Cadmium (Cd) is a potentially toxic trace element. Two growth chamber studies were conducted to understand how: i) mono-ammonium phosphate affects durum wheat, flax or canola Cd uptake due to fertilizer induced changes in soil solution and plant; ii) preceding canola and barley affect the Cd uptake of subsequent durum wheat or flax. Durum wheat and flax shoot Cd concentrations were greater when grown on previous crop canola soil than when grown on previous crop barley soil regardless of what type of crop residue, if any, was added. The increase in Cd uptake for durum wheat and flax when on canola soil was probably due to increased availability of Cd in soil. Conversely, the application of mono-ammonium phosphate – reagent grade and the incorporation of preceding crop residue did not increase the crop Cd uptake of canola, durum wheat or flax and durum wheat or flax, respectively.

Cadmium (Cd) is a potentially toxic trace element. Two growth chamber studies were conducted to understand how: i) mono-ammonium phosphate affects durum wheat, flax or canola Cd uptake due to fertilizer induced changes in soil solution and plant; ii) preceding canola and barley affect the Cd uptake of subsequent durum wheat or flax. Durum wheat and flax shoot Cd concentrations were greater when grown on previous crop canola soil than when grown on previous crop barley soil regardless of what type of crop residue, if any, was added. The increase in Cd uptake for durum wheat and flax when on canola soil was probably due to increased availability of Cd in soil. Conversely, the application of mono-ammonium phosphate – reagent grade and the incorporation of preceding crop residue did not increase the crop Cd uptake of canola, durum wheat or flax and durum wheat or flax, respectively.

10 pp. / Phosphorus is the primary fertilizer nutrient needed by alfalfa in Arizona. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of P fertilizer rate on alfalfa yield and soil test P. A phosphorus fertilizer rate study was conducted with alfalfa in Buckeye, AZ where 11-52-0 was applied at 0, 200, 400, and 800 lb fertilizer/acre in February, 2014 after the first cutting. Alfalfa hay yield was increased by phosphorus fertilizer application up to the cutting on July 30, but not thereafter. No differences in yield were found among the fertilizer rates of 200,400, and 800 lb 11-52-0/acre. Soil test phosphorus increased directly proportional to fertilizer rate, but eventually decreased close to deficient levels 3-5 months after fertilizer application. It is not known if additional fertilizer applications throughout the season would increase yield. Fertilizer rates higher than 200 lb 11-52-0/acre were not beneficial under the conditions of this study.

This thesis has made two significant contributions to the field of reactive crystallisation. First, new data from batch cooling crystallisation and semi-batch reactive crystallisation experiments of mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP) were obtained to describe the key factors that influence crystal nucleation and growth rates, crystal size distribution (CSD), and crystal shape. The second contribution is the development of a numerical scheme for solving the population balance equations, which can be used to describe the evolution of CSD during the crystallisation process. This scheme combines the finite difference method with a wavelet method, and is the first reported application of this approach for crystallisation modelling and simulation. / Experiments into the batch cooling crystallisation of MAP were conducted both with and without seed crystals. The effects of key factors such as cooling rate, initial level of supersaturation and seeding technique, including seed concentration and seed size, on the real time supersaturation, final CSD, crystal yield and crystal shape were investigated. It was found that a seed concentration of 20-30% effectively suppressed nucleation. The growth and nucleation rate were estimated by using an isothermal seeded batch approach and their parameters were calculated by non-linear optimisation techniques. / The second series of experiments involved the semi-batch reactive crystallisation of MAP. Both single-feed and dual-feed systems were investigated. In the single-feed arrangement, an ammonia solution was fed into a charge of phosphoric acid. In the dual-feed system, phosphoric acid and ammonia solution were fed into a charge of saturated MAP solution. The molar ratio of the reactants, initial supersaturation, presence or absence of seed crystals, initial MAP concentration, reactants’ flow rate, feeding time and stirring speed were varied, and the effects upon the real time supersaturation, final CSD, crystal yield, crystal shape and solution temperature were measured. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that MAP can be produced in both the single-feed and dual-feed arrangements. For the single feed system, the N/P mole ratio controlled the degree of reaction and the CSD of the product. Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) was not be observed in the single-feed system due to its high solubility. In the dual-feed system, a seeded solution with slow feed addition, moderate stirring speed and a low initial supersaturation provided the most favourable conditions for generating a desirable supersaturation profile, and thus obtaining a product with good CSD and crystal shape. / A comparative numerical study was undertaken in order to evaluate the existing numerical schemes for solving the population balance equations (PBE) that describe crystallisation. Several analytical solutions to the PBE were used to benchmark the following numerical schemes: Upwind Finite Difference, Biased Upwind Finite Difference, Orthogonal Collocation with Finite Elements, and Wavelet Orthogonal Collocation. The Wavelet Finite Difference (WFD) method has been applied here for the first time for solving PBE problems. The WFD scheme was adapted to solve the batch cooling and the semi-batch reactive crystallisation models, and the solutions were validated against experimental data that we obtained. / In summary, the experimental data provide an improved understanding of MAPreaction and crystallisation mechanisms. The adaptability of the WFD method has beendemonstrated validating the two crystallisation systems, and this should help extendthe application of wavelet-based solutions beyond crystallisation processes and intomore diverse areas of chemical engineering.

