Acid Soils: Their Chemistry and Management (Hardback, Acid Soils: Their Chemistry and Management)

Soil acidity is a significant constraint that limits the productivity of approximately 30 million hectares of cultivated land in our country. With soil pH ranging from 4.5 to 5.5, the crop diversity, cropping intensity, and productivity in these areas are low, leading to livelihood insecurity, poverty, and slow development. The chemistry of soil acidity has been extensively researched in the field of soil science.

To address this issue, the book focuses on practical management practices for cultivating diverse crops and cropping systems, as well as plantation crops on acidic soils. Emphasis is placed on ameliorating acidic soils and improving nutrient use in crops to enhance agricultural productivity. The book also discusses the availability, quality, and cost of suitable soil amendments, as well as the prospects and challenges associated with their use.

The chapters of the book have been authored by scientists who have been engaged in this work for the past two to three decades. The Way Forward section suggests the technology and steps that need to be taken to manage these soils, as well as the expected economic benefits.

Content

01. Introduction A.K. Sarkar 02. Soil Acidity – Concepts and Applications A.K. Sarkar 03. Chemistry of Acid Soils Sushanta Kumar Pattanayak 04. Genesis and Classification of Acid Soils of India A.K.Sahoo and Dipak Sarkar 05. Field Studies on Acid Soils of India A.K. Sarkar, S.P. Sharma,T.C. Baruah, Patiram, B. Mandal S.K. Pattanayak, V.K.Venugopal, and S.C. Talashilkar 06. Acid Soils of North-Eastern India Mausumi Raychaudhuri and S. Raychaudhuri 07. Acid Soils of Jharkhand A.K. Sarkar 08. Acid Soils of Odisha D. Jena 09. Secondary and Micronutrients in Acid Soils Surendra Singh and A.K. Ghosh 10. Paper Mill Sludge as an Acid Soil Ameliorant Sushanta Kumar Pattanayak 11. Way Forward A.K. Sarkar