Soil minerals, organic matter, clay minerals. Soil pH and buffer properties, Saline, saline-sodic soils, submerged soils. Fate of Pesticides in soil. Element cycles macro and microelements. Fertilizers; title determination, soluble, total and available elements: Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium. Organic fertilizers, compost, slow release fertilizers.
Laboratory: safety, Soil texture and structure, organic matter, CEC, pH in H2O and KCl, calculations and reproducibility in chemical analyses
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.
D.M. 13 09 1999 Approvazione dei «Metodi ufficiali di analisi chimica del suolo». Pubblicato nella Gazz. Uff. 21 ottobre 1999, 248, S.O.
Mottana A., Crespi R., Liborio G. Minerali e Rocce. Mondatori, milano, 1981.
- Giordano A. Pedologia. Utet, Torino, 1999.
Learning Objectives
Knolewdge acquired:
- the chemical composition of soil constituents, their dynamics and their effect on fertility,
-The processes and dynamics of soil formation
-the immobilization and run-off of plant nutrients and xenobiotics.
- Property and uses of fertilizers
- principal soil chermical analyses
Competence acquired (at the end of the course): The ability to assess the physico- chemical fertility of soils, and the pollution risks associated with their management.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):
The ability to manage soils and soil fertility
The ability to read and interpret a report of soil analysis
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended)
Courses required: none
Courses recommended: General and inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, mathematics, Soil microbiology
Teaching Methods
CFU: 6
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and labs, although non compulsory, is strongly recommended
Teaching tools
Video projector, PC, overhead projector, labs
Type of Assessment
Oral examination viva
Course program
The soil and its composition. The solid phase of soil: physical and chemical characteristics and transformation processes. Soil mineral fraction: structure and properties. Clay minerals: structure, functions and properties. Soil Organic Matter: chemical-physical characteristics and agronomic functions,. Water and air in soil, redox state and transformations of soil components in reducing conditions. Soil pH, buffer properties, characteristics of acid and alkaline soils and their amendment. Soil forming processes. Outlines on USDA soil taxonomy.
The cycle of nutrition elements (N,P,K,S) macro- and micronutrients in the plant-soil system. total and available nutrients, and their balance in soil Evaluation of soil fertility Fertilizers: title determination, soluble, total and available fractions: simple, binary and ternary fertilizer: chemical characteristics and use. Organic fertilizers, compost, slow release fertilizers.
Laboratory: safety in the lab;
determination methods of:
Soil texture, Soil structure, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, actual and exchangeable acidity.
Calculations and reproducibility of chemical analyses