Managment of sulphur fertilizer in forage sorghum crop cultivated in eutrophic Cambisol with alkaline pH

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of soil fertilization with sulfur-based fertilizers, sulfate and elemental sulfur forms on biomass production, nutrient characteristics of sorghum and soil chemical properties. The experiment was carried out in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme (four sulfur sources: single superphosphate, agricultural gypsum, elemental sulfur powder and elemental sulfur granulated with bentonite, and four sulfur doses: 0, 40, 80, 120 mgdm-3) using four replications in a completely randomized design, being cultivated in pots under greenhouse conditions. The sorghum was cultivated for a period of 51 days after emergence of the seedlings. The shoot dry mass, shoot macronutrients content, root and soil and pH of the soil were evaluated. There were interactions between sources and sulfur doses in the variables such as shoot dry mass, sulfur in the root, sulfur and calcium in the soil. Elemental sulfur (granulate) showed lower concentrations of phosphorus, sulfur and N:S ratio in the shoot. The concentrations of potassium, calcium and magnesium did not show significant differences, both for the shoot and the root. The pH of the soil was reduced depending on the sources and doses of elemental sulfur. The sources and doses of sulfur did not influence the levels of phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium in the soil. The elemental sulfur in the form of powder is the best source of sulfur for forage sorghum cultivated in soil with alkaline pH.

The Effect of Amending Soil with Waste Elemental Sulfur on the Availability of Selected Macroelements and Heavy Metals

“…Similar results were presented by Yang et al [32], Rahman et al [33], Skwierawska et al [34] and Karimizarchi et al [35]. Matos Castañon et al [36] concluded that soil pH was decreased linearly with increasing elemental sulfur doses. The optimal value of pH for the growth and development of many crops ranges from 6 to 7 [37].…”

“…Skwierawska et al [34] indicated a varied impact of elemental sulfur on nutrient mobility in soils. Matos Castañon et al [36], under a pot experiment, found that increasing doses of elemental sulfur did not affect the content of available phosphorus, potassium or magnesium, despite a pH decrease in the examined soil. In the conducted research, no harmful effect on element availability in the tested soils was stated 60 days after waste sulfur introduction.…”

Phytoremediation of Cu‐contaminated vineyard soils in Brazil: A compendium of Brazilian pot studies

“…Cross talks between sulfur (S) and Cu govern Cu transport (Courbet et al., 2019). The Cu‐extraction‐efficient crops Phaseolus vulgaris , Brassica juncea , Ricinus communis , Hordeum vulgare , Sorghum vulgare , and Solanum lycopersicum are indeed responsive to S fertilization (Ahmad et al., 1995; Barczak et al., 2019; Biddulph et al., 1956; Castañon et al., 2019; Eriksen et al., 2001; Glowacka et al., 2019; Nascente et al., 2017; Pandurangan et al., 2015; Rezende et al., 2018; Zuchi et al., 2015). High S requirements by Brassica spp.…”