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Soil Fertility and Fertilizers

Course developer

Prior knowledge

LauZ2042, Soil Science

Course abstract

Plant composition and plant nutrient uptake. Soil fertility – conception and parameters, their assessment and optimization. Soil acidity and liming. Fertilizers, trends in their production and use. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers – Raw materials, production technology, characteristics principles of use, interactions with soil. Calcium, magnesium, sulphur and micronutrients. Multinutrient fertilizers. Technology of fertilizer use. Manure and organic fertilizers – production and handling. Crop’s fertilization in the open field and greenhouses. Plant nutrient cycles in the ecosystem. Optimization of fertilizer use, recommendation systems and applications. Research methods used in soil fertility and plant growth tests, quality control. Diagnostic methods of plant nutrient uptake.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students will get a knowledge and understanding about the basic processes dealing with formation of soil fertility, methods and technologies of soil fertility management. Materials, used for soil improvement and plant nutrition – understanding and practical skills for its use. To obtain skills in fertiliser use planning and management. Ability to evaluate and critical analysis of obtained information, in data processing and interpretation methodology. Development of ability for decision making and advisory activities in the field of soil fertility and plant nutrition issues. Examination.

Course Content(Calendar)

Theoretical part
1. Introduction. Chemical composition of plants and plant nutrient uptake. 2 h
2. Agrochemical properties of soil. 1 h
3. Soil acidity and liming. 1 h
4. Commercial fertilisers, classification, global production, use. 1 h
5. Nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium fertilisers. 2 h
6. Magnesium and sulphur fertilisers. 2 h
7. Micronutrients. 2 h
8. Multinutrient fertilisers. 1 h
9. Technology of fertiliser use. 1 h
10. Organic fertilisers. 2 h
11. Soil testing. 1 h
12. System of fertiliser use. 2 h
13. Fertiliser use efficiency. 1 h
14. Environmental aspects of fertiliser use. Optimization of fertiliser use. 2 h
15. Fertiliser use in greenhouses and other covered crops. 1 h
16. Methods of investigations in agrochemistry. 2 h
Laboratory and practicals
1. Analysis of soil and growth media: sample preparation and extraction. 2 h
2. Basic calculations in agrochemistry. Units of measurement, comparison, recalculation etc. 4 h
3. Lime requirement. Calculation of lime rate for open field and growth media. 2 h
4. Plant available soil phosphorous and potassium. Analysis and interpretation. 2 h
5. Materials of soil fertility tests. Interpretation, use for fertiliser planning. 2 h
6. Plant analysis: sample preparation, determination of dry matter and crude ash. 2 h
7. Determination of phosphorous and potassium in plant extract. Interpretation of results. 2 h
8. Qualitative analysis of fertilisers. 2 h
9. Micronutrient fertilisers. 2 h
10. Calculations related to the fertiliser use. 4 h
11. Identification of fertilisers. Physical properties. 4 h
12. Calculations related to the organic fertilisers: manure production, chemical composition, storage capacity, utilisation etc. 2 h
13. Plant nutrient balance calculations: stock in the soil layer, removal with yield, apparent recovery. Interpretation of obtained results. 2 h
14. Optimisation of fertiliser use: norms, application rate, fertilisation planning (open field and greenhouses). 4 h
15. Efficiency of fertiliser use: agronomic, economic. 2 h

16. Final discussion. Test. 2 h

Requirements for awarding credit points

During semester – home work, seminar, tests. Individual work. Cumulative grade (tests, individual work, activity score). All laboratory, practical tasks and tests successfully completed. Final exam – score 4 or higher.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1. During semester – presentation of protocols related to the laboratory works and practicals.
2. Tests related to laboratory works and practicals.
3. Two tests related to the theoretical part of studies.

4. Final exam – written.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Cumulative exam, includes assessment of two theoretical tests, individual studies, activity score and final exam.

Compulsory reading

1. Kārkliņš A. (1996). Agroķīmija: Lekciju konspekts, I un II daļas. Rīga: Ražība. 382 lpp.
2. Agroķīmija (1984). J. Naudiņa red. Rīga: Zvaigzne. 325 lpp.
3. Kārkliņš A. (2012). Zeme, augsne, mēslojums: Terminu skaidrojošā vārdnīca. Jelgava: LLU. 477 lpp.
4. Kārkliņš A., Līpenīte I. (2018). Aprēķinu metodes un normatīvi augsnes iekultivēšanai un mēslošanas līdzekļu lietošanai. Jelgava: LLU. 200 lpp.
5. Kārkliņš A. (1991). Segtajās platībās audzējamo kultūru mēslošanas īpatnības. Jelgava: LLA. 49 lpp.
6. Augu minerālā barošanās. No: Ieviņš Ģ. (2016). Augu fizioloģija. Funkcijas un mijiedarbība ar vidi. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds. 207. – 244. lpp. (608 lpp.).
7. Riņķis G. (1995). Augu barošanās diagnostika. Jelgava: LLU. 40 lpp.
8. Riņķis G. (1995). Augsnes un augu ķīmiskā analīze. Jelgava: LLU. 48 lpp.
9. Ģeoloģija, augsne, agroķīmija (2008). Metodiskie norādījumi mācību praksei. Prof. A. Kārkliņa red. Jelgava: LLU. 88 lpp.

10. Materiāli E-studiju vietnē.

Further reading

1. Bārbalis P., Naudiņš J., Akmentiņš E. (1980). Agroķīmija. Rīga: Zvaigzne. 286 lpp.
2. Nollendorfs V. (1978). Dārzeņu mēslošana. Rīga: Liesma. 136 lpp.
3. Riņķis G., Ramane H. (1989). Kā barojas augi. Rīga: Avots. 151 lpp.
4. Štikāns J. (1992). Augšņu kaļķošana un tās efektivitāte. Skrīveri. 279 lpp.
5. Štikāns J., Kažociņš V., Līpenīte I. (1996). Augu barības elementu izskalošanās meliorētās augsnēs. Jelgava: LLU. 29 lpp.
6. Labas lauksaimniecības prakses nosacījumi Latvijā (1999). Jelgava. 103 lpp.
7. Labas lauksaimniecības prakses nosacījumi Latvijā (2008). LR ZM. 54 lpp.
8. Šņore A. (2013). Kūdras ieguve. Rīga: Nordik. 432. lpp.
9. Gemste I., Vucāns A. (2010). Notekūdeņu dūņas. Jelgava: LLU. 276 lpp.
10. Soil conditions and plant growth (2013). Ed. by Peter J. Gregory, Stephen Nortcliff. Hoboken [N.J.]: Wiley-Blackwell. 461 p.
11. Foth H.D., Ellis B.G. (1997). Soil Fertility, 2nd ed. Lewis Publishers. 290 p.
12. Tisdale S.L. et al. (1993). Soil Fertility and Fertilizers, 5th ed. Prentice Hall. 634 p.
13. Laegreid M., Bockman O., Kaarstad O. (1999). Agriculture, Fertilizers and Environment. CABI Publishing. 294 p.

14. Plant nutrition for food security (2006). A guide for integrated nutrient management. R. N. Roy, A. Finck, G.J. Blair, H.L.S. Tandon. Rome: FAO. 350 p.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Mēslošanas līdzekļu kolekcijas.
2. Tematiskās planšetes.
3. Informācija katedras vitrīnās.
4. Materiāli E-studiju vietnē.

5. Zinātniskās publikācijas, periodika, INTERNET resursi.

Notes

Compulsory (Part A) professional higher education (BS level) study program “Agriculture” (IKK42621), specialization – Field crops and Horticulture. Full time studies – 6 semester, part time studies – 6 semester.