Soil Science MCQ Question and Answer | Agriculture MCQ Question

A soil test determines fertility and the expected growth potential of the soil which indicates nutrient deficiencies, potential toxicities from excessive fertility and inhibitions from the presence of non-essential trace minerals. The test is used to mimic the function of roots to assimilate minerals.
A soil test rating of ‘High’ means fertilizer dose is less which means the soil is good enough and fertilizer and nutrient requirements from the outer source are less.

A neutron moisture meter is a moisture meter utilizing neutron scattering. The meters are most frequently used to measure the water content in soil or rock.
Water due to its hydrogen content, is an effective neutron moderator, sowing high-energy neutrons. With a source of high-energy neutrons and a detector sensitive to low-energy neutrons, the detection rate will be governed by the water content of the soil between the source and the detector.
In a neutron moisture meter, the energy of the thermalized electron is 0.03 eV.

Thomas slag is a finely powdered basic slag obtained in the Thomas-Gilchrist process. Chemically it is tetra calcium phosphate, Ca₄ (PO₄)₂O, (4CaO·P₂O₅).
It is found as the mineral hilgenstockite, which is formed in industrial phosphate-rich slag. It contains 20% of P₂O₅.

Nitrification inhibitors are those that slow down the microbial conversion of ammonium-N to Nitrate-N.
N-serve, AM (2-amino 4-chloro 6-methyl pyrimidine) and Karanj Oil cake are commonly used Nitrification inhibitors.

Fertilizer Statistics and Fertilizer news are published by the Fertilizer Association of India (FAI).
FAI is a non-profit and non-trading company established in 1955 to bring together all parties concerned with the production, marketing, and use of fertilizers. It represents mainly the fertilizer manufactures, distributors, importers, equipment manufacturers, research institutes and suppliers of inputs.

The sulfur column is related to Winogradsky. It was invented in the 1880s by Sergei Winogradsky.
The Winogradsky column is a simple device for culturing a large diversity of microorganisms. This device is a column of pond mud and water mixed with a carbon source such as newspaper, blackened marshmallows, or egg shells and a Sulphur source such as gypsum or egg yolk.

Soil texture is determined by the relative proportion of the three kinds of soil mineral particles, called soil separates i.e. sand, silt and clay. These particles determine the properties like porosity, permeability, infiltration, shrink-swell rate, water holding capacity and susceptibility to erosion.
Sand is the largest particle of the soil whereas clay is the finest one. The particle size of clay soil is less than 0.002 mm.

Pedology is a discipline within soil science that focuses on understanding and characterizing soil formation, evolution and theoretical frameworks for modeling soil bodies, in the context of the natural environment.
Pedology considers soil as a natural body. Soil not only supports vegetation but also acts as the locus of numerous interactions between climate, soil life, mineral elements, etc.

SSP (Single super phosphate) is a widely used phosphatic fertilizer. It contains three essential plant nutrients i.e. phosphorus, Sulphur and Calcium along with traces of other micronutrients. Its chemical formula is Ca(H₂PO₄).
It is preferred for oilseed crops as sulphur is an integral part of many edible oils.

Argillic subsurface horizon is a common diagnostic feature of Ultisols. Argillic subsoil horizon is identified by the illuvial accumulation of silicate clays.
Ultisols are commonly known as Red clay soils. It is formed by the continuous weathering of minerals in a humid, temperate climate without new soil formation.