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Sulfur (S) is an essential nutrient for plant growth, influencing not only crop yields but also the composition and function of soil microbial communities. However, the differential effects of S fertilization on abundant and rare taxa in agricultural soils remain poorly understood. This study investigates the impact of different S fertilizer types on maize yield and the structure and stability of soil microbial communities, with a particular focus on abundant and rare taxa. S fertilization led to significant increases maize yield on two typical soils (black soil and sandy soil) (5.3–24.3%) and altered soil properties, including reducing pH (0.04–0.20) and increasing the available sulfur (AS) content (3.8–8.0 mg kg−1), with ammonium sulfate having a more pronounced effect than elemental sulfur. Microbial analysis revealed distinct impacts on the diversity and community structure of both abundant and rare taxa. Elemental sulfur reduced the alpha diversity of abundant taxa more than ammonium sulfate, while NMDS indicated significant shifts in community structures, particularly among abundant taxa. Network analysis showed that S fertilization decreased the complexity of microbial interactions among rare taxa, with ammonium sulfate leading to simpler networks and elemental sulfur resulting in higher modularity. SEM highlighted that the diversity of rare taxa played a crucial role in influencing maize yield, alongside direct effects from soil properties such as AS and SAR (aryl sulfatase). Functional predictions demonstrated that amino acid metabolism and xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism pathways were enriched in rare taxa, suggesting significant implications for soil health and crop productivity. This study provides new insights into the roles of abundant and rare bacterial taxa under S fertilization, emphasizing their importance in optimizing fertilization strategies for enhanced crop yield in specific soil types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization significantly affect seed yield and quality in Brassica oilseed crops. The effect of N and S management on the crop parameters (plant height, stem-base diameter, and number of branches), yield (seed yield components, seed and straw yields, harvest index—HI), and the quality of the seeds and oil (crude fat—CF, total protein—TP, crude fiber—CFR, fatty acids profile—FA, acid detergent fiber; and neutral detergent fiber) of oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. oleiformis Pers.) was analyzed in the study. The effect of N and S fertilization was evaluated in a field experiment in Bałcyny (north-eastern Poland) in 2020–2022. The experiment had a split-plot design with two factors and three replications. The first factor was the N rate (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 kg ha−1) and the second factor was the S rate (0, 15, 30 kg ha−1). Nitrogen fertilization stimulated stem elongation and branching. The average oilseed radish (OSR) seed yield ranged from 0.59 to 1.15–1.25 Mg ha−1. Seed yields increased significantly, up to 90 kg N ha−1 and 15 kg S ha−1. The N fertilizer use efficiency (NFUE) of OSR decreased with a rise in the N rate (from 4.22 to 2.19 kg of seeds per 1 kg N). The application of S did not increase NFUE. The HI ranged from 10% (0–30 kg N ha−1) to 12% (60 kg N ha−1). The contents of CF, TP, and CFR in OSR seeds (kg−1 dry matter—DM) were 383–384 g, 244–249 g, and 97–103 g, respectively. Nitrogen fertilization decreased the CF content (by 5%) and increased the contents of TP (by 5%) and CFR (by 16%) in OSR seeds. Sulfur fertilizer applied at 30 kg ha−1 decreased the CF content (by 2%), but it did not alter the content of TP or CFR. Oilseed radish oil contained 68–70% of monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) (erucic acid accounted for 2/3 of the total MUFAs), 24–25% of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), and 6–8% of saturated FAs (SFAs). Nitrogen fertilization increased the proportions of SFAs and PUFAs in OSR oil. Nitrogen rates of 60–90 kg ha−1 increased the contents of alpha-tocopherol (α-T), beta-tocopherol (β-T), and gamma-tocopherol (γ-T) in OSR seeds by 32%, 40%, and 27%, respectively. Sulfur fertilization increased the content of PUFAs and decreased the content of MUFAs in OSR oil, while it increased the contents of α-T (by 15%) and γ-T (by 19%) in OSR seeds. Proper N and S management in OSR cultivation can improve crop productivity and the processing suitability of seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur (S) fertilization and rhizobium inoculation are important agronomic practices for improving soybean growth and yield. However, their combined effects on yield components and the resultant impacts on yield need further investigation. Our study aimed to verify the combined effects of S fertilizer and rhizobium inoculant on the yield components and seed yield of soybeans, as well as photosynthesis dynamics during the V5–R6 growth stages. A randomized block design incorporating two factors was employed for field experiments on soybean, involving the application of five rates of sulfur (0, 5.0, 9.8, 14.8, and 19.6 kg S ha−1) with rhizobium inoculation or without. A reduction of 50% in mineral fertilizer according to farmer practice (FP) was applied alongside different rates of sulfur for field experiments on soybeans. The findings indicated that the application of sulfur fertilization significantly enhanced soybean yield by increasing the number of grains per plant (NG) and the number of pods per plant (NP). Maximum grain yield was reached under treatment with an S rate of 19.6 kg S ha−1, which increased NG by 39% more than an S rate of 0 kg S ha−1. Correlation analysis indicated that higher photosynthesis was closely associated with increased yield components. This study demonstrated that applying S fertilizers could improve soybean production by combining the appropriate sulfur concentration and rhizobia inoculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) requires a large amount of potassium (K) for maintaining forage yield and stand persistence. Therefore, soil inherently low in K levels must be supplemented with K fertilizers. Although several commercial K fertilizers are available on the market, choosing an appropriate K-supplementing source for a particular soil can be crucial in boosting alfalfa yield and nutritive value. A two-year study was conducted in an arid southern New Mexico location near Tularosa to evaluate the efficacy of three K commercial fertilizer sources in improving alfalfa yield and nutritive value in a moderately low potassium (84 ppm) soil. Nine K treatments or combinations and a no-K control were tested in a randomized complete-block design with four replications. Overall, supplementation of 160 kg ha−1 of K2O in all treatments resulted in a significant increase in alfalfa seasonal forage yield and nutritive value compared to the control. Sulfate of potash combined with ammonium sulfate (AS) produced greater seasonal yield compared to other fertilizers (muriate of potash and potassium nitrate) or combinations with gypsum (p < 0.05). This treatment combination also showed greater crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, tissue Fe and S, and soil residual sulfate-S and nitrate-N. A positive correlation between sulfur abundance and nitrogen availability in alfalfa production was evident in the study. Addition of AS to all three K fertilizers yielded better seasonal forage yield than K fertilizers alone or K fertilizers in combination with gypsum. Adding gypsum to the K-fertilizers appeared to have negative effect on the seasonal forage yield. Future research should evaluate various combinations of the levels of K and S to determine the most reasonable balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur and phosphorus are important plant nutrients required for potato growth, influencing the synthesis of primary metabolites that serve as the material foundation of potato flavor quality. However, little is known about the effects of sulfur and phosphorus application on potato tuber flavor. This study experimentally compared the effects of the individual and combined application of phosphorus and sulfur fertilizers on the flavor of potato tubers. The research examined the sensory characteristics of flavor under various fertilization methods, investigated changes in the types and contents of volatile flavor compounds, and conducted analyses on flavor precursor compounds. The experimental results showed that the application of phosphorus and sulfur fertilizers, either individually or in combination significantly increased the content of linoleic acid and linolenic acid. After the combined application of phosphorus and sulfur fertilizers, the starch and the reducing sugar content also significantly increased. (E,E)-2,4-Nonadienal and Decanal are closely correlated with fatty acid content. Dimethyl sulfide and Trimethyl sulfide contents are significantly related to methionine content. This also significantly enhances the fatty taste characteristics of the tubers but weakens the potato flavor