Soil Sulfur Deficiency Indices Assessment for Wheat Production in Ethiopia
Journal Title: Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition - Year 2017, Vol 2, Issue 1
Abstract
Sulfur (S) deficiency is becoming one of the soil health challenges in the Ethiopian crop production systems. However, visual identification of its deficiency, especially in cereals is difficult, because the symptoms are nearly identical with those of nitrogen. Hence, deficiency indicators are necessary for balancing fertilizer use. For this purpose, 18 sulfur response experiments conducted in 2012-14 were considered. Major aim was identifying more suitable indices of S supply and setting their critical thresholds. The treatments were: absolute control (CK); nitrogen (N); nitrogen and sulfur (NS); and nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur (NPS). The levels of nutrients tested were: S (0 and 20 kg S/ha), P (0 and 20 kg P/ha) and N (0 and 69 kg N/ha) in the form of gypsum, triple-super phosphate (TSP) and urea, respectively. Treatments were arranged in randomized complete block (RCB) design and replicated 3 times. In the study, from the selected indices: N/S-ratio and S concentration in wheat at booting showed better sensitivity as indicators of S deficiency than the organic carbon (OC) in native soils. Critical levels (CLs) were set at 90% relative yield (RY), using the Cate and Nelson model, and estimated to be 16.5:1(N/S-ratio), and 0.16% (S concentration); and 2.07% (for the soil OC). Therefore, sulfur responsive soils/treatments in wheat at booting can be separated from un-responsive ones, in which case much sulfur response is expected for sites/treatments with N/S-ratio >16.5:1; TS <0.16%; and the soil OC <2.07%. This study further affirmed that, plant analysis could be used as a better tool for assessing sulfur deficiency in wheat than soil analysis. Thus, the results could be used as provisional recommendations for wheat growing and as the basis for further sulfur research in Ethiopia. However, differences between the estimated values and those reported in literature have been observed. Therefore, the follow-up research should focus in identifying/standardizing a more reliable index of S deficiency and CLs, through a more reliable research condition.
Authors and Affiliations
Assefa Menna
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP337970
- DOI 10.9734/AJSSPN/2017/37480
- Views 65
- Downloads 0
Evaluation of Proportionate Combinations of Indigenous Rice Bran and Mineral Fertilizer for Improved Performance of Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) under Low Fertile Soil Conditions
Under tropical soil conditions, where soils are mostly marginal and deliberate fallowing of farmlands is very uncommon, integration of two or more different fertilizer materials, at pre-determined proportions, may be ben...
Effect of Time and Rate of Application of Poultry Manure on the Growth and Yield of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench) in the Cross River Rain Forest Area, Nigeria
Aims: The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effects of time and rate of application of poultry manure (PM) on the performance of an early maturity okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) variety ‘Clemson spinel...
Agronomic and Yield Parameters of CHC202 Maize (Zea mays L) Variety Influenced by Different Doses of Chemical Fertilizer (NPK) in Bali Nyonga, North West Region Cameroon
Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomic and yield performance of CHC202 maize (Zea mays) variety as influenced by different doses of chemical fertilizer (NPK – 20:10:10) in Bali Nyonga, North West Regio...
Assessment of Soil Properties around Industries of Jharkhand
Accumulation of trace metals and their bio-availability in soils is likely to have for reacting consequences on soil health as well as growth, yield and quality of crops. To assess the soil properties samples were collec...
Enhanced Growth and Yield of Lowland Rice (Oryza sativa L.) with Greenshield Organic-based Fortified Foliar Fertilizer
This study was conducted from December 2015 to March 2016 at the rice field area of the University of Southeastern Philippines, Mabini Campus, Compostela Valley Province. It was conducted to evaluate the bioefficacy of G...