Mező- és erdőgazdálkodási szakoktató - Agronómus
LO Specification
2. LP aim
The aim of LP1 is to provide general information about:
- The most common used bio fertilizers and bio pesticides.
- The most common-used bioferilizers, their contribution to soil fertility and plant nutrition
- Give the general concept for quality control of biofertilizers
- Introduce existing guidelines for quality evaluation of biofertilizers
- Nano-fertilizers as a crucial tool for promoting the development of environment friendly and sustainable agriculture
- Genetically engineered microbes and their usage for agricultural purposes
- Crops response to Biofertilizers. To provide knowledge about the application of biofertilizers in irrigated, dryland crops, dryland legumes, fruits and vegetables crops
3. Knowledge background
Basic knowledge in:
- soil and fertilezers
- microbial physiology and ecology
- microbiology and ecology
- plant physiology and ecology
4. Anticipated Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
Upon completion of the LP1, the trainees are expected to:
- Learn, implement and enhance common knowledge about bio fertilizers and bio pesticides in the agriculture area,
- Understanding different types of bio fertilizers, advantages and disadvantages of bio fertilizers
- Learn, implement and enhance existing knowledge in the area of biofertilizers and organic farming.
- Be aware of the efficacy of biofertilizers compared to the use of inorganic fertilizers
- Differentiate the socio-economic factors necessary to sustain biofertiliser technology
- Outline and apply general concepts of quality management.
- Recognize and use various parameters for biofertilizers quality testing.
- Describe quality assessment procedures for different types of biofertilizers: Rhizobium; non-symbiotic N2-fixer; mycorrhizal fungi and phosphate solubilizers
- Learn, implement and enhance existing knowledge in the area of agri-nanotechnology, in particular nanofertilizers;
- Acquire knowledge and understand the role of genetically modified bacteria inoculated into soil and the mechanisms by which and the conditions under which, these bacteria impact plant growth;
- Understand the importance of biofertilizers, in particular nanofertilizers and GM fertilizers towards sustainable agriculture in reducing problems associated with the use of chemicals fertilizers
- Learn, implement and enhance existing knowledge in the area of applicationof biofertilizers in different crops.
- Be aware of the efficacy of different biofertilizers application in different crops.
- Be informed for the appropriate application methods for every crop.
Intellectual skills
Upon completion of the LP1, the trainees are expected to develop higher order skills that are reflected in their ability to:
- Prepare analysis how do most popular biofertilizers work. Explain and analyze the application of biofertilizers.
- Write and communicate educational papers about new biofertilezers, and making them available to the teachers’ community further discussions.
- Comparing parameters about liquid and carrier-based forms
- Prepare analysis of the application and environmental impact of biofertilizers and communicate the results to different targets: industry, business, government, general public
- Write and communicate scientific papers and reports detailing research and new findings, and making them available to the scientific community further discussions
- Prepare quality parameters
- Apply general concepts of quality management in define subject area
- Interpret data related to biofertilizers quality assessment
- Perform training and explain major issues in biofertilizers quality management procedures
- Prepare analysis of the application and environmental impact of nanofertilizers and GM fertilizers and communicate the results to different targets: industry, business, government, general public;
- Write and communicate scientific papers and reports, conduct research and describe new findings, and making them available to the scientific community further discussions
- Prepare analysis of the application of different types of biofertilizers in different crops and communicate the results to different targets: VET specialists in Agriculture, Biology, botany, zoology, farming advisers, agricultural inspectors, industry, business, government, general public
- Use reasoning and analysis to solve problems in biofertilizers application in different crops
Professional skills
Upon completion of the LP1, the trainees will be able to:
- Advice trainees how to represent biofertilizers as a better fertilizers.
- Design and carry out constrains of biofertilizers and constrains in biofertilizer technology.
- Promote biofertilizers through proved advantages, especially liquid forms.
- How to compare the common fertilizers with biofertilizers
- Advice organizations and business representatives on development and implementation of microbial biofertilizers as technological innovation, their efficacy and income effect.
- Design and carry out environmental impact assessments to identify changes
- Train agricultural extension workers;
- Promote biofertilisers through field demonstrations
- Develop protocols for biofertilizers quality assessment
- Initiate actions to maintain or improve quality of biofertilizers
- Perform inspections and give advice on biofertilizer’s quality provision
- Handle specific quality and risk assessment issues during biofertilizers field application
- Analyze farmer’s practices and come up with advices for more efficient and beneficial crop production;
- Design and carry out environmental impact assessments to identify changes upon fertilizers’ application;
- Organize and conduct training for application of nano- fertilizers and GM fertilizers;
- Promote nano-fertilisers through field demonstrations
- Advice organizations and business representatives on the application methods of biofertilizers in different crops and the application of different types of biofertilizers for every crop.
Wider competences
Upon completion of the LP1, the trainees will be able to:
- Understand and present the key role of biofertilizers in the sustainable agriculture
- Be independent, dynamic and organized, to think critically and creatively
- Influence and motivate others; to have organization, planning and judgment skills
- Communicate effectively, clearly and concisely; capable of team work
- Use modern technological tools to facilitate organisation and logistics
- Manage multiple tasks simultaneously
8. References and useful readings
- Raja N. (2013). Bio pesticides and bio fertilizers: ecofriendly sources for sustainable agriculture. J Biofertil Biopestici, vol.4 (1).