Phosphate application is still rarely used in sugarcane and can be done with phosphorus fertilizers of long residual period. This study evaluated the effect of phosphate fertilizers applied in the whole area before planting on sugarcane yield and technological quality. The study was done at Jalles Machado sugar-mill, in Goianésia-GO, during three growing seasons. The treatments consisted of five different phosphorus sources, soluble and insoluble, applied in the rate equivalent to 300 kg ha-1 P2O5. The fertilizers used were: triple superphosphate, mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP), Arad phosphate rock, Itafós phosphate rock and magnesium thermophosphate. The effects of these fertilizers were evaluated by analysis of plant height (height from ground to TVD), leaf phosphorus content, sugarcane yield in cane plant, first ratoon and second ratoon, by technology parameters in ratoon, by sugar produced and by agronomic efficiency. Application of magnesium thermophosphate and triple superphosphate resulted in greater plant cane height. Leaf concentrations of phosphorus in cane showed the superiority of MAP, magnesium thermophosphate and triple superphosphate. Phosphate applications did not affect yield of cane plant, but increased yield of sugarcane ratoon as well as the amount of sugar produced per hectare. In general, the residual effect of insoluble phosphates increased over the years. The Agronomic Efficiency Indices (AEI) of phosphate decreased in the following order: Triple superphosphate (100%)> Thermophosphate (89%)> MAP (80%)>Itafós phosphate rock (67%)> Arad phosphate rock (60 %). / A fosfatagem é ainda uma prática pouco utilizada na cultura da cana-de-açúcar e pode ser feita com fertilizantes fosfatados de efeito residual longo. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de fertilizantes fosfatados aplicados em área total antes do plantio da cana-de-açúcar na produção de colmos e qualidade da matéria prima de cana-de-açúcar. O experimento foi conduzido na Usina Jalles Machado, no município de Goianésia-GO durante três anos agrícolas. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de cinco fertilizantes fosfatados, solúveis e insolúveis na dose equivalente a 300 kg ha-1 de P2O5. Os fertilizantes usados foram: superfosfato triplo, monoamônio fosfato (MAP), fosfato natural reativo de Arad, fosfato natural de Itafós e termofosfato magnesiano. Para avaliar os efeitos imediatos e residuais destes fertilizantes, foram utilizados parâmetros tais como: altura de plantas (altura do solo até TVD), teor foliar de fósforo, produtividade da cana-de-açúcar na cana-planta, soca e ressoca, análise tecnologia na soqueira, quantidade de açúcar produzido e índice de eficiência agronômica dos fertilizantes utilizados. Na cana planta a adubação fosfatada proporcionou maior altura de plantas com a aplicação do termofosfato magnesiano e do superfosfato triplo. As concentrações de fósforo (P) nas folhas de cana-planta indicaram superioridade do MAP, termofosfato-magnesiano e superfosfatto-triplo. A fosfatagem não influenciou a produtividade da cana-planta, porém aumentou a produtividade da cana soca bem como a quantidade de açúcar produzida por hectare. De uma forma geral, o efeito residual dos fosfatos insolúveis aumentou no decorrer dos anos. O Índice de Eficiência Agronômica (IEA) dos fosfatos diminuiu na seguinte ordem: Superfosfato triplo (100 %) > Termofosfato (89%) > MAP (80%) > Fosfato Itafós (67%) > Fosfato Arad ( 60%). / Mestre em Agronomia