Vertisols and Technologies for their Management

Vertisols and Technologies for their Management
Author: N. Ahmad
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 566
Release: 1996-12-11
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0080543529

Vertisols, one of the eleven established soil orders, are clay soils with unusual and interesting properties. They cover more than 350 million hectares of land in the world and in tropical Africa alone there are over 100 million hectares. Because of their very small particle size and high surface area, these soils have higher physical and chemical reactivity than other soils. Their interaction with agrochemicals/industrial wastes, has been, increasingly, the subject of research especially in the last two decades. Vertisols create special problems when used for engineering purposes. This book is intended to provide comprehensive and state-of-the-art information about Vertisols worldwide. Special attention is given to the use and management of soils such as fertilizer use, crop selection, soil tillage, water restriction on land including irrigation, and soil erosion. A special chapter has been added to deal with geotechnical engineering of Vertisols. Vertisols have great potential for agricultural production but many, especially in the developing world, are underutilized due to a lack of understanding regarding their behaviour and management. This book is written by leading scientists worldwide. It is expected that this monograph will be of great use to soil scientists and agronomists, graduate and senior graduate students. Improvement of their management may solve the current food deficiency in the world.

Agrotechnology for Dryland Farming 2nd. Revised Ed.

Agrotechnology for Dryland Farming 2nd. Revised Ed.
Author: A.M. Dhopte
Publisher: Scientific Publishers
Total Pages: 708
Release: 2017-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9387869377

It is known that dryland farming is not remunerative due to several constraints. Location specific technologies have been evolved for yield stabilization in dryland farming and conservation of fragile ecosystem by sustainable use of soil and water resources. Drought and flood situations are experienced some where in the country inspite of pletifull resources of waters unshine hours but poverty among farmers still exists. This is a point of sereous concern. Agrotechniques are alone the answer for low productivity (0.8 t/ha) of 90% rainfed farming. To feed over one billion gallowping population of country, there is a need to increase the productivity to 1.5 t/ha by 2010 AD. This book deals with seed, soil, watersheds, crop, weed and nutrient management use of weather forecast, measure to save crops under abiotic stresses like drought and flooding, selection of crops and variety, reclamation of degraded land, organic recycling, agro-meterological approaches, water requirement, early harvest on physiological maturity, agro-hydro modelling and suitable medicinal and aromatic crops to make dry farming remunerative for welfare of common farmers. This is the first comprehensive book where large number of agro-techniques are incorporated. Chapters are written by eminent scientists of national repute who have devoted their life time to solve probable problems of dryland. Agro-techniques can well be adopted with ease by farmers through extension agencies to avoid bankrupsy. Book includes all relevant aspects of rainfed farming and is therefore a valuable addition in Dryfarming and meets the expectations of all those interested in rainfed farming in the country and abroad. Long outstanding demand has thus fulfilled with this book. The novel approach of editor has made the readers task quick and minimized their efforts by compiling all agro-techniques together at one place for benefit of farmers.

Interpretation of Micromorphological Features of Soils and Regoliths

Interpretation of Micromorphological Features of Soils and Regoliths
Author: Georges Stoops
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 753
Release: 2010-08-25
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0080932304

Interpretation of Micromorphological Features of Soils and Regolith, 2nd edition, provides researchers and students with a global tool for interpretation of micromorphological features of regoliths and soils. After an introduction and general overview by the editors, micromorphological aspects of regoliths (e.g. saprolites, unconsolidated sediments, transported materials) are highlighted, followed by a systematic and coherent discussion of the micromorphological expression of various pedogenic processes. This is done by discussing diagnostic horizons, materials and processes. The following topics are also treated: freeze-thaw features, redoximorphic features, calcareous and gypsiferous formations, textural features, spodic and oxic horizons, andic and volcanic materials, organic and surface horizons, laterites, surface crusts, salts, biogenic and inorganic siliceous materials, authigenic silicates, phosphates, thionic and derived materials, and features related to faunal activity. The last chapters address the impact of anthropic activities, with regard to archaeology and palaeopedology. Interpretation of Micromorphological Features of Soils and Regolith, 2nd edition, is written by a team of well-known, global experts in the field who all used a single set of concepts and terminology, making it a valuable interdisciplinary reference. - The first exhaustive publication on interpretation of micromorphological features - Covers related topics, making micromorphology more attractive and accessible for geographers, archaeologists and quaternary geologists - Thematic treatment of a range of soil micromorphology fields broadens the content's applications - Authored by a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring thorough coverage of archaeological, geological, and earth science disciplines

