AFA MAJORSHIP

(SOILS)
 SOIL

• Geologic definition: Loose surface of the earth as distinguished from solid bedrock; support
of plant life not required. It is also considered as the skin of the earth.

• Traditional definition: Material which nourishes and supports growing plants; includes
rocks, water, snow, air.

• Component definition: Mixture of mineral matter, organic matter, water, and air.
*Mineral Matter- 45%
*Organic Matter- 5%
*Water- 25%
*Air- 25%
 Soil Texture

- is defined as the relative proportion of sand, silt and clay.

- the ranges of diameters of the three separates are:
*sand (2.0- 0.05 mm)
*silt (0.05-.002 mm)
*clay (<0.002 mm)
 Soil Texture Determination

1. Feel Method
- involves rubbing a moist soil in your
palm and the characteristic “feel” of
each of the soil separates is used to
estimate the texture of the soil.
*Sand- gritty
*Silt – smooth and floury
*Clay- sticky
2. Roll Method
- kneading a moistened soil samples
into a soil wire/rod and molding it into
a ring.

•Sandy soils do not form rods.

•Medium textured soils such as loam
and silt loam form rods but breaks
easily when a loop is formed.
•Clayey soils such as silty clay, sandy
clay, clay form a continuous rod and
can be molded into a ring without
cracking or breaking.
 Peds vs Clods

•Natural aggregates are called peds.

•Aggregates formed by tillage or other human-induced practices are

called clods.
 Soil Structure

•Prismatic– pillar-like with level tops

•Columnar- pillar-like with rounded tops
•Blocky- cube-like and has more or less sharp edges and the
rectangular faces are distinct
•Sub-angular blocky- has edges which are more or less rounded
•Spheroidal (granular and crumb)– have rounded aggregates which
are porous
•Platy– characterized by disc like aggregates, poorly drained
•Structureless (massive or single grained)
 Soil Profile vs Soil Horizon
Pedon- a three-dimensional body of
soil with dimensions large enough
to permit the study of individual soil
horizons.

Soil Profile- one vertical face of a

pedon.

Soil Horizons- horizontal layers,

differentiated by color or texture,
described within a profile.
 Classification of Nutrients

1. Based on amount needed by plants

•Macronutrients- elements needed by plants in relatively large amounts than
other nutrients
•Micronutrients- needed by plants in small amounts

2. Based on mobility
•Mobile- elements that can move around the plants; deficiency is manifested
first in old leaves.
•Immobile– elements that are fixed in one location; symptoms of deficiency is
shown first by younger leaves.
17 Essential Nutrients

*Macronutrients *Micronutrients

-C - Fe
-H -B
-O - Cu
-P - Zn
-K - Mn
-N - Mo
-S - Cl
- Mg -Ni
- Ca
Organic Fertilizer
– Animal manures
– Compost
– Crop residues
– Green manure

Inorganic Fertilizer
- contain one or more combination of the three primary elements, N, P, or K.
1. Single element fertilizers- contain only one element
2. Compound fertilizers- two or more elements
3. Complete fertilizers– containing all three, N, P and K.
Rock
- aggregate of one or more minerals.

Petrology
- The study of rocks.

Classification of rock:
1. Igneous rock
2. Sedimentary rock
3. Metamorphic rock
Igneous Rocks
- originated from magma, a hot
fluid mass or rock melt

2 modes of igneous rock formation:

1.Extrusive- happens when the

magma is ejected out of the earth’s
crust through volcanic eruption and
solidifies on the surface; are fine-
grained and have smaller crystals.

2. Intrusive- happens when magma

solidifies within the earth’s crust.
Sedimentary Rocks
- consolidated fragments of
igneous and/or
metamorphic rock.
- formed from other
existing rocks through
fragmentation, transport (by
water) and recementation.
Metamorphic Rocks
- formed from other
existing rocks through the
processes or remelting
and recrystallization
under very high
temperature and pressure.
 Soil and Water Conservation Measures

1. Mulching
- the practice of covering the soil surface with crop residues.
2. Cover cropping
- involves planting of close-growing grasses and legumes to cover
and protect the surface of the soil.
3. Agroforestry
- refers to the system of land management where woody perennials and
agricultural crops are raised at the same time or sequentially.
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