1

Department of Soil Science and

Agricultural Chemistry
Post Graduate Institute
Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth,
Rahuri-413 722, Dist. Ahmednagar (MS)

Preamble

The Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry has its origin as Agricultural
Chemistry section at the College of Agriculture, Pune which was established in 1905 under
leadership of Dr. A. A. Meggit followed by Dr. H. S. Mann, Dr. D. L. Sahasrabudhe, Dr. J. A.
Daji and Dr. Narayana. The Department was established in 1968 which was shifted to Central
Campus, Rahuri during the year 1972. The department was renamed as the Department of Soil
Science and Agricultural Chemistry in 2006.
The Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Mahatma Phule Krishi
Vidyapeeth, Rahuri has been entrusted with the major responsibilities of teaching, research and
extension in the field of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry specifically in the jurisdiction
of Western Maharashtra through colleges and research stations.

Mandate

 To offer courses in the disciplines of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry for the
undergraduate degree programmes in the faculties of Agriculture, Horticulture,
Agricultural Engineering and Agri-business management.

 To offer courses in the disciplines of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry for M.Sc.
(Agri.) and Ph.D. degree programmes.

 To undertake fundamental and applied research programme through post graduate

students in Soil Science and Agril. Chemistry.

 To enhance the departmental research activities by developing soil based technologies to

solve the farmers problems.
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 To exchange information with other scientists and extension staff engaged in Soil Science
and Agricultural Chemistry research through field trials, training, group discussions,
seminars, symposia, workshops, conferences and scientific, technical and extension
publications.

 To provide advisory service to both Government and public sector through analysis of
soil, plant, irrigation water, manure and fertilizer samples along with respective
recommendations.

 To render technical advice to farmers on specific problems of soil, plant and irrigation
water.

 To collaborate with national, international and other research organizations and fertilizer,
pesticide and sugar industries for undertaking research programme.

 To participate in extension activities organized by MPKV and Department of Agriculture,

Maharashtra.

Faculty

S. Name Designation Area of Mobile No. Email

N. Specialization
1. Dr. A.D. Kadlag Professor & Soil Fertility, 08275033823 ad_kadlag@redi
Head Nutrient ffmail.com
Management, Agro adkadlag@gmail.
chemicals com
2. Dr. M. R. Chauhan Professor Soil Fertility 09403773465 mahavirsingcha
[email protected]
om
3. Dr. P. P. Kadu Professor Soil Chemistry, 07709911484 ppk_soilchemist
Soil Fertility, Soil @rediffmail.co
Biology m
4. Dr. N.J. Ranshur Professor Soil Physics, Soil 09421886876 prof.ranshur@gm
Fertility, Soil 07875317673 ail. com
Chemistry
5. Dr. S.R. Patil Associate Soil Biology & 09764085570 patil.shivajirao
Professor Biochemistry @rediffmail.
com
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6. Dr. A.G. Durgude Assistant Micronutrient, 09420007731 durgudeag@red

Professor Fertilizer 09822598964 iffmail.com
Management, Soil
Survey
7. Dr. S.R. Shelke Assistant Soil Fertility, Salt 08275034693 shelke_shrigane
Professor Affected Soil [email protected]
om
8. Dr. S. D. Kale Assistant Soil Fertility 08888280885 sangramkale1@g
Professor mail.com

Academic programme

Annual intake capacity of M.Sc. (Agri.) and Ph.D. students

Name of campus Intake Capacity

M.Sc. (Agri.) Ph.D.
PGI, MPKV, Rahuri 18 04
College of Agriculture, Pune 06 -
College of Agriculture, Dhule 04 -
College of Agriculture, Kolhapur 06 -
Total 34 04

M.Sc. (Agri.) Course Layout

Minimum Credit Requirements

Sr. No. Subject Minimum credit(s)

1. Major 20
2. Minor 09
3. Supporting 05
4. Seminar 01
5. Research 20
Total Credits 55
Compulsory Non Credit Courses 06
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Sr. Course Course Title Credits