A Treatise of Indian and Tropical Soils

A Treatise of Indian and Tropical Soils
Author: D.K. Pal
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 190
Release: 2016-12-08
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 3319494392

This book discusses how to apply the basic principles of pedology to the tropical soils of the Indian subcontinent, with an emphasis on ways to enhance crop productivity. The book showcases the research contributions on pedology, geomorphology, mineralogy, micromorphology and climate change collected from the literature on three major soil types: shrink-swell soils, red ferruginous (RF) soils and the soils that occur in the tropical environments of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). It also provides insights into several aspects of five pedogenetically important soil orders like Alfisols, Mollisols, Ultisols, Vertisols and Inceptisols found in tropical Indian environments. Documenting the significance of minerals in soils and their overall influence in soil science in terms of pedology, paleopedology, polygenesis and edaphology, it provides a knowledge base that is critical when attempting to bridge the gap between food production and population growth.

Rainfed Agriculture

Rainfed Agriculture
Author: Suhas Pralhad Wani
Publisher: CABI
Total Pages: 326
Release: 2009-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1845933893

This book, which contains 14 chapters, covers all aspects of rainfed agriculture, starting with its potential, current status, rainwater harvesting and supplementary irrigation, to policies, approaches, institutions for upscaling, and impacts of integrated water management programmes in rainfed areas.

New Trends in Soil Micromorphology

New Trends in Soil Micromorphology
Author: Selim Kapur
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2008-08-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3540791345

The soil water retention curve, the saturated hydraulic conductivity and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function are basic soil hydraulic functions and parameters. Ample apprehension of the soil hydraulic functions and parameters is required for a successful formulation of the principles leading to sustainable soil management, agricultural production and environmental protection. From these, all the other parameters, required in the solution of the practical tasks, are derived. The basic soil hydraulic functions are strongly dependent upon the soil porous system. The development of models is characteristic by the gradual transition from the simplest concepts up to the sophisticated approaches, which should correspond to the visual reality studied by soil micromorphology. 2 Soil Porous System and Soil Micromorphometry 2.1 An Overview on the Quantification of the Soil Porous System Quanti? cation of the soil porous system consists of classi? cation of soil pores, ch- acterization of the soil pores shapes and the estimation of the pore size distribution function. When the hydraulic functions of the soil pores are considered, the following laws of hydrostatics and hydrodynamics are applied as best ? tting to the classi? cation criteria of the size of the pores (Kutilek and Nielsen 1994, p. 20, Kutilek 2004): A. Submicroscopic pores that are so small that they preclude clusters of water molecules from forming ? uid particles or continuous water ? ow paths.

Rainfed Farming Development in Central India

Rainfed Farming Development in Central India
Author: G.P. Verma
Publisher: Scientific Publishers
Total Pages: 247
Release: 2017-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 938730745X

This book entitled Development of Rainfed Farming in Central India has 10 chapters viz. (1) Problems and prospects of Rainfed Farming, (2) Present status and strategy of Rainfed Farming Development, (3) Land and water resources, (4) Technology for watershed based Rainfed Farming Development, (5) Land and water management practices, (6) Improvement of productivity of rain water, (7) Cropping systems and crop management practices, (8) Planning for aberrant weather conditions and drought management, (9) Farm machinery and implements and (10) Integrated farming systems for livelihood security. In support of various statements made in different chapters, reliable data have been presented in 62 tables. Further, the book is well illustrated through 24 figures and sketches. The book will serve as a text book for Watershed management, Dry farming courses for B. Sc. Ag. students as a reference book of M.Sc. Ag. students of various Agricultural universities, as a manual for field workers of the Department of Agriculture, a good teaching media for teachers of Agricultural universities and a thought provoking material for those responsible for planning and executing development projects on rainfed/ dry farming and watershed management.