Department of Food Production

LEVEL: II

SEMESTER: 1 

COURSE TITLE: PRINCIPLES OF SOIL SCIENCE

NUMBER OF CREDITS: 3

PRE-REQUISITES: AGSL 1001

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Soil as a natural resource, regional geology, rocks, formations, mineralogy, soil formation and pedogenesis; roles soils play in the environment:- agriculture, engineering, water balance and water quality, waste recycling and pollution control, aesthetic aspects, bio-diversity and ecological balance; soil distribution in the Caribbean, classification and mapping; soil physical properties:- soil texture, structure and porosity, soil water and soil aeration and temperature, water use and chemistry; soil chemical properties:- clay mineralogy, soil reaction, CEC, plant nutrition and SOM; soil organisms and biogeochemical cycles; agricultural meteorology.

ASSESSMENT: Coursework 50% Final Examination 50%