No. Number
A) Major subjects (Min. 21 credits)
SOILS -501 Soil Physics 2+1=3
SOILS -502 Soil Fertility and Fertilizer Use 3+1=4
SOILS -503 Soil Chemistry 2+1=3
SOILS -504 Soil Mineralogy, Genesis Classification and Survey 2+1=3
SOILS -506 Soil Biology and Biochemistry 2+1=3
SOILS-511 Analytical Techniques and Instrumental Methods in Soil 0+2=2
and Plant Analysis
SOILS -513 Management of Problematic Soils and Water 2+1=3
B) Minor Subjects (Min. 09 credits)
SOILS -509 Soil, Water and Air Pollution 2+1=3
BIOCHEM-501 Basic Biochemistry 2+1=3
AGRON-505 Agro Meteorology and Crop Weather Forecasting 2+1=3
C) Supporting Subjects (Min. 05 credits)
PP-511 Mineral Nutrition 2+1=3
STAT-512 Experimental Design 2+1=3
D) Seminar (1 credit)
SOILS-591 Master Seminar 0+1=1
E) Master's Research ( 20 credits)
Master's Research 0+20=20
F) Non Credit Compulsory Courses
PGS-501 Library and Information Services 0+1=1
PGS-502 Technical Writing and Communications Skills 0+1=1
PGS-503 Intellectual Property and its Management in Agriculture 1+0 =1
PGS-504 Basic Concepts in Laboratory Techniques 0+1=1
PGS-505 Agriculture Research, Research Ethics and Rural 1+0 =1
Development Programmes
PGS-506 Disaster Management 1+0=1

Ph.D. Course Layout

Minimum Credit Requirements

Sr. No. Subject Minimum credit(s)

1. Major 15
2. Minor 08
3. Supporting 05
4. Seminar 02
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5. Research 45
Total Credits 75
Compulsory Non Credit Courses 15

Sr. Course Course Title Credits

No. Number
D) Major subjects (Min.15 credits)
1. SOILS -601 Advances in Soil Physics 2+0=2
2. SOILS-602 Advances in Soil Fertility 2+0=2
3. SOILS -603 Physical Chemistry of Soils 2+0=2
4. SOILS-604 Soil Genesis and Micropedology 2+0=2
5. SOILS-605 Biochemistry of Soil Organic Matter 2+0=2
6. SOILS-606 Land Use Planning and Watershed Management 2+0=2
7. SOILS -607 Soil Resource Management 3+0=3
8. SOILS-691 Doctoral Seminar-I 0+1=1
9. SOILS-692 Doctoral Seminar-II 0+1=1

E) Minor Subjects (Min. 08 credits)

1. AGRON-604 Advances in Crop Growth and Productivity 2+1=3
2. PP-605 Climate Change and Crop Growth 2+0=2
3. IWM-626 Soil, Water and Air Pollution 2+1=3
F) Supporting Subjects (Min. 06 credits)
1. AGRON-602 Crop Ecology 2+0=2
2. MICRO-604 Current Topics in Soil Microbiology 2+0=2
3. AGRON- 607 Integrated Farming System for Sustainable Agriculture 2+0=2
F) Seminar ( 02 credit)
Seminar I 0+1=1
Seminar II 0+1=1
G) Doctoral Research ( 45 credits)
Doctoral Research 0+45=45
F) Non Credit Compulsory Courses
1. PGS-501 Library and Information Services 0+1=1
2. PGS-502 Technical Writing and Communications Skills 0+1=1
3. PGS-503 Intellectual Property and its Management in Agriculture 1+0 =1
4. PGS-504 Basic Concepts in laboratory Techniques 0+1=1
5. PGS-505 Agriculture Research, Research Ethics and Rural 1+0 = 1
Development Programmes
6. PGS-506 Disaster Management 1+0=1
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Laboratories and Instruments

There are four well equipped laboratories with sophisticated equipments. These
laboratories not only used for teaching purpose but also render the advisory services to farmers
by analyzing samples of Soil – Water – Plant and Fertilizers at the nominal charges.
Instruments
 X-ray diffraction system
 Soil CO2 flux system
 ARC, GIS software
 Pressure membrane apparatus
 Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer
 TOC analyzer
 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
 Microwave digestion system
 Biological oxygen demand (BOD) Incubator
 Spectrophotometer
 Flame Photometer
 Automatic Nitrogen analyzer
 Soil moisture meters
 Muffle furnace
 High Speed Centrifuge machine
 Advanced Leaf area meter

Research

 Generated dry land technologies for soil and water conservation and nutrient
management for field crops.

