Crop yields can typically be increased by 15% to 20% and crop quality can be improved by applying sulfur fertilizers in sulphur-deficient areas. Experiments have shown that the yield of citrus, soybeans, sugar cane, peanuts, sweet potatoes, tea and other crops has increased significantly, generally more than 10%.
Causes of Sulfur Deficiency in Crops
First, there isn’t enough sulfur in the soil itself. For typical crop growth, a 14:1 ratio between nitrogen and sulfur is needed. Different levels of sulfur deficiency will appear as a result of the widespread use of nitrogen fertilizers. Second, more and more sulfur is removed from the soil by crops as replanting index and yield per unit area rise. Currently, fertilizer manufacturers continue to strive for high concentrations. In particular, the majority of them substitute urea, ammonium phosphate, and potassium chloride for ammonium sulfate, calcium phosphate, and potassium sulfate, respectively, sulfur-containing fertilizers are becoming less and less, so that the sulfur required in the soil cannot be balanced.
Symptoms of Sulfur Deficiency in Crops
Sulfur deficiency in crops causes symptoms that are similar to those of nitrogen deficiency, including light green or yellow leaves and a lack of young leaves. Generally speaking, the plants turn yellow evenly, the buds turn yellow first, the heart leaves lose their green and turn yellow, the stems are thin, the roots are slender, there are no branches, the flowering and fruiting are delayed, and the fruit is smaller.
It is simple to distinguish between the symptoms of nitrogen and sulfur deficiencies because they begin in the lower old leaves and the upper new leaves, respectively. When rice lacks sulfur, it slowly turns green, has fewer or no tillers, is thinner, has thinner leaves, young leaves that are light green or yellow-green, leaf tips that have soaked round brown spots, scorched leaf tips, a dark brown root system, few white roots, and a delayed growth period. Vegetables lack sulfur, plants typically lose their green color, and later growth is slowed.
The veins of young leaves (buds) typically stop being green and start to uniformly yellow, spread throughout the entire leaf, and, in extreme cases, turn white. The flowering and fruiting are delayed, the empty shell rate is high, the stem is thin, the root is thin and unbranched, and there are few fruits. Sulfur deficiency is common in vegetable crops such as legumes, cruciferous plants, green onions, and garlic.
Rational Application of Sulfur Fertilizer
Currently, the main sulfur fertilizers that can be used on crops are gypsum powder, potassium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, superphosphate, and sulfur powder. Water-soluble fertilizers (such as sulphate sulfur fertilizers) can be used as base fertilizers, top dressing and planting fertilizers; Insoluble fertilizers (such as sulfur-sulfur fertilizers) are generally used as base fertilizers, and should be applied as soon as possible as a base fertilizer
The use of sulfate fertilizers, such as ammonium sulfate, superphosphate, gypsum, potassium sulfate, etc., is typically advised.
1.3-2.7 kg/mu for grains, 2.4 kg/mu for beans, oilseeds, and vegetables, and 2.7-5.3 kg/mu for sugar are the typical sulfur fertilizer recommendations. These amounts vary depending on the crop. To achieve nutritional balance, sulfur fertilizer application should be made simultaneously with nitrogen, Sulfur, and potassium applications. The ratio of nitrogen to sulfur in plants should be between 15:1 and 20:1 for best crop growth. The typical nitrogen-sulfur ratio used to fertilize crops is 7:1, while the nitrogen-to-sulfur ratio used to fertilize crops with Sulfur pentoxide is 3:1.
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