31278 - Soil Fertility Management

Course contents

Soil: horizons, organic and mineral phases - Hydroxides and clay minerals - Organic matter and humic substances - Texture and soil structure - Reaction (pH) of soils - Soils with abnormal pH and their correction - Total limestone and active lime - Redox potential - Electrostatic and specific adsorption - Cation exchange capacity - Soluble salts and soil salinity. Electrical conductivity: SAR and ESP.

Nitrogen cycle: fixation, mineralization, immobilization, organication, nitrification and denitrification. Phosphate cycling: mineralization of the organic phosphorus. Sulphur cycling: reduction of sulphate and oxidation of sulphur. Potassium, calcium and magnesium. Micronutrients. Iron nutrition in calcareous soils. Mineral nutrition and soil analysis: available nutrients.

Cations and anions in soil: concentration in soil solution, solubility, effect of the pH and redox potential. Complexation and chelation of metals: properties of the complexes. Soil-root interaction. Nutrients absorption. The rizosphere: exudates and their biological activity. Soil water balance: influence on mineral nutrition. Soil fertilization: fertilizers, classification, national and European legislations. Factors affecting fertilizers uses. Criteria to assess nitrogen mineralization of organic fertilizers and amendments. Evaluation of the soil fertility. Organic farming. Recyclig and use of biomasses of agro-industrial origin in agriculture.

 

Readings/Bibliography

•  AA.VV. (Sequi P. coord.), Fondamenti di Chimica del Suolo. Pàtron Editore, Bologna, 2005.
• Mengel K e Kirkby E. A. (2001). Principles of Plant Nutrition.5th Edition. Pp. 849. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Boston, London.

Teaching methods

Lectures using facilities (transparencies, power point). Field activity.

Assessment methods

Examination at the end of the course.

Teaching tools

Overheads projector, Video projector, PC, Slides projector

Links to further information

http://www.agrsci.dista.unibo.it - http://www.chimicagraria.it

Office hours

See the website of Claudio Ciavatta