Soil and Plant Scientist

Overview

Who is Soil and Plant Scientist?

The study of soil on the surface of the Earth as a natural resource including physical, chemical, biological, soil formation, classification, mapping and fertility properties of soils and their properties, management of soils is known as soil science. A soil scientist investigates the physical and chemical qualities of soil, as well as its distribution, origin, and history, as well as its species. The role of soil scientist identifies, interpret, map, and manage soils agricultural issues, environmental conservation, restoration, mining operations. soil scientists study the land and water resources, help to protect water resources by preventing surface water and groundwater pollution, work with farmers advising them on crop and soil-related problems, design chemically reduced or chemical-free integrated pest management strategies, helping them develop nutrient management and soil conservation plans. Soil science has several disciplines, including pedology, which is the study of soil formation, chemistry, morphology, and classification, and edaphology, which is the study of how soils interact with living things, particularly plants.

Typical day at work

What does Soil and Plant Scientist do?

Soil and plant scientists investigate the chemical, physical, biological, and mineralogical composition of soils as they relate to plant or crop development, as well as their breeding, physiology, production, yield, and management of crops and agricultural plants, their growth in soils, and pest control. They can identify and map soils, as well as look into the impact of different farming methods on soil and crop yield. Soil scientists also examine different soils from a diverse range of terrains and geographical locations in order to study their physical composition and chemical properties.

• To develop and conduct experiments with various variety of field crops that focus on characteristics such as nutritional value,yield, quality, disease resistance or adaptation to specific soils or climates.
• To develop  improved or new methods or products for controlling, eliminating crop diseases, weeds or insect pests.
• To provide recommendations or information to farmers or other landowners about use of land, promote plant growth, or avoid or soil erosion
• To develop environmentally safe methods or products for controlling or eliminating pests, weeds, crop diseases.
• To investigate poor water quality or soil problems  to determine sources and effects.
• To conduct experiments investigating how soil interacts, soil forms, changes with land-based ecosystems or living organisms.

Abilities & aptitude needed

What are the skills, abilities & aptitude needed to become Soil and Plant Scientist?

To become a soil and plant scientist, the aspirants must need to develop certain skills like good interpretation skills, be confident in accepting challenges, and ability to understand things, the ability to look into every minute detail of the facts to conclude as precisely as possible, critical thinking such as using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems, scientific rules and methods to solve problems, understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making, to identify complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions, ability to work in a team and poses good IT knowledge.

Courses

Which course I can pursue?