Plant Nutrients -Function and Acquisition-
| Numbering Code | G-AGR03 5CA11 LB79 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ Intensive, First semester |
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| Number of Credits | 1 | Course Type | Lecture |
| Target Year | 2nd year master's students | Target Student | |
| Language | Japanese | Day/Period | Intensive |
| Instructor name |
IFUKU KENTARO (Graduate School of Agriculture Professor) KOBAYASHI MASARU (Graduate School of Agriculture Associate Professor) OCHIAI KUMIKO (Graduate School of Agriculture Assistant Professor) |
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| Outline and Purpose of the Course | Plants take up inorganic compounds from rooting soil and convert them into organic compounds, on which all the living organisms on the earth depend. Seventeen elements (C, H, O, N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mo, B, Cl) are required by plants to complete their life cycle from germination to seed setting, and all the elements except carbon, oxygen and hydrogen are provided by soil. Each of the 14 elements has particular function in plant cells and different mode of uptake by the root cells. The function of these 14 elements wil be lectured, paying special attention to major fertilizer components (N, P, and K) and calcium (Ca) and boron (B), and also toxic metals such as Cd and Cu. | ||
| Schedule and Contents |
1 Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium These 3 elements are known as the major components of fertilizers. Because the requirement of plants for these three elements exceed the supplying potential of soil, appplication of these elements as fertilizers stimulate plant growth. That is, production of plant biomass is determined significantly by the availabilities of these elements from soil. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium metabolism in the environment (air, soil and water) and in the plant cells will be explained in detail. 2 Calcium and Boron Boron was found to be an essential element of higher plants in 1923, however, the function has not been known until 1996. Our laboratory found first in the world a borate-rhamnogalacturonan II complex in higher plant cell walls, and the formation of the complex with boron and calcium is now considered to be the essential function of boron in plants. In this lecture, the significance of cell walls in higher plants is discussed. Calcium function in cell metabolism is also discussed. 3 Organic farming Contribution of recycled organic wastes to crop production is discussed. Application of organic wastes will be an important measure to supply plant nutrients in place of chemical fertilizers under coming petroleum-scarce era. 4 Heavy metal contamination Plant responses to heavy metals in soil, such as Cd, Fe and Cu, will be discussed. 5 This lecture will be given intensively on afternoon of two to three Mondays. |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy | Credit is evaluated on a short essay for selected topics. | ||
| Course Requirements | This lecture is given in English. | ||
