From: Dr. Camberato
Dear Faculty and students:\
I intend to teach this course in March 2011 although I have not yet submitted it for approval through the department. Assuming it will go through I hope to arrange 10 75 minute lectures in March with spillover into early April if needed. Feel free to pass this on to other students who may have interest.
Agronomy 59x, Nitrogen Bioavailability
Spring Semester 2011
Course Objective: Understand the major nitrogen transformations that occur in soil, the impact of nitrogen on the environment, and basic properties of nitrogen fertilizers.
Professor
James J. Camberato Office: Lilly Hall 3-365
Office and mobile phone: (765) 496-9338
Email: jcambera(a)purdue.edu<mailto:jcambera@purdue.edu>
Text: None.
Prerequisites: None, but basic soils, soil fertility, and/or plant nutrition will be helpful.
Assignments: By arrangement-10 75-minute lectures to be arranged in the month of March. Attendance and class participation is required unless ill.
Grading:
% of grade
Exam 1 (after and outside of the 4th class period)
30%
Exam 2 (after and outside of the10th class period, 2/3 new material and 1/3 from first 4 classes)
40%
2 Problem sets
15%
Case study group (2-3 person) presentation (classes 5 and 6)
15%
Learning objectives
1) Understand the soil and environmental factors affecting the major N transformations in soil.
2) Comprehend the impact of N on environmental quality.
3) Be able to design and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of an N balance study or N fertilization experiment.
4) Be able to evaluate crop production problems related to N management.
(approximate # of lectures) Topic
(1.0) Organic N
Forms and composition
Soil
Green manures
Residue
By-products/manures
Mineralization of organic N
(1.25) Ammonium and nitrate transformations
Nitrification
Nitrification inhibitors
Denitrification
Leaching (NH4, NO3, and urea)
(1.0) Ammonia, ammonium and urea transformations
Ammonium Fixation
Urea Hydrolysis
Ammonia Volatilization
Urease inhibitors
(0.75) Nitrogen fixation
(1.5) Environmental Consequences of N Loss
Water quality
Air quality - NOx, N2O, NH3
Biodiversity
(2.0) Nitrogen balance studies
Student presentation of case studies from the literature
(1.0) Fertilizer Materials Characteristics
Compostion
Acidity
Salt Index
Micro-site Reactions
Slow-release forms
Placement & Timing Options
(1.5) Nitrogen Management Tools
Soil Testing
Nitrate
Organic N estimations
Tissue testing
Plant sensing
James J. Camberato
Associate Professor & Extension Specialist
Agronomy Department
Purdue University
915 W. State Street
W. Lafayette, IN 47907
Office and Cell Phone: (765) 496-9338
FAX: (765) 496-2926
