208-248 Water, Soil and Nutrient Management

202-110 Land Resources or 207-171 Sustainable Catchment Management

This subject provides students with an understanding of the importance of optimal use of nutrients and water in production to ensure maximum productivity whilst maintaining sustainability and avoiding off-site impact. The impact of tillage practices, rotational sequences, and livestock grazing on soil physical properties that influence soil fertility, infiltration and soil water availability will be assessed.

Topics include:

• evaluation of management strategies, cropping systems, and tillage systems that maximise infiltration and use stored soil water efficiently;

• developing skills in identifying major soil groups and land capability for specific land-use;

• providing a framework for evaluating soil: physical and chemical properties;

• developing an understanding of sustainable crop and integrated crop-livestock production systems that sustain soil and water quality without impacting adversely in the environment;

• evaluation of soil water and crop properties based on climatic parameters and meteorological conditions;

• developing awareness of the impact on soil and water nutrient levels as a result of intensive agricultural practices;

• the influence of intensive agriculture and horticulture on soil water and atmospheric conditions with examples of strategies to deal with these issues;

• issues associated with allocation of water between agricultural, environmental, urban industrial and recreational uses;

• developing knowledge of farm water supply systems for both stock and domestic use and irrigation in terms of both quality and quantity;

• water reclamation and re-use;

• methods of nutrient application including fertigation, broadcasting, row, deep placement and site specific will be discussed;

• efficient and economic application of nutrients including the preparation of nutrient budgets and performance monitoring.

Three-hour examination (50%) and two assignments equivalent to 3000 words (each worth 25%).