characteristics. Hence, the application of phosphorus and sulfur can affect the accumulation of primary metabolic products in tubers, thereby affecting flavor quality. Compared with the individual application of phosphorus or sulfur fertilizers, when phosphorus fertilizer is applied at 180 kg·ha−1 and sulfur fertilizer at 90 kg·ha−1 in combination, it can further enrich the roasted flavor characteristics of potatoes and maximize the enhancement of potato flavor quality. This provides valuable theoretical support for achieving high-quality agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of sulfur is an important factor in potato production. At the beginning of this study, a hypothesis was put forward according to which sulfur carrier affects yield (TY) and nitrogen efficiency (EN). The three-year study was conducted in a two-factor system: (1) sulfur fertilization, SF (control—without S, elemental sulfur—S0, calcium sulfate—CS), and (2) nitrogen fertilization level, NF (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 kg N·ha−1). In addition to TY, the following EN indicators were analyzed: agronomical efficiency (EA), physiological efficiency (EPh), partial factor productivity (PFP), and recovery (R). For both sources of sulfur, an increase in TY was confirmed. After applying CS, the optimum for the maximum yield was 106 kg N·ha−1, while the application of S0 resulted in 134 kg N·ha−1. The impact of SF on the nitrogen economy decreased in the direction of EA = PFP > EF > R and depended on the sulfur carrier. A positive trend was found, associated with the increase in R under the influence of S0 and the clearly higher EPh after the application of CS. A particularly strong effect of CS on EA was evident in the range of lower nitrogen doses. The EN values depended on the meteorological conditions during the research years. The strongest variability was subject to EPh, which, as a result of SF, was significantly higher in relation to the control (without S) during the growing season, with an unfavorable distribution of precipitation. The application of CS reduced the unit nitrogen uptake (UU-N). Using path analysis, a direct relationship of Ca accumulation (controlled by N and S) with TY was demonstrated. The conducted research indicates a significant impact of sulfur fertilizers, related to TY and EN, especially visible under conditions of limited nitrogen supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to compare sulfate fertilizers and mixtures of elemental sulfur (S0) and sulfate in terms of yield and nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) status in perennial ryegrass. Mixtures of sulfate and S0 can reduce the consumption of sulfate alone. The plants were grown in soil cultures. The plants were supplemented with S0, K2SO4, MgSO4, and (NH4)SO4 or a mixture of these salts with So. Two sulfur doses were applied and the ryegrass was harvested three times. Fresh and dry weights of each swath, the N and S content, and their uptake were determined. The total fresh yield of sulfur-fertilized plants was 25 to 94% higher compared to unfertilized plants. The increases in dry matter were even more significant. Fertilizers, being a mixture of S0 and sulfate, showed the same efficiency as those containing sulfate alone. Sulfur fertilization resulted in a higher S content and its uptake, lowered N concentration in second and third swatch, and a decrease in total N uptake. In conclusion, to achieve high crop yields, soil sulfur deficiency should be corrected and fertilizers that are the mixture of elemental sulfur and sulfate are a beneficial and effective approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the agronomic evaluation of the supplementation of mineral NPKMg fertilizers with elemental sulfur, magnesium, potassium, or ammonium sulfates in pot experiments with ryegrass growing in a sandy Arenosol with very low sulfur content. A benefit evaluation was carried out on the basis of biomass production, crop nutritional status, and changes in the content of soil organic matter fractions. Furthermore, the total number of bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and fungi was estimated using the qPCR technique in soil samples after 60 days of ryegrass growth. The combined application of NPKMg and sulfur or sulfate fertilizers significantly increased the summary yield of three cuttings of fresh ryegrass biomass in the range of 32.3% to 82.7%. The application, especially in the form of sulfates, significantly decreased the content of free phenolic acids. Furthermore, compared to the control, i.e., soil with NPKMg applied