applications
- Types of Soil Survey
Week 18 FINAL EXAMINATION

References:

a. Weil, R. R., Brady N. C., (2017). The Nature and Properties of Soils. Pearson
Education Limited.
b. Williams. A., (2017). Textbook of Soil science. New Century Books & Gen. MDS.
c. Raman, T., (2017). Rundquist, E. M., Lagache, J. Good Soil. Linar Educational
Materials
d. Plaster, E., (2017). Soil Science and Management. New Century Book and Gen.
MDSE
e. Franzmeier D., (2016). Soil Science Simplified. Linar Educational Materials
f. Sparks. D. L., (2015). Advances in Agronomy. Academic Press of Elsevier

Prepared by: Recommending Approval: Approved:

CHRISTOPHER F. CABALO GAUDELIA C. VILLANUEVA

Instructor Program Chair Dean

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