CURRICULUM

OF

SOIL SCIENCE

(Revised 2005)

HIGHER ISSION
EDUCATION COMM

HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION

ISLAMABAD

1
 CURRICULUM DIVISION, HEC

Prof. Dr. Altaf Ali G. Shaikh Adviser (Acad/R&D)

Malik Ghulam Abbas Deputy Director
Miss Ghayyur Fatima Deputy Director (Curri)
Mr. M. Tahir Ali Shah Assistant Director
Mrs. Noshaba Awais Assistant Director

Composed by Mr. Zulfiqar Ali, HEC Islamabad

2
 CONTENTS

1. Introduction 7
2. Scheme of Studies for B.Sc. (Hons) 10
Agriculture.

3. Curriculum for Soil Science 11

i) Scheme of Studies for B.Sc. 11
ii) Details of Courses 12

4. Curriculum for M.Sc. 28

i) Scheme of Studies 28
ii) Details of Courses 29

5. Recommendations 42

3
 PREFACE
Curriculum of a subject is said to be the throbbing pulse of a nation. By
looking at the curriculum one can judge the state of intellectual
development and the state of progress of the nation. The world has
turned into a global village; new ideas and information are pouring in
like a stream. It is, therefore, imperative to update our curricula
regularly by introducing the recent developments in the relevant fields
of knowledge.

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of

the Federal Supervision of Curricula Textbooks and Maintenance of
Standards of Education Act 1976, the Federal Government vide
notification no. D773/76-JEA (Cur.), dated December 4, 1976,
appointed University Grants Commission as the competent authority to
look after the curriculum revision work beyond class XII at bachelor
level and onwards to all degrees, certificates and diplomas awarded by
degree colleges, universities and other institutions of higher education.

In pursuance of the above decisions and directives, the Higher

Education Commission (HEC) is continually performing curriculum
revision in collaboration with universities. According to the decision of
the special meeting of Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, curriculum of a
subject must be reviewed after every 3 years. For the purpose, various
committees are constituted at the national level comprising senior
teachers nominated by universities. Teachers from local degree
colleges and experts from user organizations, where required, are also
included in these committees. The National Curriculum Revision
Committee for Soil Science in its meeting held in June 30 to July 2,
2005 at the HEC Regional Centre, Karachi revised the curriculum after
due consideration of the comments and suggestions received from
universities and colleges where the subject under consideration is
taught. The final draft prepared by the National Curriculum Revision
Committee duly approved by the Competent Authority is being
circulated for implementation by architectural institutions.

(PROF. DR. ALTAF ALI G. SHAIKH)

Adviser (Acad/R&D)
July 2005

4
 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

STAGE-I STAGE-II STAGE-III STAGE-IV

CURRI. UNDER CURRI. IN DRAFT FINAL STAGE FOLLOW UP

CONSIDERATION STAGE STUDY

COLLECTION OF APPRAISAL OF 1ST PREP. OF FINAL QUESTIONNAIRE

REC DRAFT BY EXP. OF CURRI.
COL./UNIV

CONS. OF CRC. FINALIZATION OF INCORPORATION COMMENTS

DRAFT BY CRC OF REC. OF V.C.C.

PREP. OF DRAFT APPROVAL OF PRINTING OF REVIEW

BY CRC CURRI. BY V.C.C. CURRI.

Abbreviations Used: IMPLE. OF BACK TO

CRC. Curriculum Revision Committee CURRI. STAGE-I
VCC. Vice-Chancellor’s Committee
EXP. Experts
COL. Colleges
UNI. Universities
ORIENTATION
PREP. Preparation COURSES
REC. Recommendations

5
6
INTRODUCTION

A meeting of the National Curriculum Revision Committee of Soil

Science was held on June 30 to July 2, 2005 at HEC Regional Centre,
Karachi, to finalize the draft curriculum prepared in its meeting held in May,
2005. The following attended the meeting.

1. Prof. Dr. Amanullah Bhatti Convener

Professor,
Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences,
NWFP Agricultural University,
Peshawar

2. Prof. Dr. Nabi Bukhsh Sial Member

Professor,
Department of Soil Science,
Sindh Agricultural University,
Tandojam

3. Dr. Muhammad Bashir Chaudhry Member

Professor of Soil Science,
DAEPR, University of AJK,
Muzaffarabad

4. Dr. Fateh Muhammad Soomro, Member

Associate Professor,
Department of Microbiology,
Shah Abdul Latif University,
Khairpur

5. Dr. Muhammad Abid, Member

Associate Professor,
University College of Agriculture,
B.Z. University,
Multan

6. Dr. Atta Muhammad Ranjah Member

Professor,
Institute of Soil & Environmental Sciences,
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

7. Dr. M. Sajjad Mirza, Member

Principal Scientific Officer,
National Institute for Biotechnology &
Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad

7
 8. Dr. Sabir Gul Khattak, Member
Assistant Agri. Chemist,
Agriculture Research Institute,
Tarnab, Peshawar

9. Prof. Dr. Tahira Ahmad, Member

Professor,
Department of Botany,
Lahore College for Women University,
Jail Road, Lahore

10. Mr. Zubair Rehman Member

Department of Soil Science,
Balochistan Agriculture College,
Quetta

11. Mr. Abdul Hameed Khan Member

Director,
Soil Survey Regional Office,
Peshawar

12. Mrs. Rasdhda Zafar Member

Associate Professor,
Department of Botany,
Lahore College for Women University,
Lahore

13. Mr. Asad Shabbir, Member

Assistant Professor,
Department of Mycology & Plant Pathology,
University of Punjab,
Lahore

14. Dr. Imtiaz Hussain Member

Senior Scientific Officer,
Wheat Programme,
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council,
Islamabad

15. Dr. Mahmood-ul-Hassan, Member

Senior Scientific Officer,
Land Resources Research Programme,
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council,
Islamabad

8
 16. Prof. Dr. Safdar Ali, Secretary/Member
Professor,
Department of Soil Science,
Arid Agriculture University,
Rawalpindi

The meeting started with recitation from the Holy Quran by Prof. Dr. Atta
Muhammad Ranjah.

Director, Regional HEC centre Karachi welcomed the participants and

briefed about the objectives of the meeting.

The committee, after considering the draft curriculum and suggestions

received from the experts for its improvement, finalized the same along with
scheme of studies in the subject of Soil Science for graduate and prost
graduate levels. Semester wise courses for the 4 year B.Sc. Hons.
Agriculture Programme in Soil Science was also finalized. The meeting was
concluded on July 2nd by the Advisor R&D, HEC Islamabad, who
appreciated the efforts of the committee and informed the participants of the
HEC academic activities for improvement of Higher Education.

9
 Scheme of Study for 4-Year B.Sc (Hons)
Agriculture
Mathematics / Biology 6 Credits
Statistics 1 & 2 6
Computers / IT 3
Pak Studies 2
Islamiat 2
Communications Skills 3
English 3
Basic Agriculture 3
Sub-Total 28

One subject from each of the following disciplines

Agronomy 3
Plant Breeding & Genetics 3
Entomology 3
Plant Pathology 3
Food Technology 3
Horticulture 3
Soil Sciences 3
Agriculture Economics 3
Sub-Total 24

Additional Courses from disciplines mentioned below and above

Agriculture Extension
Forestry & Range Management
Animal Science
Marketing & Agri Business
Rural Development
Human Nutrition
Agriculture Chemistry
Agriculture Engineering
Water Management
Sub-Total 21-25

Sub-Total during the first four semesters 73 – 77

Semester 5, 6, 7 19 Credit Hours each 57

Final Semester 15
Grand Total 145 – 149

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 CURRICULUM FOR SOIL SCIENCE

SCHEME OF STUDIES
Soil Science Undergraduate Courses
Course No. Title of the course Credit hours

Pre-Specialization Courses
SS-301 Introductory Soil Science-I 4(3-2)
SS-302 Introductory Soil Science-II 4(3-2)

8(6-2)
Compulsory Courses
SS-501 Physical Properties of Soil 4(3-2)
SS-502 Salt-affected Soils and Water Quality 4(3-2)

