| Department of Agricultural Sciences | |||||||||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | BSc. 3 year | ||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | One block | ||||||||||||||||||
| Credits | 7.5 (ECTS) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Course Level | Joint BSc and MSc The course is for both MSc and BSc students, but the latter should be in their 3rd year and well-founded in chemistry. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Examination | Continuous Assessment written examination All aids allowed Description of Examination: The students will be continuously assessed based on outputs from the 4 major themes of the course. This includes two multiple-choice/short text-answer/image diagnosis tests (indiv., no aids), a 24h take home essay (indiv., all aids), and a case study report (group). Weight: Each of the 4 outputs will be marked according to the 13-point scale and contributes equally (25 % each) to the average course grade given. 13-point scale, internal examiner | ||||||||||||||||||
| Organisation of Teaching | Lectures, theoretical and practical exercises (greenhouse), case-study work, excursion | ||||||||||||||||||
| Block Placement | Block 1 Week Structure: C | ||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching Language | English | ||||||||||||||||||
| No Credit Points With | 055639 Planternes Ernæring i Land- og Havebruget | ||||||||||||||||||
| Optional Prerequisites | 250036 Plant Physiology and Anatomy 250021 Soil, Water, and Plants or similar plant physiology and soil science courses | ||||||||||||||||||
| Areas of Competence the Course Will Address | |||||||||||||||||||
| Basic science: - Comprehension of the biological and chemical processes affecting plant availability of nutrients in fertilisers, manures and other soil amendments used in agriculture and horticulture - Comprehension of crop nutritional physiology, nutrient function and the effects of fertilisation and soil fertility management on crop yield and quality - Comprehension of the effects of fertilisation on nutrient losses to the environment Applied science: - Ability to evaluate nutrient status and demand of soil, other growth media and crops, based on soil and plant analyses - Ability to diagnose nutrient deficiency symptoms in common agricultural and horticultural crop plants - Can apply advanced principles to fertilisation strategy planning, taking into account soil nutrient mineralisation and optimal use of available organic manures (animal waste, green manures, catch crops) Ethics and values: - Are able to discuss the role of fertilisation and organic manures on sustainability issues | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Objectives | |||||||||||||||||||
| To give applicable and advanced knowledge on the biological and chemical processes affecting plant availability, function and losses of nutrients applied in fertilisers, organic manures and amendments used in agricultural and horticultural crop production. With this knowledge students become able to evaluate soil nutrient status and crop nutrient demand, to diagnose nutrient deficiencies of agricultural and horticultural crops, and to plan fertilisation strategies at the crop and farm level. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Contents | |||||||||||||||||||
| The course is about the management of soil and other growth media for optimal nutrition of agricultural and horticultural crops. This includes topics about soil fertility management, soil liming an amelioration, plant nutritional physiology, production and use of fertilisers, crop fertiliser response and effects on crop quality, efficient management of animal manures and green manures for reducing nutrient loss, fertilisation strategies for individual crops and application of nutrient balances. The course is mainly focussed on temperate, intensive agricultural and horticultural production, but has an international perspective and will also include minor topics within low-input or warmer climate production systems. The course content is organised in four major themes: - Turnover of macro and micronutrients in soil and their function in plants - Soil fertility, plant nutrient availability and nutrient deficiency diagnosis - Sustainable management of organic manures: animal waste, catch crops and green manures - Crop fertilisation strategies: effects on yield and quality Within each theme, students will work actively with exercises and case-studies, learning about the methods for analysis and evaluation of soil and plant nutrient status, concluding with a major case on fertilisation planning for a farm of agricultural or horticultural production. The course gives important competences for jobs in private or public advisory service for farmers or gardeners, in public administration and international organisations within agricultural and horticultural production, as well as teaching and research at college and university level. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching And Learning Methods | |||||||||||||||||||
| Within the four major themes of the course (each lasting 1½-3 weeks) the course will consist of lectures, theoretical and practical exercises (greenhouse) as well as group discussions about case-studies or selected papers. Usually each half-day will start with a few lectures followed by student centred activity, sometimes ending with a summary lecture or discussion. The exercise activities will be both in groups and individually, and most of the student activity in the course is expected to result in written output, which will form the basis for assessment. There will also be a full-day excursion to relevant private companies and public institutions in the sector (in 2006 this excursion may be replaced by an international excursion for several days, more info prior to block 1 on the course homepage). | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Litterature | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jensen, L.S.; Husted, S.(2006): Applied Plant Nutrition. Samfundslitteratur, KVL-bogladen. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Coordinator | |||||||||||||||||||
| Lars Stoumann Jensen, lsj@life.ku.dk, Department of Agriculture and Ecology/Plant and Soil Science, Phone: 35333470 Søren Husted, shu@life.ku.dk, Department of Agricultural Sciences/Plant and Soil Science, Phone: 35333498 | |||||||||||||||||||
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