Influence of sulphur application on dry matter yield andsulphur nutrition of maize (Zea MaysL.) in major soil orders of India

摘要

a pot experiment was conducted using twenty five soils having wide variation in their physicochemical properties and available sulphur content, representing Entisol, Inceptisol, Alfisol, Mollisol and Vertisol soil orders to study the effect of addedsulphur levels (0, 10, 20, 30 mg S/kg soil) on dry matter yield and sulphur nutrition of maize. The dry matter yield, tissue sulphur content and sulphur uptake by maize responded significantly to sulphur levels, soils and the interaction of both. All the three levels of sulphur increased dry matter yield, tissue sulphur content and sulphur uptake significantly over control. Increased level of sulphur application increased dry matter yield, tissue sulphur content and sulphur uptake by maize only up to 20 mg S/kg over preceding doses and thereafter non-significant increase was observed when 30 mg S/kg was applied over 20 mg S/kg soil dose. It revealed that application of 20 mg S/kg soil might be considered as optimum dose for maize production. In general, response to applied sulphur was more in soils having low available sulphur contents by 0.15 percent CaCl_2 2H_2O extractant (<10 mg/kg) as compare to soils having high (>10mg/kg) available sulphur content.