No subject

Schnug at pb.fal.d400.de Schnug at pb.fal.d400.de
Thu Jul 15 07:49:30 EDT 1993


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E-Mail from: SCHNUG at pb.fal.d400.de

from:
Prof. Dr. Dr. Ewald Schnug
Federal Agricultural Research Centre
Institute of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
Bundesalle 50
D-38116 Braunschweig-Voelkenrode
Germany

phone: +49 531 596 303  // fax: +49 531 596 377
Cable address: Landforschung Pflanzenernaehrung 
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS: >>>>> SCHNUG at pb.fal.d400.de  <<<<<
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW POST CODE FOR BRAUNSCHWEIG  >>>>>   D-38116  <<<<<


to:  GRASS User Group
                            E-Mail: grassu-request at amber.cecer.army.mil.

                            DATE: 14 July 1993
 

Dear colleagues,

we are interested to use the GRASS-GIS system in our research work
and would like to ask you kindly for a copy of the program and 
documentations for installation and use. We have access to a 
Siemens SGI-RW420 worksstation and 486/66 PC both running under
UNIX. Beside disks we are able to process 4mm DAT-, QIC150- and 1/2"- 
tapes both written under UNIX-TAR resp. the UNIX-DD command.

For your information I have attached a short description of the 
research work we are doing in our institute.

Many thanks in advance for your assistance!

Looking forward to hearing from you soon,

kind regards

Ewald Schnug


          INSTITUTE OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE
              Federal Agricultural Research Centre
                        Bundesalle 50
                D-38116 Braunschweig-Voelkenrode
                           Germany

                        RESERACH PROGRAM


HEAD: Professor Dr. sc. agr. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Ewald Schnug

SENIOR SCIENTISTS (established)
Haneklaus, Silvia, H., Dr. sc. agr.
Harms, Hans, Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Helal, Mohammed M., Prof. Dr. sc. agr.
K|cke, Martin, Dr. sc. agr.
Murphy, Donal, P., M. Agr. Sc. M.I.Biol.
Rietz, Egbert, Chem. Phys. (Deputy)


Research work at the Institute is aimed at the sustainable nutri-
tion  of crops, the conservation of soil fertility,  and  mainte-
nance  of basic soil processes. Investigations focus on the  sup-
port  of biological processes in ecosystems and the economic  and 
ecological  optimisation of the use of nutrients in  agriculture, 
They  also address the legislative requirements of  fertilisation 
and soil conservation.


LOCAL RESOURCE-MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL SOILS

The term Local Resource-Management (LRM) describes an interdisci-
plinary concept in which traditional methods of field and labora-
tory soil science are combined with modern procedures and techni-
ques  of geostatistics, information handling and satellite  aided 
positioning (GPS). This technology provides the best chance  that 
the  problems arising from the inherent variability of soils  may 
be addressed successfully. The innovative research work conducted 
here  in plant nutrition and soil science will examine  how  this 
technology  is best exploited to give practical benefits in  crop 
production  and soil conservation.  It addresses the small  scale 
spatial  variability  in soil fertility; the management  of  this 
spatial  variability is a major technological challenge  for  the 
efficient  and  environmentally  responsible  use  of  production 
inputs.
The  main priorities are mapping and interpretation  of  geocoded 
features  of  soil fertility for the deduction of  Digital  Agro-
Resource  Maps  (DARM)  as a basis of  an  optimised  sustainable 
management  of natural soil resources, the combination of  models 
simulating  the  changes in soil resources in  time  with  models 
describing  their  variability in space, and the  development  of 
concepts  for  the deduction and  utilisation  of  `equifertiles` 
(areas  with  homogeneous crop productivity).  Research  in  this 
field  also includes the assessment of `on-line`  registered  and 
geocoded yield data and methods of remote sensing, the design  of 
innovative  fertilisation  strategies  applicable  for   quantity 
variable  distribution systems with satellite aided  positioning, 
and  the principles of the application of Local Resource  Manage-
ment to the requirements of soil conservation.


NUTRITION AND METABOLISM OF CROPS

Besides investigations into the uptake, transport and function of 
nutrients,  the  biosynthesis and regulation  of  the  high-value 
compounds  is of special interest with respect  to  physiological 
plant  nutrition.   Research work  includes  investigations  into 
technologically  important substances and  characteristics,  com-
pounds involved in determining plant resistances, and the  nutri-
tional quality of diets and feedstuffs.
The mineral nutrition of plants is a major factor influencing the 
content of nutritional and pharmacological relevant compounds and 
flavour and fragrance agents.  The physiological processes of the 
secondary plant metabolism is of special interest here.
Emphasis  will  be put on research on relations  between  sulphur 
nutritional level and the quality of plant products are  investi-
gated.  Information on the role of sulphur in  determining  tole-
rance and resistance against biotic and abiotic stress factors is 
required.  Furthermore, specific fundamental physiological  based 
knowledge of the mineral nutrition of stressed plants is required 
for  improved production techniques under  extreme  environmental 
conditions.  It is necessary to reduce or, better still, to  pre-
vent  undesired substances from contaminating or accumulating  in 
agricultural  products in order to guarantee the nutritional  and 
hygienic standards of diets. In this research field, more detail-
ed information on the influence of organic xenobiotics and  heavy 
metals  of different sources and nature on plant uptake,  metabo-
lism, growth and yield is required. Furthermore, the investigati-
ons will also consider for the persistence and bioavailability of 
these substances.


NUTRIENT BALANCE AND FERTILISATION

The evaluation of the nutrient supply of soils and plants is  the 
basis for optimising fertiliser input . For this purpose, diagno-
stic techniques and interpretation programmes for plant and  soil 
analysis  will be developed or extended. Furthermore,  strategies 
for the harmonisation of animal and crop production are  required 
for the development of environmentally responsible farming.
Investigations  into  the maintenance of the  sulphur  supply  to 
crops  to  prevent the economic and  environmentally  detrimental 
effects  of reduced sulphur supply on yield and quality is a  new 
and  priority research area.  Special emphasis will be put  on  a 
comprehensive  understanding of the organic matter as  a  dynamic 
pool for sulphur in soils.
Plant  roots  actively change metabolic  rates  and  mobilisation 
processes  of  nutrients within their proximity while,  in  turn, 
soil  physio-chemical characteristics influence root  development 
and  function;  understanding  on these  bilateral  relations  is 
improved for the description and quantification of plant influen-
ces on substance dynamics in soils.   
The  nutrient  efficiency of crops is defined by  their  nutrient  
uptake  and  metabolic utilisation. Therefore  research  work  is 
processes  affecting nutrient utilisation. These information  are 
of value for plant breeders in the selection of cultivars adapted 
to site conditions.


WASTE DISPOSAL IN AGRICULTURE

The  pressure to use agriculture as a way of disposing  of  urban 
and  industrial waste may conflict with requirements to  maintain 
the rural environment and guarantee food quality.  It is essenti-
al  that  comprehensive agro-ecological assessments are  made  to 
facilitate the safe disposal of wastes on soils.  
The  number  of urban and industrial waste products  is  steadily 
increasing,  and  many of these substances are of unknown  or  of 
variable  composition and pollutant potential. The risk of  their 
use  to the economics of the crop production system is  also  not 
known.   Research  to develop methods for  the  characterisation, 
evaluation  and redevelopment of contaminated soils is  required.  
Further  investigations into the transfer and bioavailability  of 
pollutants within the plant/soil system is needed.

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