791-028 Fertiliser Management & Precision Farm

202-201 Plant Function and 206-201 Soil and Water.

The objective of this subject is to enable the students to:

• determine nutrient requirements of crops (grain, horticultural and vegetable) and pastures;

• interpret soil and nutrient analysis results;

• understand the different systems for recommending and applying fertilisers to crops (grain, horticultural and vegetable) and pastures;

• develop their knowledge on the fertiliser and soil ameliorant industries in Australia; and

• demonstrate interpretive and investigative learning skills.

The content includes:

• the factors affecting availability of macro and micro-nutrients from soil and fertiliser;

• major nutrient and carbon cycles;

• role of major nutrients in plant and farm animal growth, with specific reference to grain, horticulture and vegetable crops and pasture based livestock production;

• an overview of the Australian fertiliser and soil ameliorant industries; chemical fertiliser production and distribution;

• alternative fertilisers - biosolids, green manures, mineral fertilisers, other organic fertilisers;

• types and forms of fertilisers;

• physical and chemical characteristics and standards of fertilisers and soil ameliorants, interpretation of plant nutrient status including visual assessment and soil and foliar analysis;

• prediction of fertiliser responses using a range of systems including response curves, yield targets, nutrient mass balance and other predictive models;

• economics of fertiliser use;

• fertiliser application technologies for different forms and types of fertilisers;

• fertiliser mixtures and compatibilities;

• site specific application;

• time of application;

• risks and problems in fertiliser use and application systems;

• environmental issues in fertiliser use; high or low input systems;

• nutrient transfer and off-site effects; and

• interactions between plant nutrition and protection, sustainability issues associated with fertiliser use including soil acidification, structural decline, organic matter decline.

Assessment participation (20%); assignments (50%); oral presentations (30%).