SS-503 Chemical Properties of Soil 4(3-2)

SS-504 Soil Fertility and Fertilizers 4(3-2)

SS-505 Soil and Plant Analysis 4(1-6)

SS-506 Soil Genesis and Morphology 3(2-2)

SS-601 Soil Survey and Land Evaluation 3(2-2)

SS-602 Soil Microbiology 4(3-2)

SS-603 Soil and Water Conservation 4(3-2)
SS-604 Pollution in Soil Water Environment 3(3-0)
SS-606 Internship 20(0-40)
SS-605 Environmental Pollution and Management 3(2-2)
(Elective for others)
60(28-64)
NOTE: Total credit hours should be about 60

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 DETAILS OF COURSES

SS-301 INTRODUCTORY SOIL SCIENCE-I 4(3-2)

1. Introduction to soil
1.1. Definition of earth, soil, land and soil science
1.2. Disciplines: soil chemistry, soil survey, soil genesis, soil morphology,
soil classification, soil conservation, soil fertility, soil microbiology,
soil mineralogy, soil physics and soil salinity
2. Major parts of earth: lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere
3. Soil forming rocks and minerals: types and their formation
4. Weathering of rocks and minerals: agents and processes
5. Parent materials: residual, alluvial, aeolian, glacial and colluvial
6. Soil formation: processes and factors affecting
7. Soil profile and its description
8. Soil development processes
9. Physical properties of soil: texture, structure, density, consistence, colour,
temperature, porosity, aeration and soil water
10. Introduction to soil classification and land use capability classes

Practicals

1. Identification of rocks and minerals

2. Method of soil sampling, preparation and labeling
3. Preparation of saturated soil paste
4. Determination of saturation water percentage by oven-drying
5. Analysis of irrigation water and report writing
6. Determination of bulk density

Books Recommended

1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation,

Islamabad.
2. Brady, N.C. and R.R. Weil. 2002. The Nature and Properties of Soils. 13th
ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.
3. Foth, H.D. 1990. Fundamentals of Soil Science. 8th ed. John Wiley and
Sons, NY, USA.
4. Dane, J.H., and Topp, G.C., eds., 2002, Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 4,
Physical Methods. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. No. 5. Madison, WI, USA.
5. Miller, R.W. and R.L. Donahue. 1990. Soils-An Introduction to Soils and
Plant Growth. 6th ed. Prentice - Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA.

12
 6. Singer, M.J. and D.N. Munns. 1996. Soils- An Introduction. 3rd ed.
Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.
7. Ryan, J., G. Estefan and A. Rashid. 2001. Soil and Plant Analysis.
Laboratory Manual. International Centre for Agricultural Research in the
Dry Areas. Aleppo, Syria.

SS-302 INTRODUCTORY SOIL SCIENCE -II 4(3-2)

1. Soil colloids: description and significance

2. Clay and clay minerals
2.1 Clay minerals found in Pakistan and their practical significance
2.2 List of methods for identification of clay minerals.
2.3 Mineral colloids other than layer silicates
2.4 Sources of charges on clay and humus
3. Cation and anion exchange: phenomena and significance
3.1 Basic cation saturation percentage and importance
4. Soil pH and significance
4.1 Buffering of soil and its importance
5. Soil organic matter: sources, composition and significance
6. Elements essential for plant growth
6.1 Pools of nutrients: water soluble, exchangeable, slowly available and
reserve fraction
6.2 Functions and deficiency symptoms of N, P and K
7. Fertilizers: organic and inorganic and their nutrient percentage
7.1 Fertilizers produced in Pakistan: factory, location and production
capacity.
8. Salt-affected and waterlogged soils: causes, types, extent, reclamation and
management
9. Soil erosion: types, causes and remedies
9.1 Water conservation
10. Introduction to soil pollution, causes, impacts and remedies

Practicals

1. Fertilizers: identification and composition

1.1. Calculation of nutrient %age in fertilizer, conversion factor and
fertilizer doses
2. Fertilizer analysis: (NH4)2 SO4, CAN, urea, DAP and K2SO4
3. Total N, available P and exchangeable K, and organic matter
4. Determination of soil pH

13
Books Recommended

1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation,

Islamabad.
2. Brady, N.C. and R.R. Weil. 2002. The Nature and Properties of Soils. 13th
ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.
3. Foth, H.D. 1990. Fundamentals of Soil Science. 8th ed. John Wiley and
Sons, NY, USA.
4. Dane, J.H., and Topp, G.C., eds., 2002, Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 4,
Physical Methods. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. No. 5. Madison, WI, USA.
5. Miller, R.W. and R.L. Donahue. 1990. Soils-An Introduction to Soils and
Plant Growth. 6th ed. Prentice - Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA.
6. Singer, M.J. and D.N. Munns. 1996. Soils- An Introduction. 3rd ed.
Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.
7. Ryan, J., G. Estefan and A. Rashid. 2001. Soil and Plant Analysis.
Laboratory Manual. International Centre for Agricultural Research in the
Dry Areas. Aleppo, Syria.

SS-501 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL 4(3-2)

1. Introduction
2. Soil texture, specific surface area and importance
2.1 Stokes' Law: derivation, application and limitations
2.2 Soil textural classes (USDA and ISSS)
3. Soil structure: description and importance
3.1 Genesis, factors affecting and management
4. Soil crusting and sealing: mechanism and significance
5. Particle and bulk density: measurement and significance
6. Total porosity and pore-size distribution
7. Soil air and aeration: description and significance
8. Soil temperature: factors affecting and management
9. Soil colour: causes and significance
10 Soil consistency: description and significance
11. Soil water and its measurement
11.1 Soil water potential and its components
11.2 Soil hydraulic properties
12. Soil compaction: causes and remedies
13. Soil tillage and significance

Practicals
1. Textural analysis

14
2. Bulk density by clod, core, and excavation method
3. Total soil porosity estimation
4. Aggregate stability
5. Measurement of soil water contents and field capacity
6. Determination of plant available water

Books Recommended

1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book

Foundation, Islamabad.
2. Brady, N.C. and R.R. Weil. 2002. The Nature and Properties of Soils.
13th ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.
3. Hillel, D. 2004. Introduction to Environmental Soil Physics. Elsevier, CA,
USA.
4. Jury, W. A. and R. Horten. 2004. Soil Physics. 6th ed. John Wiley &
Sons. Inc., NY, USA.
5. Lal, R. and M. K. Shukla. 2004. Principles of Soil Physics. Marcel &
Dekker. Inc., NY, USA.
6. Miller, R.W. and R.L. Donahue. 1990. Soils - An Introduction to Soils
and Plant Growth. 6th ed. Prentice-Hall International, Englewood Cliffs,
NJ, USA.
7. Warrick, A.W. 1999. Soil Physics. In: Sumner, M.E. (Ed.) Handbook of
Soil Science. CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, USA.

SS-502 SALT-AFFECTED SOILS AND WATER QUALITY 4(3-2)

1. Salt-affected soils: classification, properties and extent

2. Salination and sodication
2.1 Gapon and pHc equations
3. Systems of characterization of salt affected soils
4. Relation of ECe to salt concentration and solute potential
5. Chemistry of soil solution
6. Root zone salinity
7. Reclamation methods
8. Management through leaching, salt tolerant crops, irrigation, fertilization
and planting techniques
9. Irrigation water: quality, criteria and classification
10. Ground water: characteristics, resources and management
11. Salinity build up and prediction
12. Waterlogged soils: causes, effects and management
13. SCARP programmes: objectives and achievements
14. Salinity and environment

15
15. Water logging and environment

Practicals

1. Sampling of salt-affected soils and irrigation water

2. Saturated soil extracts analysis
3. Analysis and classification of irrigation water
4. Determination of gypsum requirement of soil and water
5. Visit to Soil Salinity Research Institutes and salt affected areas

Books Recommended

1. Ayers, R.S. and D.W. Westcot. 1985. Water Quality for Agriculture.
Irrigation Drainage Paper No. 29, FAO, Rome, Itlay.
2. Bresler, E., B.L. McNeal and D.L. Carter. 1982. Saline and Sodic Soils:
Principles-Dynamics- Modeling. Springer- Verlag, NY, USA.
3. Ghafoor, A., M. Qadir and G. Murtaza. 2004. Salt Affected Soils: Principles
of Management. Allied Book Center, Lahore, Pakistan.
4. Gupta, I.C. 1990. Use of Saline Water in Agriculture. Oxford and IBH Pub.
Co., Ltd., New Dehli, India.
5. Shainberg, I. and I. Shalhevet. 1984. Soil Salinity under Irrigation:
Processes and Management. Springer-Verlag, NY, USA.
6. Sparks, D.L. (ed.). 1996. Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 3, Chemical
Methods. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Book Series No. 5. Am. Soc. Agronomy,
Madison, WI, USA.
7. Tanji, K.K. (Ed.). 1990. Agricultural Salinity Assessment and Management.
ASCE No.71, NY, USA.