 Developed 53 yield targeting equations for 36 different field crops and 25

recommendations are given for fertilizer use.
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 Developed integrated nutrient management strategies for dry land crops and
recommendations are given.

 Evolved the package of reclamation technologies for saline / sodic soil.

 Advocated the use of saline water through drip irrigation for vegetables and use of
pressurized irrigation for fertigation.

 Developed integrated nutrient management system for higher sugarcane productivity and
sugar recovery.

 Developed technology for good quality jaggery.

 Delineated the micronutrient deficient areas of Western Maharashtra and given

recommendations of micronutrients for various crops.

 Developed the technology for enhancing the nutrient use efficiency for rice.

 Identified dominance of iron rich beidellite species of smectite in Shrink-swell soils of

Maharashtra.

 Developed the technology for one time controlled application of post biomethanted spent
wash as a liquid manure.

 Research work done on use of Diatomaceous earth as a source of silicon in cotton,

tomato, onion, banana and pomegranate crop of Maharashtra.

 Sugarcane trash management technology.

Linkages

 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi

 National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS and LUP), Nagpur

 Department of Agriculture and Co-operation, Govt. of India

 Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad

 Indian Institute of Soil Science (IISS), Bhopal

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 Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi

 Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi

 Fertilizer Association of India (FAI), New Delhi

 Rashtriya Chemical and Fertilizers (RCF), Mumbai

 Potash Research Institute, Gurgaon, New Delhi

 National Information Centre (NIC), Pune

On going research activities

 Development of IPNS based fertilizer equations for field crops.

 Carbon sequestrations
 Enhancement of nutrient use efficiency
 Fertigation based on STCR equations for different crops
 Integrated nutrient management
 Nutrition of horticultural crops
 Enhancing and sustaining soil quality
 Utilization of agro-industrial wastes
 Soil mineralogical studies
 Soil biology
 Research on micronutrients
 Soil Quality assessment and improvement

Extension Programmes

Training programmes / seminars organized:

 The State Level Seminar on ‘Fostering Soils to Meet Emerging Challenges in

Agriculture’ was organized by the Rahuri Chapter of ISSS, Department of Soil Science
and Agril. Chemistry, M.P.K.V., Rahuri on October 30-31, 2018.
 Training programme organized entitled “Soil Health Card Interpretation as per Soil
Test” on October 3, 2018.
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S. Title Sponsored Date & Participants Organized by

N. Duration
1 Soil Testing for Department 5-7 30 Jointly organized by
Nitrogen, Sulphur of November, participants the Department of Soil
and Boron Agriculture, 2017 Science & Agril.
Govt. of Chemistry and
Maharashtra Department of
Agriculture, Govt. of
Maharashtra
2 Soil, Water and Department 18-19 30 Jointly organized by
Plant Analysis of Agril. February, participants the Department of Soil
Extension 2018 Science & Agril.
Chemistry and
Department of Agri.
Extension

Publications

S. N. Particulars Year
Booklet
1 Recommendations for Sustainable Agril. (Plant Nutrition, Soil 2014
and Water Conservation)
Books
1 Laboratory Methods for Analysis of Soil, Irrigation Water and 2013
Plants
2 Ber- Dryland Fruit 2013
3 Agricultural Knowledge at a Glance 2013
4 Dryland Agriculture 2014
5 Objective Soil Science 2015
6 Key Notes on ACSS 2015
7 Dryland Fruit Crops 2016
8 GIS-Soil Fertility Maps of Western Maharashtra 2016
9 GIS-Soil Fertility Status of Western Maharashtra 2016
10 50 Years of Research on STCR 1967-2017
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Souvenir
1 Soil Health: A Key to Food Security 21-22 January, 2014 2014
2 Soil Health Awareness: A Prerequisite to Yield Sustainability 21- 2015
22 December, 2015
Compendium
1 Compendium Ph.D. Thesis 1963-2009
2 Compendium M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis 1963-2009
3 Soil, Irrigation Water Analysis and Fertilizer Use 2013
4 Soil Testing for Available N, S and B 2015
5 Soil Testing for Soil Available N, S and B 2014

Contact Details

Head, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry

Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri- 413 722
Dist. Ahmednagar (MS)
Contact No. : 02426-243209
Fax No. : 02426-243209
Email : [email protected]
[email protected]