Department of Soil Science

Soils in the region are highly heterogeneous with problems of acidity, low organic matter, low micro- and macro-elements, and insufficient microorganisms accounting for low soil fertility. The discipline is engaged in developing measures for soil and water conservation, amelioration of problem soils, pine litter degradation for utilization as manure, long term fertility management through cultural and biological management , and efficient utilization of phosphatic sources. As a significant achievement, nitrogen use efficiency of prilled urea has been improved by coating with 10% wt/wt or wt/vol coaltar, kerosine oil, chulu oil in crops like maize, fingermillet, and wheat. Seed inoculation of Aspergillus awamuri improved P use efficiency (11%) in fingermillet-wheat crop sequence with added 60kg ha-1 P2O5. Pine litter compost has been prepared with added (0.5%) inorganic and organic materials like urea, DAP, lime, biogas slurry, lime+urea+molasses and also litter degrading white rot basidiomycete (isolate PLF-8).