SS-503 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS 4(3-2)

1. Silicate clay minerals: structures and properties

2. Allophanes and sesquioxides
3. Organic soil colloids
4. Charge characteristics of colloids: sources and significance
5. Characteristics of ion exchange
6. Cation exchange and its significance
7. Zero point of net charge
8. DDL theory: assumptions and properties
9. Anion exchange and its significance
10. Acidic and basic cation saturation percentage: description and significance
11. Exchange equations: limitations and assumptions

16
12. Adsorption and desorption in soil
13. Soil pH: description and significance
13.1 Buffering capacity of soils and significance

Practicals

1. Effect of soil water ratios on pH

2. Determination of soluble and extractable cations in soil
3. Determination of CEC

Books Recommended

1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation,

Islamabad.
2. Bohn, H. L., D. L. McNeal and G. A. O’Connor. 2001. Soil Chemistry. 3rd
ed. John Wiley & Sons. Inc., NY, USA.
3. Huang, P.M. 1999. Soil Chemistry. In: Sumner, M.E. (Ed.) Handbook of
Soil Science, CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL, USA.
4. McBride, M.B. 1994. Environmental Chemistry of Soils. Oxford University
Press, NY, USA.
5. Tan, K. H. 1998. Principles of Soil Chemistry. 3rd ed. Marcel & Dekker. Inc.,
NY, USA.

SS-504 SOIL FERTILITY AND FERTILIZERS 4(3-2)

1. Introduction
2. Crop growth and factors affecting
2.1 Growth expressions: Mitscherlich and Quadratic equations
3. Essential nutrient elements: functions, deficiency and toxicity
3.1 Movement of nutrients to roots and uptake by plants
4. Nitrogen: gains in soil, transformations and losses
4.1 N-fertilizers and their fate in soil
5. Phosphorus: forms in soil and transformations
5.1 P-Fertilizers and their behavior in soils
5.2 Crop responses: factor affecting and residual effects
6. Potassium: forms, amount, exchange equilibrium and factors affecting
7. Soil status of calcium, magnesium and sulfur: factors affecting availability
8. Micronutrients: forms in soils and factors affecting their availability
9. Integrated plant nutrient management
10. Nutrients behavior in submerged soils
11. Soil fertility problems and their management in Pakistan

17
12. Fertilizers and environmental pollution

Practicals

1. Fertilizer requirement calculation

2. Determination of total nitrogen, available P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu in soil
3. Plant analysis for N, P and K
4. Interpretation of soil and plant analysis results
5. Visit to fertilizer factories, soil fertility institutes and demonstration trials

Books Recommended

1. Ahmad, N., and M. Rashid. 2003. Fertilizer and Their Use in Pakistan: An
Extension Guide. Planning Commission, National Fertilizer Development
Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan.
2. Brown, J.R. (Ed.). 1987. Soil Testing: Sampling, Correlation, Calibration
and Interpretation. Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Inc., Madison, WI, USA.
3. Havlin, J.L., J.D.Beaton, S.L.Tisdale, and W.L. Nelson, 2004. Soil Fertility
and Fertilizers: An Introduction to Nutrient Management. 6th ed. Pearson
Education, Singapore, Patparganj, New Delhi, India.
4. Kamprath, E.J. 1999. Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition. In: Sumner, M.E.
(Ed.). Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, Florida,
USA.
5. Mengel, K. and E.A. Kirkby. 2000. Principles of Plant Nutrition. 5th ed.
International Potash Inst., Bern, Switzerland.
6. Westerman, R.L.(Ed.). 1990. Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. 3rd ed. Soil
Sci. Soc. Am., Madison, WI, USA.

SS-505 SOIL AND PLANT ANALYSIS 4(1-6)

1. Introduction
2. Quality assurance in the laboratory
2.1 Safety measures in the laboratory
3. Terminology: S.I. and derived S.I. units
4. Analytical techniques
5. Soil sampling, preparation and storage
6. Plant sampling, handling, preparation and storage
6.1 Wet oxidation and dry ashing
7. Interpretation of analytical results

18
Practicals

1. Introduction to specialized equipments

2. Preparation of standard solutions
3. Soil sampling and preparation
4. Plant sampling and preparation
5. Instrumental analysis
5.1 Conductivitymetry: principle and instrumentation
5.2 Potentiometry: principle and instrumentation
5.3 Spectrophotometry: principle and instrumentation
5.4 Emission spectroscopy: principle and instrumentation
5.5 Absorption spectroscopy: principle and instrumentation

Books Recommended

1. Jaffery, G.H. et al. (Eds.). 1989. Vogel's Text Book of Quantitative

Chemical Analysis. 5th ed., English Language Book Soc. Longman, Essex,
UK.
2. Peverill, K.I., L.A. Sparrow and D.J. Reuter. 1999. Soil Analysis: An
Interpretation Manual. CSIRO Publ., Collingwood, Australia.
3. Ryan, J., G. Estefan and A. Rashid. 2001. Soil and Plant Analysis.
Laboratory Manual. International Centre for Agricultural Research in the
Dry Areas. Aleppo, Syria.
4. Reuter, D.J. and J.B. Robinson. 1997. Plant Analysis: An Interpretation
Manual. 2nd ed. CSIRO Publ., Collingwood, Australia.
5. Rowell, D.L. 1994. Soil Science: Methods and Applications. Longman
Group, UK Limited, Essex, UK.
6. Sparks, D. L. et al. (Eds.). 1996. Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 3.
Chemical Methods. SSSA, ASA Series No.5, Madison, WI, USA..
7. Westerman, R.L. (Ed.). 1990. Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. 3rd ed. Soil
Sci. Soc. Am., Inc., Madison, WI, USA.

SS-506 SOIL GENESIS AND MORPHOLOGY 3(2-2)

1. Introduction
2. Weathering of rocks and minerals and types of parent materials
3. Soil genesis and factors affecting
4. Pedogenic processes: additions, losses, transformations and
translocations
5. Soil macro- and micro-morphology

19
6. Special soil features
7. Description of soil profiles
8. Land forms, parent materials and soil development in Pakistan

Practicals

1. Profile description of representative soil series

2. Field trips

Books Recommended

1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation,

Islamabad.
2. Bhattacharjee, J. C. 1997. Introduction to Pedology. Vol.1: Soil Genesis.
Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Dehli, India.
3. Buol, S.W., S.D. Hole, R.J. McGracken and R.J. Southard. 1997. Soil
Genesis and Classification. 4th ed. Panima Publication Corporation, New
Delhi, India
4. FAO. 1977. Guidelines for Soil Profile Description. 2nd ed. FAO, Rome,
Italy.
5. Fitzpatrick, E.A. 1984. Micromorphology of Soils. Chapman and Hall Ltd.,
NY, USA.
6. Rabenhorst, M. C. et al. (Eds.). 1998. Quantifying Soil Hydromorphology.
SSSA Special Publ. No.54, Madison, WI, USA.
7. Soil Survey Staff. 2003. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. 9th ed. USDA,
Washington, DC, USA.
8. Wilding, L.P., N.E. Smeck and G.F. Hall. 1983. Pedogenesis and Soil
Taxonomy. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

SS-601 SOIL SURVEY AND LAND EVALUATION 3(2-2)