alone, an increase in the content of glomalin-related proteins and a decrease in the amount of water-soluble organic carbon compounds were observed. Neither the number of DNA marker copy numbers of the total bacterial community nor the nitrogen-fixing bacteria were noticeably different. In turn, the total number of genetic markers for fungi was significantly higher in soils with potassium or ammonium sulfates compared to the control soil. The general results suggest that the application of sulfur fertilizers with NPKMg mineral fertilizer can benefit crops and support soil fertility due to the stabilization of aggregates and the decrease in water-soluble organic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As United States farmers adapt soybean (Glycine max) production methods from oilseed to vegetable (edamame), key management practices will need to be considered. The key objective of this study was to determine the optimal nitrogen (N) rate and N application timing for edamame in the mid-Atlantic coastal plain system. The study was conducted for three years in Painter, VA, USA on sandy loam soils. A factorial arrangement of four N rates was applied with two application timing strategies: at-planting, and split application. Leaf tissue samples were collected and analyzed at R1. At harvest, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was measured, whole pods were mechanically collected, and yield was recorded. Additionally, pod and bean physical and chemical quality were assessed. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased pod yield in two out of three years. R1 leaf N and sulfur (S) concentrations correlated to the yield, and R1 leaf and R6 whole-plant N concentrations correlated to the total N uptake. None of the tested parameters indicated that N fertilizer decreased yield or quality. In conclusion, we found that N fertilizer applied at planting may aid edamame yield and profit for sandy loam soils in the mid-Atlantic, USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detoxification of crops grown in Cadmium (Cd)-contaminated acid soil has been widely studied, but for contaminated alkaline soil, there is still inadequate research or information. In order to investigate the effects of calcium and sulfur fertilizers, accompanied by different side elements, on the growth and Cd uptake of Spinacia oleracea grown in Cd-contaminated alkaline soil, the plants were subjected to five treatments, including calcium silicate (Ca-Si), calcium biphosphate (Ca-P), magnesium sulfate (S-Mg), ferric sulfate (S-Fe), and zinc sulfate (S-Zn), and a control group. The results showed that the S-Fe achieved the highest shoot fresh mass and dry mass and the highest shoot Cd concentration and accumulation, which were 30%, 68%, 4.6%, and 73% higher than the control group, respectively. The Ca-Si, Ca-P, S-Mg, and S-Zn reduced the root Cd concentration by 18%, 42%, 7%, and 49%, respectively, and reduced the shoot Cd concentration by 25%, 36%, 15%, and 27%, respectively, as compared to the control. S-Fe increases plant N uptake and photosynthesis, which is beneficial to biomass accumulation. Ca-P improves soil and plant P nutrition status, as well as plant K and Ca status, and helps alleviate plant Cd stress. Overall, calcium fertilizers accompanied by phosphorus have the potential to reduce plant Cd contamination risk, while sulfur fertilizers accompanied by iron show potential for enhancing Cd extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to test the significant effects of inorganic sulfur and cysteine on grain protein and flour quality in wheat and to provide a theoretical basis of wheat cultivation techniques with high yield and quality. In the field experiment, a winter wheat cultivar, Yangmai 16, was used, and five treatments were established, i.e., S0 (no sulfur fertilizer application during the whole wheat growth period), S(B)60 (60 kg ha−1 inorganic sulfur fertilizer was applied as the basal fertilizer), Cys(B)60 (60 kg ha−1 cysteine sulfur fertilizer was applied as the basal fertilizer), S(J)60 (60 kg ha−1 inorganic sulfur fertilizer was applied as the jointing fertilizer), and Cys(J)60 (60 kg ha−1 cysteine sulfur fertilizer was applied as the jointing fertilizer). The fertilizer application at jointing stage showed a better influence than basal fertilizer application on protein quality; for the content of albumin, gliadin, and high molecular weight glutenin (HMW-GS), Cys(J)60 was the best among these treatments. An increase of 7.9%, 24.4%, 43.5%, 22.7% and 36.4% was found in grain yield, glutenin content, glutenin