Pedogenesis, org, matter, clay min., pH and buffer properties, salinity, submersion, Pesticide's fate. N,P,K,S and microelements cycles. Fertilizers; title determination, soluble, total and available elements: Organic fertilizers, slow release fertilizers. Peat: formation, classification, characteristics and their use in plant nursery. Laboratory analyses
Textbooks:
L. Radaelli, L. Calamai. Chimica del terreno. Piccin 2001.
P. Sequi, Chimica del suolo. Patron Editore, Bologna, 1989
A. Malquori – Prontuario di chimica agraria, Edagricole, Bologna.
P. Zaccheo, C.Cattivello. I substrati di coltivazione. Edagricole
D.M. 13 09 1999 Approvazione dei «Metodi ufficiali di analisi chimica del suolo». Pubblicato nella Gazz. Uff. 21 ottobre 1999, 248, S.O.
Learning Objectives
Competence acquired
Ability to evaluate the chemical-physical soil fertility, including the pollution that may originate in the farm, but having its effects elsewhere
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):
to know the molecular characteristics of soil components and their effect on fertility, as well as the immobilization and run-off of plant nutrients and xenobiotics. Capability to read a label and informative literature of phytosanitary products and read a report of soil analysis
Prerequisites
Courses recommended
General chemistry, organic chemistry, mathematics, microbiology
Teaching Methods
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other individual formative activities: 102
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 32
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab:
not mandatory but highly recommended
Teaching tools
Overheads and lab equipments
Type of Assessment
viva
Course program
The soil solid phase: litogenetic cycle, physical and chemical alteration processes, soil definition; organic matter: chemical-physical-agronomic functions, clay mineral functions and properties. Water and air in soil, redox state and mineral alteration in reducing conditions, pH/eH diagram. Soil pH, buffer properties, causes of acidification-alcalinization, characteristics of acid and alkaline soils and correction. Saline and saline-sodic soils, submerged soils. Pesticide fate in soil. Element cycles (N,P,K,S) macro and microelements in the plant, total and available nutrients, budget in soil. Fertilizers; title determination, soluble, total and available elements: simple, binary and ternary: nitric, ammoniacal, amidic, fosfatic. Technical characteristics and use. Organic fertilizers, compost, slow release fertilizers.
Peat: formation, classification, characteristics and their use in plant nursery.
Laboratory: structure, organic matter, safety in the lab, cation exchange capacity, actual and exchangeable acidity, calculations and reproducibility in chemical analyses