1. Soil and landform: introduction

2. Kinds and levels of soil survey
3. Field operations and requirements
4. Aerial photographs and their interpretation
5. Stereoscopic vision theory
6. Field traverse selection
7. Soil maps: purposes, characteristics and identification of mapping units
8. Mapping legend
9. Mapping and taxonomic units
10. Interpretation and use of soil survey reports

20
11. Land capability and suitability classification
12. Land evaluation: principles, land qualities, and utilization types
13. Application of GIS, GPS, and remote sensing in soil survey

Practicals

1. Reading of topographic map and calculation of slope percentage

2. Stereoscope: types, parts, and use
3. Interpretation of aerial photographs
4. Demonstration of GIS, GPS, and remote sensing techniques
5. Field visits

Books Recommended

1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation,

Islamabad.
2. Dent, D. and A. Young. 1981. Soil Survey and Land Evaluation. George Allen
and Unwin Publishers Ltd., London, UK.
3. FAO. 1985. Guidelines: Land Evaluation for Irrigated Agriculture. FAO Soils
Bull.55. Rome, Italy.
4. Reybold, W.U. and G.W. Peterson. 1987. Soil Survey Techniques. SSSA,
Special Publication No. 19, Madison, WI, USA.
5. Soil Survey Division Staff. 1993. Soil Survey Manual. USDA, Washington DC,
USA.
6. Soil Survey of Pakistan. Reconnaissance Soil Survey Reports.
7. Soil Survey of Pakistan.1986. Proceedings of XII International Forum on Soil
Taxonomy and Agrotechnology Transfer. Vol.1 & 2. Soil Survey of Pakistan.
Lahore.

SS-602 SOIL MICROBIOLOGY 4(3-2)

1. Introduction and significance

2. Distribution, adaptation, activity and functions of bacteria, archaea,
actinomycetes, fungi, eucaryotic algae and cynobacteria
3. Classification of soil microorganisms based on taxonomy, morphology,
nutrition, temperature, aeration, growth factors and DNA based techniques
4. Growth phases of soil microflora
5. Environmental factors affecting microbial growth
6. Immobilization and mineralization of carbon
6.1 Microbial fixation and release of CO2
7. Soil organic matter: decomposition and factors affecting

21
 7.1 Biotransformation of organic compounds in rhizosphere
7.2 Humus synthesis and decomposition
8. Microbial transformations of nitrogen
8.1 N2-fixation: symbiotic and asymbiotic
9. Microbial transformations of S, P, Fe and Mn
10. Microbial inoculants for N and P
11. Microbial transformations in flooded soils: metabolites and nutrients

Practicals

1. Introduction to laboratory equipments

2. Media preparation and functions of constituents
3. Microbial population: Rossi-Cholodny Contact Slide Technique and
Dilution Plate Technique
4. Algal culturing and their microscopy
5. Staining techniques
6. Study of ammonification, nitrification and denitrification

Books Recommended
1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation,
Islamabad.
2. Bhattacharyya, P and HLS Tandon. 2002. Dictionary of Bio-fertilizers and
Organic Fertilizers. Fertilizer Development and Consultation Organization.
New Delhi, India.
3. Coleman, D. C., D. A. Crossley, P. F. Hendrix. 2004. Fundamentals of Soil
Ecology. 2nd ed., Elsevier, Inc., USA.
4. Coyne, M. S. 1999. Lab Manual to Accompany Soil Microbiology: An
Exploratory Approach. Delmar Publishers, USA.
5. Metting, B. 1992. Soil Microbial Ecology. Marcel and Dekker Inc, NY, USA.
6. Paul, E.A. 1999. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. In: Sumner, M.E.(Ed.).
Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL., USA.
7. Paul, E.A. and F.E. Clark. 1989. Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry.
Academic Press Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
8. Stevenson, F.J. 1986. Cycles of Soil Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulfur
and Micronutrients. John Wiley & Sons, NY, USA.
9. Sylvia, D.M., J.J. Fuhrmann, P.G. Hartel, and D.V. Zuberer. 2005.
Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology. Printice-Hall International,
NJ, USA.
10. Tate, R. L. 2000. Soil Microbiology. 2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., USA
11. Weaver, R.W. et al. (Eds.). 1994. Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 2.
Microbiological and Biochemical Properties. SSSA, ASA Series No.5.
Madison, WI, USA.

22
SS-603 SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION 4(3-2)

1. Soil erosion: description, types and extent

2. Hydrological cycle and its components
3. Water erosion: forms, causes and damages
4. Wind erosion: forms, causes and damages
5. Gravity erosion and landslides
6. Erosion prediction
6.1 Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation
6.2 Wind erosion equation
7. Erosion control and management: agronomic, engineering and
bioengineering
8. Water conservation: losses of soil water; conservation practices and water
harvesting techniques
9. Strategies for soil, water and environment conservation
10. Socio-economic issues of soil and water conservation

Practicals

1. Measurement of aggregate stability

2. Measurement of slope gradient and discharge in water course
3. Calculation of runoff and soil losses
4. Use of weather station instruments
5. Demonstration of agronomical and bio-engineering practices for soil and
water conservation
6. Study tours to soil conservation practices and research institutes

Books Recommended

1. Arakeri. 1987. Principles of Soil Conservation and Water Management.

IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi, India.
2. Bhushan, L.S., I.P. Abrol, and M.S.R.M. Rao. 1998. Soil and Water
Conservation: Challenges and Opportunities. Vol. 1 & 2 A. A. Balkema,
Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
3. Ehlers, W. and G. Michael. 2003. Water Dynamics in Plant Production.
CAB Publishing, Cambridge, UK.
4. Follett, R.F. and B.A. Stewart. 1985. Soil Erosion and Crop Productivity.
ASA, Madison, WI, USA.
5. Morgan, R.P.C. 2005. Soil Erosion and Conservation. 3rd ed. Longman
Group Ltd., Essex, UK.

23
6. Napier, T.A. 2000. Soil and Water Conservation Policies: Successes and
Failures. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA.
7. Singh, G., C. Venkatramanan, G. Sastry, and B.P. Joshi. 1996. Manual of
Soil and Water Conservation Practices. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., Pvt.
Ltd. New Delhi, India.
8. Troch, F.R., J.A. Hobbs, and R.L. Donahue. 1980. Soil and Water
Conservation. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA.

SS-604 POLLUTION IN SOIL – WATER ENVIRONMENT 3(3-0)

1. Introduction to soil-water environment and its pollution

2. Sources of pollution: agrochemicals, municipal, industrial, natural wastes
and others
3. Types of pollutants
3.1 Inorganic: heavy metals, halides and others
3.2 Organic: phenols, hydrocarbons, pesticides, herbicides, paints,
plastic and others
3.3 Radioactive: health services, research labs, rock phosphate and
others
4. Fate of pollutants: adsorption, precipitation, degradation, movement and
plant uptake
4.1 Chemical, biochemical, photochemical and microbial degradation
5. Factors affecting movement of pollutants in soil
6. Impact of pollutants on soil, plant, animal and human health
7. Groundwater pollution: drinking and irrigation
8. Management and control: public awareness, control measure at source,
soil and water treatment and others

Books Recommended
1. Alexander, M. 1977. Introduction to Soil Microbiology. 2nd ed. John Wiley &
Sons, NY. USA.
2. Avaby, M. 1996. Basics of Environmental Science. Routiled, Germany.
3. Cheng, H.H. 1990. Pesticides in the Soil Environment: Processes, Impacts
and Modeling. SSSA Series No.2, Madison, WI, USA.
4. Huggett, R.J. 1997. Environmental Change. Rovtledge, London, UK.
5. Keith, L. H. 1996. Principles of Environmental Sampling. Am. Chem. Soc.,
Washington DC, USA.
6. Linn, D.M. et al. (Eds.). 1993. Sorption and Degradation of Pesticides and
Organic Chemicals in Soil. SSSA Special Publ. No.32. Madison, WI, USA.

24
7. Misra, S.G. and D. Mani, 1991. Soil Pollution. Ashish Publ. House, New
Delhi, India.
8. Morill, L.G., B.C. Mahilum and S.H. Mohiddudin. 1982. Organic
Compounds in Soils: Sorption, Degradation and Persistence. Ann. Arbor
Science Pub. Inc., Michigan, USA.