macro-polymer (GMP), low molecular weight glutenin (LMW-GS), and S content under Cys(J)60, in relation to the control, respectively. A similar trend was found in the end-use quality, as exemplified by an increase of 38.6%, 10.9%, 60.5%, and 109.8% in wet gluten content, dry gluten content, sedimentation volume, and bread-specific volume, respectively; a decrease of 69.3% and 69.1% in bread hardness and bread chewiness was found under Cys(J)60. In terms of application period, topdressing at jointing stage is compared with base fertilizer, the sulfur fertilizer application at jointing stage showed larger effects on grain protein and flour quality, from the different types of sulfur fertilizer, the application of cysteine performed better than the use of inorganic sulfur. The Cys(J)60 exhibited the best effects on protein and flour quality. It was suggested that sufficient sulfur application at jointing stage has the potential to enhance the grain protein and flour quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Vermicompost is enriched with plant essential nutrients and has been shown to suppress the incidence of pests; however, its potential is affected by its food sources. (2) Methods: Earthworms were fed cabbage or pig manure to produce two vermicomposts enriched in sulfur and nutrients, respectively. A pot experiment and a feeding experiment were then conducted to determine whether the application of the vermicomposts and sulfur could increase soil fertility, promote the growth of Brassica chinensis L., and inhibit the growth of Spodoptera litura Fabricius larvae. (3) Results: The characteristics of the vermicomposts were mainly affected by the food sources, and vermicomposted cabbage was found to have a higher sulfur content than vermicomposted pig manure. The application of the vermicomposts enhanced the concentrations of organic matter and available phosphorus, as well as the exchange concentrations of potassium, cadmium, and magnesium in the soil. Moreover, the growth of and the accumulated phosphorus and sulfur in the B. chinensis L. samples significantly increased when the plants were grown in soils treated with the two vermicomposts. Hence, the addition of vermicomposted cabbage and sulfur fertilizers can decrease the relative growth rate, total consumption, efficiency of conversion of ingested food, and relative consumption rate of S. litura larvae, possibly due to the increase in leaf sulfur concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, awareness on sustainable land use has increased. Optimizing the practice of nitrogen fertilization has become crucially imperative in cropping management as a result of this current trend. The effort to improve the availability of organic nitrogen has incurred a bottleneck while seeking to achieve a high yield and quality performance for organic winter cereals. Field experiments were conducted, under rainfed Mediterranean conditions, over a period of two subsequent growing seasons. The objective was to investigate the effect of soil and foliar S application on the performance of three durum wheat cultivars fertilized with either organic or inorganic N. The hypothesis to be verified was if different S fertilization strategies could improve grain yield and quality when coupled with mineral or organic N fertilizer. There were three levels of treatment with mineral N fertilizer (120, 160 and 200 kg ha 1), two levels of organic N fertilizer (160 and 200 kg ha 1), two levels of S fertilizer applied to the soil (0 and 70 kg ha 1), and two levels of foliar S application at flag leaf stage (0 and 5 kg ha-1). Cultivars were Dylan, Iride and Saragolla. Analyzed traits were grain yield, yield components and quality features of grain. Overall, at the same N rate, grain yield and quality were markedly higher for mineral than organic N source. Cultivar x Year x N treatment interactions significantly affected grain yield and quality indices. Iride showed a high yield stability throughout the mineral N rates in the most favorable year (2011) and, in the same year, was the top performing cultivar in organic N treatments. Dylan was the top performing cultivar for protein content, while Saragolla for the SDS sedimentation test. Soil S fertilization had no effect on grain quality, whereas it significantly increased grain yield (+ 300 kg ha-1) when coupled with organic rather than a mineral N source. However, foliar S application at flag leaf stage did not affect grain yield, but it significantly enhanced quality indices such as test weight (81 vs. 79.9 kg hL-1), protein content (13.7% vs. 12.9%) and SDS value (72.5 vs. 70.5 mm). A rate of 160 kg ha-1 of N (both mineral and organic) determined the optimal response for both grain yield and quality. Finally, soil and foliar application of S may help to contain the large yield and quality gap that still exists between mineral and organic fertilization of durum wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The granules of conventional fertilizers have been enriched recently with 2% elemental sulfur (S0) via a binding material of organic nature and such fertilizers are suitable for large scale agriculture. In a previous work, we demonstrated that a durum wheat crop that received the enriched fertilization scheme (FBS0-crop) accumulated a higher amount of Fe compared to the durum wheat crop fertilized by the corresponding conventional fertilization scheme (F-crop). In this study, we investigated the effect of S0 on the contingent mobilization of iron from the iron pools of the calcareous field that affiliated the durum wheat crop and the corresponding effect on the crop's iron nutrition and sulfur nutrition. A sequential extraction of Fe from root zone soil (rhizosoil) was applied and the fluctuations of these fractions during crop development were monitored. The fertilization with FBS0 at sowing affected the iron fractions of the rhizosoil towards iron mobilization, thus providing more iron to the crop, which apart from the iron nutrition fortified the crop's sulfur nutrition, too. No iron was found as iron attached to carbonates of the rhizosoil. Fluctuations of the iron pool, bound or adsorbed to the organic matter, were exactly the opposite to those of the iron pool associated with the clay particles in both treatments, suggesting iron exchange between the two pools. Replenishment of the F-crop's Fe content and a deficit in the FBS0-crop's Fe content in the rhizosoil were found at the end of the cultivation period. Furthermore, the initiation of the fast stem elongation stage (day 125) constituted a turning point. Before day 125, the use of FBS0 increased the iron concentration in the main stems and this was an early fortification effect, followed by an increase in the organic S concentration. Following day 125, the FBS0-crop consisted of plants with higher main stems and less tillers. A late fortification effect was observed in the iron concentration of the main stems and their heads after the stage of complete flowering. Prior to harvesting in the FBS0-crop, all plant parts were heavier, with more iron and organic sulfur accumulated in these plant parts, and the obtained commercial yield of the FBS0-crop was higher by 27.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertilizer application in rice farming is an essential requirement. Most of the high-yielding varieties which are extensively grown throughout the country require recommended levels of fertilizers to obtain their potential yields. However, effective, and efficient ways of fertilizer application are of utmost importance. Coated fertilizers are used to reduce leaching nutrients and improve the efficiency of fertilizer. However, conventional coated fertilizers such as Sulphur coated urea and urea super granules are not popular among rice farmers in Sri Lanka owing to the high cost. Mixing urea-coated rice husk biochar causes a slow release of nitrogen fertilizer. This coated fertilizer and rice straw compost reduction the cost of importations of nitrogen-based fertilizers per unit area of cultivation. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of rice husk biochar coated urea and anaerobically digested rice straw compost on the soil fertility, and the cyclic effect of phosphorus. Concerning the pot experiment, rice grain yield was significantly higher in Rice husk biochar coated urea, triple super phosphate (TSP), and muriate of potash (MOP) with anaerobically digested rice straw compost. The lowest yield was observed in the control. The release of phosphate shows a cycle effect which is an important finding. Rice husk biochar coated urea can potentially be used as a slow-releasing nitrogen fertilizer. In addition, the urea coated with biochar is less costly and contributes to mitigating pollution of water bodies by inorganic fertilizers (NPK). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was carried out in the 2020–2021 growing season, aiming at investigating the abiotic stress tolerance of oat (Avena sativa L.) with silicon and sulphur foliar fertilization treatments and monitoring the effect of treatments on the physiology, production and stress tolerance of winter oat varieties. In the Hungarian national list of varieties, six winter oat varieties were registered in 2020, and all of the registered varieties were sown in a small plot field experiment in Debrecen, Hungary. The drought tolerance of the oat could be tested, because June was very dry in 2021; the rainfall that month totaled 6 mm only despite a 30-year average of 66.5 mm, and the average temperature for the month was 3.2 °C higher than the 30-year average. Foliar application of silicon and sulphur fertilizers caused differences in the photosynthesis rate, total conductance to CO2, transpiration, water use efficiency, leaf area, chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, thousand kernel weight (TKW) and yield of winter oat. The application of silicon significantly increased the photosynthesis rate (16.8–149.3%), transpiration (5.4–5.6%), air–leaf temperature difference (16.2–43.2%), chlorophyll (1.0%) and carotenoid (2.5%) content. The yield increased by 10.2% (Si) and 8.0% (Si plus S), and the TKW by 3.3% (Si) and 5.0% (Si plus S), compared to the control plots. The plants in the control plots assimilated less CO2 while transpiring 1 m3 water more than in the Si, S or Si plus S fertilized plots. The effect of the silicon varied from 9.0 to 195.4% in water use efficiency (WUE) in the three development stages (BBCH52, BBCH65 and BBCH77). A lower leaf area index was measured in the foliar fertilized plots; even so, the yield was higher, compared to that from the control plots. Great variation was found in response to the foliar Si and S fertilization among winter oat varieties—in WUE, 2.0–43.1%; in total conductance to CO2, 4.9–37.3%; in leaf area, 1.6–34.1%. Despite the droughty weather of June, the winter oat varieties produced a high yield. The highest yield was in 'GK Arany' (7015.7 kg ha−1), which was 23.8% more than the lowest yield ('Mv Kincsem', 5665.6 kg ha −1). In the average of the treatments, the TKW increased from 23.9 to 33.9 g (41.8%). 'Mv Hópehely' had the highest TKW. Our results provide information about the abiotic stress tolerance of winter oat, which, besides being a good model plant because of its drought resistance, is an important human food and animal feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur deficiency arising due to intensive cultivation, use of sulfur free fertilizers and reduction in atmospheric sulfur depositions has become a major issue limiting crop production in many parts of the world. Elemental sulfur could be a good source of available S, but its slow oxidation is a problem for its efficient use as a sulfur fertilizer. Main objective of the study was to assess the effect of organic amendments (OA) and elemental sulfur (ES) on microbial activities, sulfur oxidation and availability in soil. A laboratory incubation experiment was carried out for a 56 days period using two sulfur deficient alkaline soils. Organic amendments (OA), i.e., farmyard manure (FYM), poultry litter (PL) and sugarcane filter cake (SF), were applied (1% w/w) with or without elemental sulfur (ES) at 50 mg kg−1. Application of ES alone or in combination with OA significantly increasedCO2-C evolution, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities in the soils, except dehydrogenase activity (DHA) which was not affected by ES application. Combined application of OA and ES had a more pronounced effect on microbial parameters compared to ES or OA applied alone. Ratios of dehydrogenase activity-to-microbial biomass C and arylsulfatase activity-to-microbial biomass C were high in ES+FYM and ES+SF treatments, respectively. Elemental sulfur got sufficiently oxidized resulting in significant improvement in plant available S. Relatively more ES was distributed into C-bonded-S than ester bonded-S. Increase in sulfur availability in ES+OA amended soils was the combined function of sulfur oxidation and mineralization processes through improved microbial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur is an essential nutrient—along with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—for plant growth and development. Sulfur is mostly supplied to crops through soil fertilizers. However, chemical fertilizers are overused to increase crop yields despite environmental threats. The proper use of chemical fertilizers positively affects crop growth and yield increase. Regardless, residues from misuse threaten not only the soil ecosystem, but also the marine ecosystem. Therefore, the need to minimize chemical fertilizer abuse is imperative. This article reports that sulfur can be applied to crop leaves as nontoxic sulfur (NTS) in trace amounts to positively affect