Soil Conditions and Plants Growth

Front Cover
Biotech Books, 2002 - Science - 635 pages
Recognised As Complex Are The Relations Of The Plant To The Soil. Looking Through A Historical Perspective On The Evolution Of Systematic Scientific Studies On This Relation, This Book Endeavours To Compile The Available Information On The Soil As A Medium For Plant Life. With Reference To The Studies Made In Different Parts Of The World, It Covers All The Related Subjects And Topics In An Exhaustive Manner- The Microscopic Inhabitants Of The Soil And Their Connection With Plant Life; Relation Between Vegetation And Soil Temperature And Soil Moisture; Plant Nutrition Through Soil; Saline And Alkali; Soils And Their Management; Rock Weathering Soil Formation; Control Of Soil Erosion; And Conservation Of Soil Fertility; Etc. The Text Is Aptly Illustrated, Enriched With Tables Of Scientific Data, And Supplemented With References For Further Information And An Exhaustive Subject Index. Chapter 1: Historical And Introductory; The Search For The Principle Of Vegetation 1630-1750, The Serach For Plant Nutrients, The Phlogistic Period 1750-1800, The Modern Period 1800-1860, The Beginnings Of Soil Bacteriology, The Rise Of Modern Knowledge Of The Soil And The Return Of Field Studies, Chapter 2: The Food Of Plants, Chapter 3: The Individual Nutrients Needed By Plants; Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Silicon, Chlorides, Trade Elements In Plant Nutrition, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Molydenum, Boron, Trace Elements In Animal Nutrition, Chapter 4: Quantitative Studies On Plant Growth; The Relation Between Growth And Nutrient Supply As Found By Experiment, The Assumed Relation Between Growth And Nutrient Supply, The Interaction Of Nutrients, Chapter 5: The Composition Of The Soil; Size Distribution Of Soil Particles, The Mineralogical Composition Of The Soil Particles: Sand And Silt Fractions, The Clay Fraction, Non Crystalline Inorganic Components Of Soils, The Exchangeable Bases Held By The Soil, Chapter 6: The Constitution Of Clay Minerals, Chapter 7: The Cation And Anion Holding Powers Of Soils; The Cation Holding Power Of Clay Minerals, The Clay Acid, The Ph Of Soil, Summary Of The Factors Affecting The Ph Of A Soil, The Lime Requirement Of A Soil, Relative Attractions Of Clay For Different Cations, The Quantitative Laws Of Base Exchange, The Anion Holding Power Of Soils, Summary Of The Acid And Base Holding Mechanisms In Soils, The Effect Of Fertilizers On The Exchangeable Bases Held By Soils, Chapter 8: The Behaviour Of Soils And Clays In Water; The Absorption Of Liquids And Gases By Dry Clays, Deflocculation And Flocculation Of Clay Suspensions, Deflocculation And Flocculation In Clay Pastes And Clods, Soil Consistency, Chapter 9: The Physiology Of The Microbial Population; The Microbial Population Of The Soil, The Nutrition Of The Microflora, Autotrophic And Heterotrophic Organisms, The Respiration Of The Microflora, Aerobic And Anaerobic Organisms, The Byproducts Of Microbial Metabolism, Microbial Excretions, Chapter 10: The Organisms Composing The Population; Bacteria, The Number Of Bacteria In The Soil, The Types Of Soil Bacteria, The Fluctuations In The Number Of Soil Bacteria, Bacteriophages, Actinomycetes, Fungi, Algae, Protozoa, Amoeboid And Flagellate Stages Of Other Organisms, Chapter 11: The Soil Fauna Other Than Protozoa; Nematodes, Earthworms, Arthropods, Gasteropods, The Soil Inhabiting Mammals, Chapter 12: The General Ecology Of The Soil Population, The Distribution Of Micro Organisms Through The Soil Space, The Effect Of The Energy Supply, The Activity Of The Soil Population, The Relation Between Microbiological Activity And Soil Fertility, Symbiotic And Antibiotic Relations Between The Microflora, Interactions Between The Soil Microflora And Fauna, Soil Moisture And Soil Temperature, The Effect Of Soil Reaction, Partial Sterilisation Of The Soil, Chapter 13: The Association Between Plants And Micro Organisms; The Rhizosphere Population, Association Of Fungi With Plant Roots, Specialised Association Between Plant Roots And Soil Microorganisms, The Ectotrophic Mycorrhizas Of Forest Trees, Endotrophic Mycorrhizas, Chapter 14: The Decomposition Of Plant Material; The Plant Constituents, The Decomposition Of Plnat Residues, Composting, The Microorganisms Involved In The Decomposition Of Plant Remains, Green Manuring, The