Soil and Crop Quality Lab

Course manual 2018/2019

Course content

The course is designed as an introduction into the practical aspects of soil quality measurements and an experimental study on the effects of soil quality on plant growth. The course starts with a short introduction to experimental methods used to determine chemical quality of soils and crops. Subsequently, students perform a series of experiments in which maize is grown in soil amended with different concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium as well as biotic treatments. The growth rate and yield of the plants growing on these soils will be determined. In addition, soil properties important for fertility will be measured, including texture, bulk density, salinity, buffering capacity and nutrient content. The results will be presented as a written article and discussed in the context of the links between soil quality and crop yield.

Objectives

The student has
• insight into the relationships between soil properties and plant growth
• knows important principles of determination of soil and crop quality in relationship to soil chemistry
• has experience in laboratory determination of soil and crop quality
• can apply laboratory data to assess soil and crop quality as a written report

Teaching methods

• Hoorcollege
• (Computer)practicum
• Zelfstudie
• Zelfstandig werken aan bijv. project/scriptie
• Begeleiding/feedbackmoment

10 hours theoretical introduction

2 days practical per week during blok 2

Discussion of results in working groups

Presentation and discussion of results in written article

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

• In case of practical sessions, the student is obliged to attend at least of 90% of the sessions and to prepare himself adequately, unless indicated otherwise in the course manual. In case the student attends less than 90%, the practical sessions should be redone entirely.
• In case of tutorials/seminars with assignments, the student is obliged to attend at least 90% of the tutorials/seminars and to prepare himself adequately, unless indicated otherwise in the course manual. In case the student attends less than 90%, the course cannot be finished

Assessment

Assessment diagram

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Maximum participants is 60

Last year's course evaluation

In order to provide students some insight how we use the feedback of student evaluations to enhance the quality of education, we decided to include the table below in all course guides.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. W.E. Morriën