This book focusses on the thermodynamics of soil nutrient bioavailability, and in particular the most important plant nutrients such as, phosphorus and potassium, among major nutrients, and zinc among micronutrients. It proposes a paradigm shift in the approach to global soil testing procedures. Historically, soil testing has been used to quantify availability of essential plant nutrients to field-grown crops. However, contemporary soil tests are based on philosophies and procedures developed several decades ago, without significant changes in their general approach. For a soil test to be accurate, one needs to clearly understand the physico-chemico-physiological processes at the soil-root interface and, an understanding of soils and plant root systems as polycationic systems is essential. It is this knowledge that leads to sound prescriptive soil nutrient management inasmuch as soil nutrient bioavailability vis-à-vis fertilizer application is concerned, because, of all the factors which govern sustainability in crop production, the nutrient factor is the most important, yet, it is also least resilient to management. This book provides a clear scientific basis of the thermodynamics of soil nutrient bio availability, which routine soil testing does not provide
Offers an original understanding of the thermodynamics of soil nutrient bio availability Proposes a paradigm shift in global soil testing Introduces making fertilizer recommendation farmer centric
Kodoth Prabhakaran Nair
Thermodynamics of soil Soil testing and fertilizer management Field crops and agriculture Soil nutrients bio-availability Cost effectiveness
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