Soil and Plant Scientists

What Does a Soil and Plant Scientists Do?

Conduct research in breeding, physiology, production, yield, and management of crops and agricultural plants or trees, shrubs, and nursery stock, their growth in soils, and control of pests; or study the chemical, physical, biological, and mineralogical composition of soils as they relate to plant or crop growth. May classify and map soils and investigate effects of alternative practices on soil and crop productivity.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• 1Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
• 2Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
• 3Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.
• 4Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates.
• 5Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
• 6Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.
• 7Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment.
• 8Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics.

Required Skills

• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Active Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Science
• Active Listening
• Writing
• 3dMapper
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator EPIC
• ESRI ArcGIS software
• European Soil Erosion Model EUROSEM
• GAEA Technologies WinSieve
• GEOEAS
• Geographic information system GIS software
• Geographic information system GIS systems
• GSLIB

Soil and Plant Scientists Salary