History of Soil Research

Abstract

The history of soil science in Argentina from its humble that begins in mid-nineteenth century to the current days is reviewed. One common feature of the previously published literature on this issue is that it was mainly focused on the specific field of soil survey and cartog- raphy. In the present chapter, a comprehensive division of periods is followed and most branches of the soil science are covered. Also, the names of the most outstanding researches in all branch of the science are recorded. Initially, the local scientists tried to get knowledge about soil properties; afterward, the focused was put on classification, surveys, and soil management, and later on nutrient diagnoses and fertilization practices. At present, research in soil topics also includes topics of soil contamination and soil microbiology. Our review includes the different stages of the evolution of the local soil science, their milestones, and the main institutions involved in this evolution.