- SOER 2015 — The European environment — state and outlook 2015
- Megali L., Glauser G., Rasmann S. Fertilization with beneficial microorganisms decreases tomato defenses against insect pests. Agron Sustain Dev. 2013, doi: 10.1007/s13593-013-0187-0.
- Food and Agricultural organization of the United Nations, Soil bulletin 20,
- Prof. Dr. Zulkifli Hj. Shamsuddin, University Putra Malaysia, in Inaugural Lecture of 17th June 2005
- Marschner, H. (1995). Mineral nutrition of higher plants (2nd ed). Academic Press, London
- Matthew, C. J., Bjorkman, M. K., David, A. M., Saito and Zehr P. J. Regional distributions of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the Pacific Ocean. Limnol. Oceanogr, 2008, 53: 63-77.
- Gonzalez, L. J., Rodelas B., Pozo, C., Salmeron, V., Martinez M.V. and Salmeron V. Liberation of amino acids by heterotrophic nitrogen fixing bacteria. Amino Acids, 2005, 28: 363-367.
- Wani S. A., Chand S., Ali T. Potential Use of Azotobacter chroococcum in Crop Production: An Overview. Curr Agri Res J, 2013, 1: 35–38.
- Herrmann L & Lesueur D. Challenges of formulation and quality of biofertilizers for successful inoculation. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 2013, 97:8859–8873
- Malus E., Sas-Paszt L., Ciesielska J. Technologies for Beneficial Microorganisms Inocula Used as Biofertilizers. The Scientific World Journal, 2012, Article ID 491206
- Yadav A. K., Chandra K. Mass Production and Quality Control of Microbial Inoculants. Proc Indian Natn Sci Acad, 2014,80 (2): 483-489
- Organic Farming :: Organic Inputs and Techniques: http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/org_farm/orgfarm_biofertilizertechnology.html
- Biofertilizer Manual by FNCA Biofertilizer, 2006, Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF)
- Borkar S. G. Microbes as Biofertilizers and their Production Technology, 2015, Woodhead Publishing India Pvt. Ltd.
- Bjerre A.-B. European Biofertilizer Policy and Potential Market. Presented at: Biomass Asia Conference, 2013, 20-22 May.
- Sekhon B. S. Nanotechnology in agri-food production: an overview. Nanotechnology, Science and Applications, 2014, 7: 31–53.
- Monreal, C. M., De Rosa M., Mallubhotla, S. C., Bindraban P. S and Dimkpa C. Nanotechnologies for increasing the crop use efficiency of fertilizer-micronutrients. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 2016, 52, 3: 423–437.
- White J. C. Nanotechnology Use in Agriculture: Benefits and Potential Risks. Presented at: 2013 APHL Annual Meeting and 7th Government Environmental Laboratory Conference Raleigh, NC.
- Scott N. R. What Lies in the Future for Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources? Presented at: 2014 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum, Arlington, VA.
- Viebahn M. Effect of genetically modified bacteria on ecosystems and their potential benefits for bioremediation and biocontrol of plant diseases – a review. In: Climate change, intercropping, pest control and beneficial microorganisms. E. Lichtfouse (ed.). Sustainable Agriculture Reviews 2, 45-70
- Hazarika B. N. and Ansari S. Biofertilizers In Fruit Crops Department of Horticulture. Agric.Rev., 2007, 28(1) :69-74
- Venkataraman, G.S. and Shanmugasundaram, S.. Algal biofertilizers technology for rice. DBT Centre for BGA, 1992. Bio-fertilizer
- http://www.saiplatform.org/sustainable-agriculture/definition
- http://www.globalbioenergy.org/fileadmin/user_upload/gbep/docs/2015_events/3rd_Bioenergy_Week_25-29_May_Indonesia/26_5_10_MANEEWON.pdf
- http://www.waset.org/publications/12844
- http://permaculturenews.org/2016/04/28/biofertilizers/
- http://www.arpnjournals.com/jabs/research_papers/rp_2012/jabs_0512_396.pdf
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259717200_Bio-fertilizers-_A_Gateway_to_Sustainable_Agriculture
9. LP authors
LO1: Why biofertilizers?
Dr. Nataliya Kostadinova
Polya Dimitrova
LO3: Common used bio-fertilizers
Assist. Prof. Anna Tomova
LO4: Nano-fertilizers and genetically engineered microbes
Assoc. Prof. Anna Kujumdzieva
Assoc. Prof. Trayana Nedeva
LO6: Quality control of biofertilizers
Dr. Kliment Petrov
Assoc. Prof. Ventsislava Petrova
LO8: Crop response to biofertilizers
Prof. Dr. Dounias George
Mrs. Georgiou Zoi
Mrs. Markesini Panagiota
Certification
Bio-FIT project proposes Qualification Awarding System (Bio-FIT QAS) that envisages upon completion of Bio-FIT training programme, trainees to gain two types of qualifications:
- Awards. To get an award a trainee has to have 1 to 13 credit points which equals 10 to 120 hours of learning.
- Certificates. Certificates are given upon acquisition of 14 to 30 credits which equals 130 to 300 hours.
The two types of qualification can be given at any level of difficulty, specified by the training programme (5, 6 or 7). This is due to the fact that these documents reveal the size of the qualification and not its difficulty level. The latter is indicated by the title of the qualification, which also reveals the size of the qualification and its subject.
