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Report on the 14th PSSST Scientific Conference held at VSU, Baybay, Leyte

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The 14th Ann ual Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Philippine Society of Soil Science and Technology (PSSST) was held at the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte last 25-27 May 2011. About 140 soil scientists, soil practitioners, and agriculturists working in universities, government agencies, non-government organizations, and private companies throughout the country attended the conference. The opening program was graced by Dr. Florentino Tesoro who represented Congressman Angelo B. Palmones (AGHAM Partylist), Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo (VSU President), Prof. K. Stahr (Germany), Mr. Deogracias Pernites (representing Mayor Carmen Cari of Baybay City), Dr. Cezar Mamaril (PSSST Adviser), Dr. Eduardo Paningbatan (PSSST Adviser), Ms. Constancia Mangao (PSSST President) and Dr. Victor B. Asio (Dean of the College of Agriculture, VSU). Prof. Dr. Karl Stahr, the Chairman of Division I of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), gave the keynote lecture about the limest

Soil Science is also called pedology

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In American soil science, pedology (pedo is Greek for ground or soil) has recently been made as a subdiscipline that deals with soil morphology, genesis and classification. In other parts of the world, however, particularly in non-English speaking countries in Europe, Asia and Africa soil science has remained synonymous to pedology (Bech, 2006). Historically, pedology was the original term for the scientific study of the soil introduced by Fallou and it was only in 1924 during the planning for the first international congress that the term soil science was introduced as a synonym. This was in fact reflected in the paper that Glinka presented during the congress (Glinka, 1927). Until today many textbooks, scientific journals and academic departments dealing with soil science in non-English speaking countries bear the name pedology. In 2002, there was an internet debate among some members of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) about the term pedology. While many North America