Decomposition Of Green Manures Under Water Logged Conditions: Paddy Soils, Chapter 15: The Composition Of The Soil Organic Matter; The Fractionation Of The Soil Humus, The Composition And Formation Of Humus, The Carbon Nitrogen Ration, The Phosphorus Compounds, The Sulphur Compounds In The Organic Matter, The Properties Of Soil Humus, The Acid Properties And The Base Exchange Capacity Of Humus, Clay Humus Complexes, The Level Of Organic Matter In Soils, Chapter 16: The Nitrogen Cycle In The Soil; The Mineralisation Of Soil Nitrogen, The Production Of Ammonia From Organic Matter, Nitrification In The Soil: The Production Of Nitric And Nitrate, The Level Of Mineral Nitrogen In The Soil, Losses Of Inorganic Nitrogen From The Soil, Grains Of Nitrogen By The Soil, Non Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation In Soils, Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation In Leguminous Plants, Chapter 17: The Temperature Of The Soil; The Heat Balance Of A Soil, The Influence Of Vegetation On Soil Temperature, The Variation Of Soil Temperature With Depth, Chapter 18: The Soil Atmosphere, Chapter 19: The Water In Soils; Where And How The Water Is Held, Suction And Pf Curves For Soils, The Movement Of Water In Soils, Entry Of Water Into A Soil: Infiltration Rate Or Premeability, Drainage Of Water, Field Capacity, Evaporation Of Water From A Bare Soil, Chapter 20: Water And Plant Growth; The Amout Of Water Transpired By A Crop, Chapter 21: The Transfer Of Water From Soil To Plant; The Wilting Range In Soils, The Available Water In Soils, The Amout Of Available Water Held By A Soil, Chapter 22: The Control Of Soil Moisture In Practice; Removal Of Excess Water By Drainage, Irriation, Dry Farming, Chapter 23: Soil Structure And Soil Tilth; The Breakdown Of Soil Structure, The Building Up Of Soil Structure In The Field, The Effects Of Cultivation Implements And The Weather, Modifying The Composition Of The Soil, The Effect Of Growing Crops On The Soil Structure, The Mechanism Of Crumb And Clod Formation, Chapter 24: The Development Of Plant Roots In Soil, Chapter 25: The Uptake Of Nutrients From The Soil; The Absorption Of Nutriens And Water By Plant Roots, The Soil Solution, The Sources From Which Plant Roots Extract Nutrients, Transfer Of Nutrients From The Root To The Soil, The Need For Fertiliser Placement, Chapter 26: The Sources Of Plant Nutrients In The Soil; The Phosphorus Compounds, The Phosphatic Fertilisers, The Reversion Of Phosphate Fertilisers In The Soil, The Level Of Available Phsosphate In The Soil, The Potassium Compounds, The Calcium Compounds, The Maganese Compounds, The Sulphur Compounds, The Nitrogen Compounds, The Organic Matter, Chapter 27: The Effect Of Soil Acidity And Alkalinity On Plant Growth; The Effect Of Soil Acidity, The Effect Of Soil Alkalinity, Chapter 28: The Effect Of Growing Plant On The Soil; The Efect Of A Crop On Its Successor, The Interaction Between Plants Growing Together, Chapter 29: The Weathering Of Rocks; The Formation Of The Crust Of Weathering, Laterites And Ferrallites, Weathering In The Soil Zone, Chapter 30: Soil Formation Of The Well Drained Sites; The Humus Of The Forest Floor, Well Drained Soils Under Mor, The Podsol, Well Drained Soils Under Mull, The Brown Earths, The Grassland Soils: The Prairie Soils And Chernozems, Leached Soils Of The Humid Tropics, Chapter 31: The Influence Of Topography On Soil Formation; Effect Of Impeded Drainage And Ground Water On The Soil, Pan Formation In Soils, Soil Formation On Hill Slopes, The Soil Catena, Chapter 32: Saline And Alkali Soils, Saline Soils Or Solonchaks, Alkali Soils: The Solonetz And Solod, Chapter 33: The Management Of Irrigated Saline And Alkali Soils; The Effect Of Soluble Salts On Plant Growth, The Control Of Soluble Salts In The Soil, The Control Of Alkalinity, Reclamation Of Soils Damaged By Sea Water, Chapter 34: The General Principles Of Soil Management; The Principles Underlying The Control Of Soil Erosion, Wind Erosion And Soil Drifting, Erosion Of Running Water, Chapter 35: Principles Of The Methods Of Soil Cultivation; Mulches And Shade Trees, Chapter 36: The Control Of Soil Fertility In Practice; The Management Of Sandy Soils In England, The Management Of The English Clay Soils, Some Principles Involved In The Management Of Tropical Soils, The Principles Of Land Classification.

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