SS-605 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND 3(2-2)

MANAGEMENT

1. Concept of environment: micro, macro and global

2. Components: terrestrial, aquatic and atmospheric
3. Sources and causes: natural, industrial, municipal, agricultural and socio-
economic
4. Pollutants in soil, water and air
4.1 Soil pollutants: inorganic, organic and radioactive
4.2 Water pollutants: organic, inorganic and microbial contaminants,
BOD, eutrophication
4.3 Atmospheric pollutants: smog, CO2, SO2, oxides of N, Pb, fly ashes,
dust, H2S, CFC, and methane
4.3.1 Green house effect and ozone layer depletion
5. International and national standards for drinking and irrigation water
6. Impacts of pollutants on soil, plants, animals and human health
7. Management measures: technical, legislative and socio-economic

Practicals
1. Sampling of industrial and municipal effluents, air, and pesticide residues
in soil and water
2. Analysis for pollutants
3. Determination of biological oxygen demand (BOD)
4. Determination of chemical oxygen demand (COD)

Books Recommended

1. Agarwal, S.K. 2002. Pollution Management Vol-2, 3, 4, Water Pollution,

APH Publishers, New Delhi, India.
2. Gupta P.K. 2002. Methods in Environmental Analysis: Water, Soil and Air.
New Delhi, India.
3. Huggett, R.J. 1997. Environmental Change. Rovtledge, London, UK.
4. IUCN: The Way Ahead. Pakistan’s Environment and Development.
Quarterly, IUCN, Bath Island, Karachi, Pakistan

25
5. Keith, L.H. 1996. Principles of Environmental Sampling. American
Chemical Soc. Washington, DC, USA.
6. Page, A.L., T.L. Gleeson, J.E. Smith Jr., I.K. Iskandar, and L.E. Sommers.
1983. Utilization of Municipal Waste Water and Sludge on Land. Univ.
California, Riverside, CA, USA.
7. Pettygroove, G.S. and A. Takashi. 1986. Irrigation with Reclaimed
Municipal Waste Water. Lewis Publisher, Inc., NY., USA.

SS-606 INTERNSHIP 20(0-40)

It will include orientation regarding literature review and project planning which
will be followed by project execution, report writing, presentation and evaluation.
The mode of evaluation of the progress of work will be determined by the
individual institutions. Before proceeding to Research Institutes, orientation will
be imparted to the students about the following:

A. RESEARCH PROJECTS/REVIEW PAPERS 1(1-0)

1. Selection of problem
2. Literature review
2.1 Objectives
2.2 Sources
2.2.1 Biological, Chemical and, Soil and Fertilizer Abstracts
2.2.2 Current contents
2.2.3 Journals and Proceedings
2.2.4 Computer search
2.3 Collection
2.3.1 Index Catalog
2.3.2 Location of Journals, Proceedings, Books, etc.
2.4 Quoting and citation
3. Writing a scientific report
3.1 Aims
3.2 Components
3.3 Organizing the material

Books Recommended
1. ASA. 1996. Publications Handbook and Style Manual. ASA, Madison, WI,
USA.
2. Hashmi, N. 1989. Style Manual of Technical Writing. 2nd ed., Pakistan
Economic Analysis Network Project, Chemonics International Consulting
Division, Islamabad.

26
B. RESEARCH PLANNING AND DATA ANALYSIS 2(2-0)
1. Methods of scientific inquiry
1.1 Inference: deduction and induction
1.2 Hypotheses
1.3 Observations: bare and controlled
1.4 Short-comings: faulty design, improper interpretation, experimental
error
1.5 Categories of research
1.5.1 Creative
1.5.2 Basic/Academic
1.5.3 Applied.
1.5.4 Adaptive
2. Experimentation
2.1 Classification: laboratory, green-house and field experiments
2.2 Basic principles: randomization, replication and local control
2.3 Experimental designs: preliminary tests, simple and factorial
experiments
3. Field plots
3.1 Soil heterogeneity: extent, causes, rectification and selection of field
3.2 Size of plots: factors affecting, classification and plot shape
3.3 Replication: significance and number of sampling units
4. Spatial variability of soils
4.1 Analysis of covariance
4.1.1 Theoretical considerations
4.1.2 Application to linear regression
4.1.3 Computation
5. Transformation of the data
5.1 Square root, semi-log and logarithmic transformations

Books Recommended
1. Gomes, A.G. K. and A. A. Gomez. 1985. Statistical Procedures for
Agricultural Research. John Wiley and Sons, NY, USA.
2. LeClerg, E.L., W.H. Leonard, and A.G. Clark. 1980. Field Plot Technique.
National Book Foundation of Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan.
3. Raghavarao, D. 1983. Statistical Techniques in Agricultural and Biological
Research. Oxford and IBN Pub. Co., Ltd., New Delhi, India.
4. Rode, A.A. (Ed.) 1985. System of Research Methods in Soil Science.
Amerind Pub. Co. Ltd., New Delhi, India.

27
 SCHEME OF STUDIES
Soil Science Postgraduate Courses

Core courses for M. Sc. (Hons.)*/Ph.D.

Course No. Title of the course Credit hours

SS-701 Instrumental Analysis and Analytical Techniques 3(0-6)

SS-702 Soil Chemistry 4(3-2)
SS-703 Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition 4(4-0)
SS-704 Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry 4(3-2)
SS-705 Soil Classification 4(3-2)
SS-706 Saline, Sodic Soils and their Management 3(3-0)
SS-707 Soil Physics 4(3-2)
SS-708 Advanced Soil Chemistry 3(3-2)
SS-709 Advanced Soil Fertility 3(3-0)
SS-710 Advanced Soil Microbiology 3(3-0)
SS-711 Advanced Soil Physics 3(3-0)
SS-712 Soil Mineralogy 3(3-0)
SS-713 Soil Plant Relationship 3(3-0)
SS-719 Special Problem 1(1-0)
SS-720 Seminar 1(1-0)

* Minimum credit hours should be 35 including minor subjects which shall not
exceed one-third of the total.

Note:
For the award of degree for M.Sc.(Hons.) Agriculture (Soil Science)
thesis carries a weightage of 10 credit hours.

28
 DETAILS OF COURSES

S.S.-701 INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS AND ANALYTICAL 3(0-6)

TECHNIQUES

1. Laboratory management and sample handling

2. Use of basic laboratory equipments: furnace, oven, desiccator, balance.
etc.
3. Specialized instruments: principle, theory and operation
3.1 Spectrophotometer: UV, visible and IR
3.2 Flame photometer
3.3 Atomic absorption spectrophotometer
3.4 Inductively coupled plasma meter and direct current plasma meter
3.5 Chromatography: paper, thin layer, gas and HPLC
3.6 Microscopy: scanning and transmission
3.7 X-ray diffractometry and electron probe micro-analysis
3.8 Mass spectrophotometry
3.9 Electro Ultra Filtration
3.10 Ion meter: selective ion electrodes
3.11 EM-38 and EC probe
3.12 Neutron moisture probe/time domain reflectrometery (TDR)
3.13 Oxygen diffusion rate meter
3.14 Thermocycler PCR (polymerase chain reaction)
3.15 Gel electrophoresis apparatus
4. Applications: data analysis and management

Books Recommended

1. DeLevie, R. 1997. Quantitative Chemical Analysis. McGraw-Hill Co. Inc.

New York, USA.
2. Harris, D.C. 2003. Quantitative Chemical Analysis. 6th ed. W. H. Freeman
& Co. NY, USA
3. Jaffery, G.H. et al. (Eds.) 1989. Vogel’s Text Book of Quantitative
Chemical Analysis. 5th ed., English Language Book Soc. Longman. UK.
4. Rump, H.H. and H. Krist. 1992. Laboratory Manual for the Examination of
Water, Waste Water and Soil. 2nd ed. VCH, Weinheim, Federal Republic of
Germany.
5. Skoog, D.A. 1988. Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry. Saunders
College Publ., NY. USA.
6. Smith, K. A and M.S. Cresser. 2004. Soil and Environmental Analysis:
Modern Instrumental Techniques. 3rd ed., Marcel & Dekker, Inc., USA.

