General concept of soil fertility, History of plant nutrition. Fertility of tropical soils. Soil organic matter. Its properties and maintenance, liming and soil-plant relationships. Factors affecting the ability of the soil to supply nutrients in available forms.
Essential nutrients; source of supply, physiological roles, relative quantitative requirements, availability categories, forms and amounts in soil and plant. Fertilizer anf fertilizer management, their manufacture, sources, application, methods, rates and timing, handling and storage. Crop growth and responses to soil nutrients; nutrient absorption, maintenance and loss in soil fertility in extensive and intensive agriculture, Manures and organic wastes. Composition, general properties, use of manure and management use of sewage sludge and waste water.