Abstract
Research reports on soil during the years from 1906 to 2012 have been analyzed to understand the role and pattern of soil research in agriculture. The number of research reports in relation with the key word of soils were 2,211 cases and classified in accordance with the criteria of research area, research subject, and research place of report papers. During the 40 years from 1906 to 1946, research work on soil chemistry was reached 62%, highest in the research area. In the case of research subject, research reports on soil fertility and soil nutrients was highest as 42.2%, and the next subject on soil salt and desalinization was about 19.5%. Research places were in the order of paddy as 34.1%, upland as 23.7%, and reclaimed soil as 22.5%. From 1953 to 2012 during 60 years, in the research area report papers were mainly concentrated on chemistry area as 32% and the next was physics as 26%, and environment as 12%. In the case of research subject during the same period, nutrient management report was reached 21.1%, and soil improvement on chemical and physical properties for optimum crop growth was 11.9%. Soil survey and data base establishment report was 8.6%. Research place were in the order of upland as 34.9%, paddy as 25.7%, and vinyl house as 12.5%, which showed reversed pattern compared to that of before 40 years.