Soil

scienceisvi
tali
nagri
cul
turalengineeri
ngandpract
icesasi
tpr
ovi
desthefoundati
onfor
underst
andingsoil
proper
ti
es,behavior,andmanagementtoopt
imi
zeagri
cul
turalpr
oduct
ivi
ty.
Keycontri
buti
onsincl
ude:

1.Soi
lFer
ti
li
tyManagement

Soi
lsci
encehelpsi
denti
fynut
ri
entdefici
enci
esandi
nfor
mst
heappl
i
cat
ionoff
ert
il
izer
sand
amendmentstoimprov
ecropy i
elds.

Example:Test
ingsoil
forni
trogen,
phosphor
us,andpot
assi
um l
evel
sensur
esbal
anced
fer
ti
li
zati
on,i
mprovingmaizeandsoybeangrowth.

2.I
rr
igat
ionDesi
gnandWat
erManagement

Underst
andi
ngsoilt
extureandst
ructureai
dsi
ndesi
gni
ngef
fi
cienti
rr
igat
ionsy
stemsby
pr
edicti
ngwateri
nfi
l
trati
onandretenti
on.

Exampl
e:Sandysoi
l
srequi
remor
efr
equenti
rr
igat
iont
hancl
aysoi
l
s,whi
chr
etai
nwat
erl
onger
.

3.Er
osi
onCont
rol

Soil
sciencegui
dest
heimpl
ement
ati
onoft
echni
quesl
i
kecont
ourpl
owi
ngandt
err
aci
ngt
o
preventsoi
ler
osi
ononsl
opes.

Exampl
e:I
nMal
awi
’
shi
l
lyr
egi
ons,
ter
raci
ngi
susedt
oreducer
unof
fandmai
ntai
nsoi
lfer
ti
li
ty.
4.Sust
ainabl
eLandUse

I
tinf
ormscr
opr
otat
ion,
int
ercr
oppi
ng,
andagr
ofor
est
rypr
act
icest
omai
ntai
nsoi
lheal
thov
er
t
ime.

Example:Rotati
ngpi
geonpeasandmai
zei
mpr
ovesni
tr
ogencont
enti
nthesoi
l
,enhanci
ng
subsequentcropyi
elds.

5.Engi
neer
ingSt
ruct
ures

Knowl
edgeofsoi
lmechanicsai
dsi
nconst
ruct
ingst
abl
eagr
icul
tur
alst
ruct
uresl
i
kedams,
gr
eenhouses,
anddr
ainagesyst
ems.

Exampl
e:Engi
neer
stestsoi
lbear
ingcapaci
tybef
oreconst
ruct
ingsi
l
osorf
arm bui
l
dings.

Byint
egr
ati
ngsoilsci
enceintoagr
icul
tur
alengi
neer
ing,
far
mersandengi
neer
scanachi
eve
hi
gherpr
oduct
ivi
tywhileensuri
ngsustai
nabl
elandmanagement
.