Teacher(s)

Declerck Stephan; Draye Xavier coordinator; Lobet Guillaume;

Language

French

Prerequisites

A course introducing soil science

Main themes

·       Soil-plant interactions : functioning of cultivated soils, determinants of soil fertility, dynamics of soil exploration by root systems, rhizospheric processes
·       Biogeochemical cyles and processes : action of soil organisms (plants and animals) on the nutrient cycles, ecological requirements and biogeochemical action of organisms, soil degradation, modifications of biological properties
- Fertiliser science : estimation of crop demand, use of mineral and organic fertilisers, recent technological advances

Content

Table of content
1. Soil-plant interactions
·       Properties, heterogeneity, fonctioning and evolution of cultivated soils
·       Determinants of soil fertility.
·       Notion of soil profile ; evaluation of humus and nutrients content, available soil nutrients , indicators of fertility (definition, monitoring)
·       Soil exploration by roots : growth and development of typical crop root systems ; response of root distribution to transient and permanent soil conditions
·       Rhizospheric processes : soil-plant interactions at the rhizosphere scale (uptake, acquisition strategies, exsudation) ; complexity and dynamics of these processes
2. Biogeochemical cycles and processes
·       The soil biome
·       Mycorhizal symbiosis
o    Plant ' mycorhizae relations
o    The mycorhized root
o    Mycorhizal networks
·       Biogeochemical cycles
o    Nitrogen
o    Phosphorus
o    Potassium
o    Sulfur
o    Carbon
3. Fertiliser science
·       Estimation of crop nutrient requirements : diagnostic and measurement (trials, soil and plant analyses, indicator species, deficiency symptoms, etc.) ; analytical methods
·       Use of mineral and organic fertilisers : fertiliser use in crop management ; consideration of soil properties and wheather data (case studies)
·       Recent trends in fertiliser use : delayed fertiliser, organic agriculture, intensive agriculture and environment considerations.

Teaching methods

Course
Coached preparation and presentation of seminars (by students, partim Soil-Plant Interactions)
Excursion and seminars (partim Fertiliser science)

Evaluation methods

Written exam
Presentation of a seminar (partim Soil Plant Interactions)

Other information

This course can be given in English.

Online resources

Moodle

Bibliography

Support(s) de cours obligatoires
Diapositives du cours en ligne sur Moodle

Faculty or entity

AGRO