SW3043 :

Department

Department of Gardening

Academic Program

Bachelor in Horticulture

Type

University requirement

Credits

03

Prerequisite

Overview

This course aims to explain the concept of soil fertility and its productivity. The role of soil in supplying plants with various nutrients is discussed during this course. This course explains the physical and chemical properties of soil, soil fertility, and their relationship to increasing agricultural production. The course deals with the nutrients necessary for plant growth, knowing their sources, functions, and symptoms of their deficiency on plant growth. Different types of fertilizers and methods of adding them to the soil are also identified, and fertilizer recommendations are developed for many different agricultural crops and trees. The mechanism used in assessing soil fertility is explained by conducting some laboratory and field tests.

Intended learning outcomes

With success in the course, the student will be able to:

A. Knowledge and understanding

A.1. Recognizes the basic meanings and principles of soil fertility.

A.2. Accounts soil properties that are directly related to soil fertility and plant nutrition.

A.3. Explain the functions of nutrients within a plant's cycle of life.

A.4. Uses all types of fertilizer by using environmentally safe methods.

A.5. Evaluate soil fertility and make fertilizer recommendations for each crop

B. Mental skills

B. 1. Connects the different soil properties and their relationship to increasing production.

B.2. Links between the role of nutrients in the plant and increasing agricultural production.

B.3. Appears the variation among the methods of fertilizer applications.

B.4. Distinguish among types of chemical, organic and biological fertilizers.

B.5. Suggest different fertilizer recommendations for agricultural crops.

C. Scientific and professional skills

C.1. Applies mathematical equations to evaluate soil fertility.

C.2. Deals with soil analysis results to develop fertilizer recommendations.

C.3. Deals with various types of fertilizers (mineral - organic - biological).

C.4. Addresses problems that may occur as a result of a lack of nutrients or an imbalance in the dynamic soil balance.

C.5. Calculate the concentrations of nutrients available in the soil and give the necessary fertilizer recommendation for each crop.

D. General and transferable skills

D.1. Deals with all types of fertilizer in a proper manner.

D.2. Develop a scheme for the mechanism of fertilization of different crops.

D.3. Choose the safe and optimal method of fertilizer application.

D.4. Choose the optimal rate and type of fertilizer to suit the type of soil and crop.

D.5. Deals with various computer programs such as Excel

Teaching and learning methods

1. Lectures

2. Practical (within the laboratory of soil fertility and plant nutrition)

Methods of assessments

20

First exam

After Week 5th

1

20

Second exam

After week 10th

2

10

Report

Week 12th

3

50

Final exam

After week 12th

4

100

Total