29
7, Spark, D.L. (Ed.) 1996. Methods of Soil Analysis. Part.3. Chemical
Methods. SSSA, ASA Series No.5. Madison, WI, USA.
8. Tandon, H. 2004. Methods of Analysis of Soils, Plants, Waters and
Fertilizers. Fertilizer Development and Consultation Organization, New
Delhi, India.
9. Westerman, R.L. (Ed.) 1990. Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. 3rd ed., Soil
Sci. Am. Inc., Madison, WI, USA.

SS-702 SOIL CHEMISTRY 4(3-2)

1. Chemical principles
2. Water and solute interactions
3. Soil solution-solid interaction
4. Mineral dissolution: congruent and incongruent
5. Neo-formation of minerals in soil
6. Thermodynamics and applications in soil
7. Organic matter: composition and fractionation
8. Surface chemistry of soil matrix
9. Sorption and desorption: chemical, physical and specific
9.1 Langmuir, Freundlich and Vanselow models
10. Cation exchange: selectivity co-efficients, equivalent fraction concept
10.1 Hysteresis in ion exchange
10.2 Anion exclusion
11. Molecular retention: specific and non-specific
12. Reactions of metal chelates in soils
13. Chemical behavior of ions / elements in aerated and submerged soils
14. Buffering reactions in soil
15. Chemical remediation of contaminated soils and water

Practicals

1. Determination of exchangeable ions

2. Comparison of Freundlich and Langmuir models
3. Developing titration curves

Books Recommended

1. Bohn, H.L., B.L. McNeal and G.A.O. Connor. 2001. Soil Chemistry. 3rd ed.
John Wiley & Sons Inc., NY, USA.
2. Essington, M. E. 2004. Soil and Water Chemistry. CRC Press, USA.

30
3. Huang, P.M. et al. (Eds.). 1998. Future Prospects for Soil Chemistry.
SSSA Special Publication No.55, Madison, WI, USA.
4. McBride, M.B. 1994. Environmental Chemistry of Soils. Oxford University
Press, NY, USA.
5. Sparks, D.L. 1995. Environmental Soil Chemistry. Academic Press, Inc.,
San Diego, CA, USA.
6. Sposito, G. 1989. Chemistry of Soils. Oxford University Press, NY, USA.
7. Tan, K. H. 1998. Principles of Soil Chemistry. 3rd ed. Marcel & Dekker. Inc.,
NY, USA.

SS-703 SOIL FERTILITY AND PLANT NUTRITION 4(4-0)

1. Basic soil-plant-relationship in plant nutrition

2. Macro and micro nutrients: chemical behavior and management
3. Nutrient behavior in submerged soils
4. Soil fertility evaluation: soil test calibration and plant analysis
4.1 External and internal nutrient requirements
5. Fertilizer management strategies: nutrient availability and fertilizer use
efficiency
5.1 Fertigation and foliar fertilization
5.2 Integrated plant nutrient management (IPNM)
5.3 Variable rate fertilizer technology
6. Nutrient-water and other interactions
7. Specific effects of fertilizers: plant, human and animal health
8. Environmental implications of fertilizer use

Books Recommended

1. Ahmad, N. and M. Rashid. 2003. Fertilizers and their use in Pakistan: An

Extension Guide. Planning Commission, NFDC, Islamabad, Pakistan.
2. Bhatti, A.U. 2005. Spatial Variability & its Management in Agriculture.
Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan.
3. Brown, J.R. (Ed.). 1987. Soil Testing: Sampling, Correlation, Calibration
and Interpretation. Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Inc., Madison, WI, USA.
4. Havlin, J.L., J.D.Beaton, S.L.Tisdale, and W.L. Nelson. 2004. Soil Fertility
and Fertilizers. 6t h ed., Pearson Education, Singapore.
5. Kamprath, E.J. 1999. Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition. In: Sumner, M.E.
(Ed.). Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL, USA.
6. Mengel, K. and E.A. Kirkby. 2000. Principles of Plant Nutrition. 5th ed.,
International Potash Inst., Bern, Switzerland.

31
7. Westerman, R.L. (Ed.). 1990. Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. 3rd ed. Soil
Sci. Soc. Am., Madison, WI, USA.

SS-704 SOIL MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 4(3-2)

1. Metabolic and nucleic acid based analysis of soil microbial diversity

2. Microbes as pest controlling agents
3. Rhizosphere: plant-microbes and microbe-microbe interactions
4. Microbial cycling of elements: macro and micronutrients and heavy metals;
agricultural and environmental significance
5. Biochemistry and biotechnology of BNF; application in agriculture and
environment
6. Mycorrhizal symbiosis
7. Plant growth regulators, phytotoxins and siderophores: microbiology and
biochemistry
8. Composting: microbiology and biotechnology; agricultural and
environmental application
9. Bioremediation of contaminated soils: biodegradation and detoxification
10. Use of stable isotopes in microbiological research
11. Bio-fertilizers: present and future prospects

Practicals

1. Isolation of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi

2. Enrichment techniques
3. Sulphate reduction
4. Organic matter decomposition
5. Inoculation techniques
6. Techniques used in N2-fixation
7. Enzymatic activity

Books Recommended
1. David, M. 1998. Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology. Prentice
Hall, USA
2. Frankenberger, W.T. Jr. and M. Arshad. 1995. Phytohormones in Soil:
Microbial Production and Function. Marcel & Dekker Inc., NY, USA.
3. Gerhardt. P., R.G.E. Murray, W.A. Wood, and N.P. Krieg. 1994. Methods
for General and Molecular Bacteriology. Am. Soc. for Microbiology,
Washington, DC, USA.
4. Gianinazzi, S., H. Schnepp, J.M. Barea, and K. Haselwandler.2001.
Myccorrhizae Technology in Agriculture from Genes to Byproducts.
Birkhanser. Basel, Switzerland

32
5. Mairer, R.M., I.L. Pepper, and C.P. Gerba. 2000. Environmental
Microbiology. Academic Press Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
6. Paul, E.A. and F.E. Clark. 1989. Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry.
Academic Press Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
7. Rao, N.S.S. 2000. Soil Microbiology. 4th ed., Oxford and IBH Publishing
Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India.
8. Sylvia, D. M., J. J. Fuhrmann, P. G. Hartel, and D. A. Zuberer. 2005.
Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology. 2nd ed., Pearson
Education. Inc., NJ, USA.
9. Tate, R.L. 2000. Soil Microbiology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY, USA.
10. Weaver, R.W., J.S. Angle, and P.S. Bottomley. 1994. Methods of Soil
Analysis. Part 2 Microbiological and Biochemical Properties. SSSA ASA
Series No.5, Madison, WI, USA.

SS-705 SOIL CLASSIFICATION 4(3-2)

1. Concepts and importance

2 Introduction to soil taxonomy
3. Criteria of classification
4. Properties diagnostic to categories
5. Diagnostic horizons and other diagnostic properties
6. Soil moisture regimes: classes and importance
7. Soil temperature regimes: classes and importance
8. Categories and nomenclature
9. Keys to categories: order, suborder, great group and sub group
10. FAO and other systems of classification
11. Agro ecological zones of Pakistan

Practicals

1. Designation of genetic horizons found in Pakistan.

2. Identification of taxonomic names: orders, suborders, great groups,
subgroups, families and series

Books Recommended

1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation,

Islamabad.
2. Buol, S.W., M.P. Walker, R.J. Southard and P.A. McDaniel. 2003. Soil
Genesis and Classifications, 5th ed. Iowa State University Press, Ames,
USA

33
3. Eswaran, H. et al. 2003. Soil Classification: A Global Desk Reference.
CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL, USA
4. FAO. 1998. World Reference Base for Soil Resources. FAO, Rome, Italy
5. Soil Survey Division Staff. 1993. Soil Survey Manual. USDA, Washington
DC, USA.
6. Soil Survey Staff. 2003. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. 9th ed. USDA, Washington
DC, USA.
7. USDA. 1998. Soil Taxonomy. Krieger Publishing Co., Washington DC,
USA.

