SOIL 306: Management of Soil Environment

Theory: Soil Chemistry (7 weeks): Nutrient elements: forms and their availability in soils, functions in plants, deficiency symptoms.  Types of fertilizers, manufacture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizers; fertilizers and calculations involving rates of application.  Fertilizer usage: fertilizer and economic development, cost/benefit of fertilizer use, effect of fertilizer use on the soil environment.  Fertilizer application methods: broadcast and band application, side-dressing, top dressing, foliar application; liming and liming materials.  Nutrient uptake processes, mass flow, diffusion and contact exchange.  Biochemistry/ Microbiology (6 weeks): Crop residue and organic matter decomposition and management (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, C/N ratio) microbiology and biochemistry of composting, green manuring