plant hormones, chloroplast content, and ROS scavenging system, thereby promoting growth, and increasing crop yields. Furthermore, NTS and microelements, the micronutrients calcium and magnesium, produced a synergistic effect when applied together, and NTS enhanced the expression of auxin and gibberellin-related genes. Additionally, chlorophyll content was increased, and ROS scavenging ability was greatly improved. Therefore, NTS can effectively deliver potent growth-promoting functions of plants faster and safer than did soil fertilizers and consequently increase crop yield. This finding is a new strategy to replace soil chemical fertilizers in supplying sulfur. It is potentially valuable for increasing crop yields and can be applied to other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen and sulphur are fundamental macronutrients for the production of sunflower crop. Nitrogen is required consistently in larger amounts for sunflower production while common urea has more losses due to high solubility. On the other hand, sulphur application increases oil contents and availability of other essential nutrients (N, P, and K). Therefore, combined application of polymer coated urea with sulphur fertilization might be a promising option which can increase achene yield, oil contents, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). However, no particular studies have been conducted to explore the main and interactive effects of polymer coated urea and sulphur fertilization on growth, physiology, yield, oil contents, and NUE under arid field conditions. Hence, the current field experiment consisted of two nitrogen fertilizers [polymer coated urea (PCU) and common urea (CU)] and three sulphur fertilizer rates [S0 (0), S1 (30) and S2 (60) kg ha−1)] in a split-plot arrangement under randomized complete block design (RCBD) during spring season of 2019 and 2020. Experimental results revealed that growth, physiology, yield, oil contents, and NUE of sunflower crop were significantly improved with the application of nitrogen fertilizers, sulphur fertilizer rates, and their interaction. Meanwhile, NUE, achene yield and oil contents were increased by 16.0–17.2%, 16.5–17.0%, and 2.96–3.19% respectively with the application of PCU compared with CU. Furthermore, NUE, achene yield and oil contents were also increased by 12.8–13.3%, 13.1–13.7%, and 10.7–10.9%, respectively, due to sulphur fertilization of 60 kg ha−1compared with no sulphur application. Similarly, NUE, achene yield, and oil contents were increased by 32.9–39.5%, 31.7–32.6%, and 13.1–13.2% respectively with the application of PCU in combination with sulphur fertilization of 60 kg ha−1compared with CU × S0, which also evidenced a clear and positive interaction between nitrogen and sulphur. Conclusively, PCU (130 kg ha−1) in combination with sulphur fertilization of 60 kg ha−1 is promising option for obtaining higher achene yield, oil contents, and NUE for sunflower crop under arid environment, and hence, it might be a good agronomic adaptation strategy for sustainable production of sunflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization of fertilization enables to obtain a yield of high quality and quantity, brings economic profits, and reduces environmental threats. The aim of the three-year field experiment was to determine the efficiency of fertilization with a new fertilizer available on the Polish market and containing nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) in proportions designed for cereals cultivation (30% N and 6% S as ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate). Other treatments included no fertilization; fertilization with ammonium nitrate (34% N); fertilization with standard nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer with N supplementation with ammonium nitrate. Nitrogen doses were 150, 200, and 250 kg N ha−1. Sulfur was applied in doses of 30, 40, and 50 kg S ha−1. A beneficial effect of using fertilizer containing N and S in proportions designed for cereals cultivation was observed. The highest mean optimal nitrogen dose and maximum winter wheat yield were recorded for the new fertilizer (217 kg N ha−1 and 8251 kg ha−1, respectively). Sulfur supplementation with the new fertilizer significantly increased apparent nitrogen recovery (mean values 48.9%, 44.6%, and 40.6% for doses 150, 200, and 250 kg N ha−1, respectively), agronomic efficiency (11.1 and 8.6 kg kg−1 N for doses 200 and 250 kg N ha−1, respectively), and physiological efficiency (24.7 kg kg−1 N for dose 200 kg N ha−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]