SS-706 SALT-AFFECTED AND WATERLOGGED 3(3-0)

SOILS

1. Salt-affected soils in global perspective

2. Genesis of saline and sodic soils
3. Classification systems of salt-affected soils
4. Effects of salinity and sodicity on soil characteristics
5. Derivation and applications of Gapon equation
6. Plant responses to saline and sodic conditions
7. Amelioration strategies and economic feasibility for salt-affected soils
8. Water requirements for reclamation
8.1 Concept of leaching fraction and its applications
9. Waterlogging: causes and extent
9.1 Soil and plant responses to waterlogging
9.2 Amelioration strategies for waterlogged soils
10. Environmental impacts of salinity and waterlogging

Books Recommended

1. Abrol, I.P., J.S.P. Yadav, and F.I. Masood. 1988. Salt-affected Soils and
their Management. Soil Bull. 390. FAO. Rome. Italy.
2. Bresler, E., B.L. McNeal, and D.L. Carter. 1982. Saline and Sodic Soils:
Principles of Dynamics-modelling. Springer Verlag. NY, USA.
3. Ghafoor, A., M. Qadir, and G. Murtaza. 2004. Salt-affected Soils:
Principles of Management. Allied Book Centre, Lahore. Pakistan
4. Pessarakli. M. (Ed.). 1994. Handbook of Plant and Crop Stress. Marcel &
Dekker Inc., NY, USA.
5. Pierzynski, G.M., J.T. Sims, and G.F. Vance. 2000. Soils and
Environmental Quality. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL, USA
6. Shainberg, I. and I. Shalhevet. 1984. Salinity under Irrigation: Processes
and Management. Springer Verlag, NY, USA.

34
7. Tanji, K.K. (Ed.). 1990. Agricultural Salinity Assessment and Management.
Handbook 71. ASCE, NY, USA.

SS-707 SOIL PHYSICS 4(3-2)

1. Calculation of dimensions, units and conversions

2. Soil physical properties and inter-relationships
3. Nature and physical behavior of clay
4. Properties of water: molecular, fluid and colligative
5. Soil water potential and its components
6. Measurement of water in soil
7. Water characteristics curves: hystersis
8. Saturated and unsaturated water flow
8.1 Flow in capillary tubes: Poiseuilles’ law
8.2 Extended Darcy’s law and its application
8.3 Richards equations for transient water flow
9. Infiltration models: Horton, Kostikov, Green and Ampt, and Philip’s
10. Free and artificial drainage: drainage design equations
11. Heat flow in soil: thermal properties; factor affecting; heat flow equations
12. Transport of gases and water vapors through soil
13. Solute transport in soil; solute conservation equation, convection-
dispersion equation
13.1. Miscible displacement and breakthrough curves
13.2 Transport of inert, non-adsorbing and adsorbing chemicals in soil
13.3 Volatile organic compounds transport in soil
14. Estimation of crop water requirement
14.1. Evapo-transpiration equation and its applications
15. Spatial variability: analysis and significance

Practicals

1. Measurement of soil water, soil strength, particle density, soil water

characteristic curves and saturated hydraulic conductivity
2. Solute breakthrough curves
3. Problem sets

Books Recommended

1. Bhatti, A.U. 2005. Spatial Variability and its Management in Agriculture,

Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan
2. Hanks, R.J. 1992. Applied Soil Physics. 2nd ed. Springer-Verlag, NY, USA.

35
3. Hillel, D. 1998. Environmental Soil Physics. Elsevier Academic Press. CA,
USA
4. Hillel, D. 2004. Introduction to Environmental Soil Physics. Elsevier
Academic Press, CA, USA
5. Jury, W.A., W.R. Gardner, and W.H. Gardner. 2004. Soil Physics. 5th ed.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY, USA.
6. Lal, R. and M. K. Shukla. 2004. Principles of Soil Physics. Marcel & Dekker
Inc., NY, USA.
7. Marshall, T.J., J.W. Holmes and C.W. Rose. 1996. Soil Physics. 3rd ed.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
8. Smith, K.A. and C.E. Mullins (Eds.). 1991. Soil Analysis: Physical Methods.
Marcel & Dekker Inc., NY, USA.

SS-708 ADVANCED SOIL CHEMISTRY 3(3-0)

1. Chemical thermodynamics of soils: processes and variables

2. Chemical potentials: metal oxides, hydroxides, and silicates clays
3. Kinetics of soil chemical reactions
4. Precipitation and dissolution in soil environment
5. Surface electro-chemistry of colloids: sorption of trace metal ions;
selectivity and pH
6. Inter-particles attraction: solid-solid and solid-liquid interaction
7. Chemistry of submerged soils
8. Chemical transformations of selective elements in soils
9. Contamination of soils with organic and inorganic pollutants
10. Risk assessment of trace metals in soil and water
11. Integrated management of polluted environment
12. Sorption theory: description and application for decontamination of soils
and water
13. Recent developments in soil and environmental chemistry
14. Systems for waste water treatment: physical, chemical and bio-chemical

Books Recommended:

1. Bolt, G.H., M.F. DeBoodt, M.H.B. Hayes, and M.B. McBride.1991.

Interactions at the Soil Colloid-Soil Solution Interface. Kluwer Academic
Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
2. Huang, P.M., et al. (Eds.). 1998. Future Prospects for Soil Chemistry.
SSSA Special Publication No.55, SSSA, Madison, WI, USA.
3. Kumar, A. 2004. Environmental Contamination and Bio-reclamation. APH
Publishing Corporation, New Delhi, India.

36
4. Sparks, D.L. 1995. Environmental Soil Chemistry. Academic Press, Inc.,
San Diego, CA, USA.
5. Sparks, D.L. 1998. Soil Physical Chemistry. 2nd Ed. CRC Press Inc., Boca
Raton, FL. USA.
6. Sposito, G. 1989. The Chemistry of Soils. Oxford University Press, NY,
USA.
7. Viessman, J.W. and M.J.Hammer.1999. Water Supply and Pollution
Control. 6th ed., Eastern Press, Banglore, India.

SS-709 ADVANCED SOIL FERTILITY 3(3-0)

1. Plant responses to applied nitrogen: mathematical description
1.1 Stubble management and N availability
1.2 Effect of form of nitrogen on plant growth: ammonia absorption,
losses and toxicity
2. Phosphate phase equilibria in soils: dissolution, precipitation, retention
reaction at microsites
2.1 Reaction products and changes in applied P
2.2 Soil phosphate buffering capacity and availability
3. Potassium equilibria in soil: quantity/intensity relationship and availability
4. Modeling nutrient uptake by plants
5. Modeling nutrient losses
6. Nutrition and plant disease interactions
7. Mineral nutrition of wild plants
8. Modern concept in soil fertility
9. Soil variability and its control in field experiments
10. Formulation of fertilizer recommendations
11. Integrated plant nutrient management system
Books Recommended:
1. Ahmad, N. and M. Rashid. 2003. Fertilizers and their use in Pakistan: An
Extension Guide. NFDC, Islamabad, Pakistan.
2. Barber, S.A. 1995. Soil Nutrient Bioavailability: A Mechanistic Approach.
2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons, NY, USA.
3. Brown, J.R. (Ed.). 1987. Soil Testing: Sampling, Correlation, Calibration
and Interpretation. Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Inc., Madison, WI, USA.
4. Havlin, J.L., J.D. Beaton, S.L.Tisdale, and W.L. Nelson. 2004. Soil Fertility
and Fertilizers. 6th ed. Pearson Education, Singapore.
5. Kamprath, E.J. 1999. Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition. In: Sumner, M.E.
(Ed.). Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL, USA.
6. Marschner, H. 1995. Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. Academic Press
Inc., Orlando, FL, USA.

37
7. Mengel, K. and E.A. Kirkby. 2000. Principles of Plant Nutrition. 5th ed.
International Potash Inst., Bern, Switzerland.
8. Westerman, R.L.(Ed.). 1990. Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. 3rd ed. Soil
Sci. Soc. Am., Madison, WI, USA.

