Advanced Agricultural Sciences

1 Introduction.- 1.1 Definition of Semiarid and Arid Regions.- 1.2 Major Soil Characteristics.- 1.3 Crop Production Systems.- 1.4 Irrigation.- 1.5 Changes in Fertilization Practices.- 1.6 References.- 2 Nitrogen.- 2.1 Nitrogen Fertilizers.- 2.1.1 Ammonia Fertilizers.- 2.1.1.1 Anhydrous Ammonia.- 2.1.1.2 Aqua Ammonia.- 2.1.1.3 Urea.- 2.1.1.4 Ammonium Salts.- 2.1.2 Nitrate Fertilizers.- 2.1.3 Slow-release Nitrogen Fertilizers.- 2.1.3.1 Urea Formaldehyde.- 2.1.3.2 Sulfur-coated Urea.- 2.1.3.3 Nitrification Inhibitors.- 2.2 Fate of Nitrogen Fertilizers in Soils.- 2.2.1 Oxidation of Ammonia.- 2.2.2 Volatilization of Ammonia from Soils.- 2.2.3 Denitrification of Applied Nitrogen.- 2.2.4 Nitrogen Immobilization.- 2.2.5 Nitrate Leaching.- 2.3 Crop Response to Nitrogen Fertilizers.- 2.3.1 Methods for Estimating Available Nitrogen.- 2.3.2 Nitrogen Fertilizer Requirements of Crops.- 2.3.2.1 Cotton.- 2.3.2.2 Corn.- 2.3.2.3 Grain Sorghum.- 2.3.2.4 Wheat.- 2.3.2.5 Grassland.- 2.3.2.6 Legumes.- 2.3.2.7 Sugar Beets.- 2.3.2.8 Potatoes.- 2.3.2.9 Tobacco.- 2.3.2.10 Orchards.- 2.4 Methods of Nitrogen Fertilizer Application.- 2.5 References.- 3 Phosphorus.- 3.1 Phosphate Fertilizers.- 3.1.1 Superphosphates.- 3.1.2 Phosphoric Acids.- 3.1.3 Ammonium Phosphates.- 3.1.4 Nitric Phosphates.- 3.2 Reactions of Phosphorus in Soils.- 3.3 Methods of Phosphate Fertilizer Application.- 3.4 Residual Effect of Phosphate Fertilizers.- 3.5 Phosphate Availability.- 3.5.1 Uptake of Phosphorus by Plants.- 3.5.2 Contribution of the Solid Phase to Phosphate Availability.- 3.5.3 Methods for Estimating Available Phosphorus.- 3.6 Response of Crops to Phosphate Fertilization.- 3.7 References.- 4 Potassium.- 4.1 Potassium Fertilizers.- 4.2 Reactions of Potassium Fertilizers in Soil.- 4.3 Methods for Evaluation of Plant-available Potassium.- 4.4 Potassium Movement.- 4.5 Potassium Fertilization of Crops.- 4.6 References.- 5 Secondary and Micronutrients.- 5.1 The Secondary Nutrients.- 5.1.1 Calcium.- 5.1.2 Magnesium.- 5.1.3 Sulfur.- 5.2 Micronutrients.- 5.2.1 Zinc.- 5.2.2 Iron.- 5.2.3 Manganese.- 5.2.4 Copper, Boron, and Molybdenum.- 5.3 References.- 6 Special Fertilization Practices and Multinutrient Fertilizers.- 6.1 Multinutrient Fertilizers.- 6.1.1 Solid Fertilizers.- 6.1.2 Liquid Fertilizers.- 6.2 Application of Fertilizers in Irrigation Water.- 6.3 Fertilizers for Greenhouse Cultures.- 6.4 Fertilizers for Foliar Application.- 6.5 Fertilization Under Saline and Alkaline Conditions.- 6.6 References.- 7 Determining Fertilizer Requirements.- 7.1 Determination of Nutrient Availability.- 7.1.1 Visual Deficiency Symptoms.- 7.1.2 Plant Analyses.- 7.1.3 Soil Testing.- 7.2 Field Experiments.- 7.3 Yield Equations.- 7.4 Estimating Economic Returns.- 7.5 Fertilizers Rates Recommendations.- 7.6 References.