Soil science

The content of the course includes the following:

• Introduction - Soil systems

• Soil factors.

• Soil texture.

• Mineral composition of soils (Decomposition. Primary minerals: structure and physico-chemical properties thereof. Secondary minerals: structure and physico-chemical properties thereof. Oxides - iron-aluminum-manganese hydroxides). Amorphous minerals.

• Soil chemical properties (Ion exchange and their importance in plant nutrition. Degree of saturation with bases. Electric potential Z, Soil solution and electrolytes. Soil regulation capacity).

• Soil organic matter (Humic - organometallic compounds. Argylohemic complexes. Importance of organic matter).

• Physical properties of soil (Structure, porosity. Structural improvement. Soil temperature and its importance. Soil air and its importance).

• Soil morphology (Soil distribution and its description. Soil color Soil horizons and levels. Soil classification. Greek soil classes. Mapping and description of cartographic units).

Laboratory exercises

• Soil sampling

• Mechanical analysis

• Determination of calcium carbonate

• Determination of soil organic matter

• Saturation extract - pH - Water soluble salts

• Cation exchange capacity - exchangeable cations