SS-710 ADVANCED SOIL MICROBIOLOGY 3(3-0)

1. Advances in soil and environmental microbiology

2. Microbiology of the terrestrial environment
2.1 Aquatic and extreme environmental microbiology
3. Biochemical cycles
4. Organic pollutants: sources and types, biodegradation and bioremediations
5. Biotransformation of metal pollutants
6. Nucleic acid based methods in microbial ecology
6.1 Extraction of bacterial DNA from soil
6.2 Recombinant DNA techniques, PCR, probes and reporter genes
used for monitoring soil microbes
7. Trends and approaches in soil and environmental microbiology

Books Recommended

1. Alexander, M.1999. Biodegradation and Bioremediation. 2nd ed. Academic

Press, San Diego, CA, USA
2. Frankenberger, W.T. Jr. and M. Arshad. 1995. Phytohormones in Soil:
Microbial Production and Function. Marcel & Dekker Inc., NY, USA.
3. Gianinazzi, S., H. Schnepp, J.M. Barea, and K. Haselwandler.2001.
Myccorrhizae Technology in Agriculture from Genes to Byproducts.
Birkhanser. Basel, Switzerland
4. Harrison, R.M.(Ed). 2001. Pollution: Causes, Effects and Control. 4th ed.
Royal Soc.of Chem., Cambridge, UK
5. Hurst, C.J., R.L. Crawford, G.R. Knudsen, M.J.McInernery, and L.D.
Stetzenbach. 2002. Manual of Environmental Microbiology. American
Society for Microbiology, Washington DC, USA
6. Mairer, R.M., I.L. Pepper, and C.P. Gerba. 2000. Environmental
Microbiology. Academic Press Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
7. Rao, N.S.S. 2000. Soil Microbiology. 4th ed., Oxford and IBH Publishing
Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India.
8. Sylvia, D. M., J. J. Fuhrmann, P. G. Hartel, and D. A. Zuberer. 2005.
Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology. 2nd ed., Pearson
Education. Inc., NJ, USA.
9. Tate, R.L. 2000. Soil Microbiology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY, USA.
10. Van Elsas, J.D. et al. (Eds).1997. Modern Soil Microbiology. Marcel &
Dekker Inc. NY,USA

38
SS-711 ADVANCED SOIL PHYSICS 3(3-0)

1. Water flow equations and their applications

2. Thermodynamic potentials and chemical potential of soil water
3. Dupuit-Forchheimer model for artificial drainage
4. Heat flow equations: application and calculations
5. Application of the gas flow equations
6. Pollutant transport in soil environment: analytic solutions of the CDE model
7. Transfer functions of mobile and immobile water flow model for chemical
transport
8. Behavior assessment model for pesticide transport
9. Stochastic solute transport models
10. Application of soil physics to remediation of hazardous waste
11. Spatial variability analysis of soil properties and significance
11.1 Analysis of frequency distributions
11.2 Techniques for characterizing variability

Books Recommended

1. Bhatti, A.U. 2005. Spatial Variability & its Management in Agriculture,

Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan.
2. Hanks, R.J. 1992. Applied Soil Physics: Soil Water and Temperature
Applications. 2nd ed., Springer Verlag, NY, USA.
3. Hillel, D. 1998. Environmental Soil Physics. Academic Press Inc., San
Diego, CA, USA.
4. Hillel, D. 2004. Introduction to Environmental Soil Physics. Elsevier
Academic Press. CA, USA.
5. Isaaks, E.H. and R.M. Srivastava. 1989. Applied Geostatistics. Oxford
University Press, NY, USA.
6. Marshall, T.J., J.W. Holmes, and C.W. Rose. 1996. Soil Physics. 3rd ed.,
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

SS-712 SOIL MINERALOGY 3(3-0)

1. Concept and significance

2. Chemical and structural classification of soil minerals
3. Carbonate, sulphate, sulphide and phosphate minerals
4. Phyllosilicate, allophane and imogolite in soils
5. Kaolin, halloysite and serpentine minerals: structural and morphological
characteristics
6. Micas: structures, formulae, and weathering

39
7. Vermiculite: structure, composition and properties
8. Smectites: structure, composition and properties
9. Chlorites: structure, composition and properties
10. Inter-stratification in layer silicates
11. Oxides and hydroxide of Al, Fe and Mn
12. Significance of soil minerals in plant nutrition, engineering, physics and
microbiology
13. Impacts of soil minerals on environment

Books Recommended

1. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation,

Islamabad.
2. Brindley, G.W. and G. Brown. 1984 Crystal Structures of Clay Minerals
and their X-ray Identification. Mineralogical Soc. Monograph No.5. London,
U.K.
3. Dixon, J.B. and S.B. Weed (Eds.), 1989. Minerals in Soil Environment. 2nd
ed., SSSA. Madison, WI, USA.
4. Stucki, J.W. 1999. Soil Mineralogy. In: Sumner, M.E. (Ed.) Handbook of
Soil Science. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA.

SS-713 SOIL WATER PLANT RELATIONSHIP 3(3-0)

1. Plant root system: growth distribution, forms and factors affecting; root
hairs and CEC of roots; shoot-root relationship
2. Rhizosphere: root exudates and factors affecting; pH, redox potential and
significance
3. Mycorrhizae: types and mechanisms for water and nutrient uptake
4. Uptake and transport of ions: movement in soil and plant
5. Mechanisms of ion transport across membranes: ion release into xylem,
xylem and phloem transport; factors affecting ion uptake
6. Water use efficiency and transpiration ratio
7. Water stress, hypoxia and plant growth: development and causes; effect
on soil properties, mechanisms of tolerance; salinity-hypoxia interaction

Books Recommended

1. Barber, S.A. 1995. Soil Nutrient Bio-availability: A Mechanistic Approach.

2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY, USA.
2. Filter, A.H. and R.K.M. Hay. 1987. Environmental Physiology of Plants.
Academic Press, London, U.K.

40
3. Gregory, P.J. et al. (Eds.). 1987. Root Development and Function.
Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK.
4. Kozlowski, T.T. 1984. Flooding and Plant Growth. Academic Press Inc.,
London, U.K.
5. Marschner, H. 1995. Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. 2nd ed., Academic
Press. Inc.,FL, USA.
6. Mengel, K. and E.A. Kirkby. 2001. Principles of Plant Nutrition. 5th ed.
Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
7. Rendig, V.V. and H.M. Taylor. 1989. Principles of Soil–Plant Inter-
relationships. McGraw Hill Publishing Co., NY, USA
8. Waisel, Y. et al. (Eds.) 1991. Plant Roots: The Hidden Half. Marcel &
Dekker Inc. NY, USA.

41
 RECOMMENDATIONS
1. All the agricultural universities are following the semester system. In order
to bring uniformity in the curricula, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University,
D.I. Khan and Balochistan Agriculture College, Quetta (Balali), the annual
system should be converted into the semester system.

2. Maximum total credit hours for B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture may be 160 and
the credit hours for the major courses may be nearly 60. Minimum credit
hours for M.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture be 35 including the minor courses
which shall not exceed one third of the total credits.

3. In the cases where some courses are being offered by different teachers,
consistency be observed in teaching, paper setting and evaluation.

4. The internship programme of students is being executed by some

universities / colleges. It is recommended that those universities / colleges
not executing, must start internship in letter and sprit. For the proper
execution of internship programme, universities / colleges should be
provided appropriate funds for facilitating the students in terms of lodging
and boarding. In addition, provincial / federal institutes may be asked by
the HEC to provide proper guidance and facilities to the students placed at
their institutes.

5. The committee felt seriously about the constraints of the shortage of

faculty in the discipline of Soil Science in Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal
University, D.I. Khan, University College of Agriculture, Rawalakot (AJK),
University College of Agriculture, B.Z. University, Multan, and Balochistan
Agriculture College, Quetta (Balali). These need to be strengthened, and
separate departments established with adequate facilities for teaching and
research.

6. Universities / colleges should prepare their PC-I for strengthening their

laboratory and library facilities for submission to HEC for the provision of
adequate funds.

7. In every university / college, there should be a central repair cell for

maintenance/repair of sophisticated instruments. For this, it is
recommended that HEC should provide funds for the establishment of
such repair cells.

42