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@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