Soil is an important natural resource of the world and a major component of the crop production system. The objectives of this course are: (a) to understand soil as a natural resource and its interactions with the environment; (b) to understand the basic characteristics and properties of soils; (c) to understand the principles of plant nutrition, functions of nutrients, their deficiency symptoms, and factors affecting their availability in soil; (d) to understand the concept of nutrient cycling and the interactions between soil and plant; and (e) to become familiar with sustainable management of fertiliser application.