Soil Sulphur status and response of crops to Sulphur application in Indian soils: A review

Abstract

Sulphur deficiency is becoming serious problem mainly because of incorporation of high yielding varieties of crops in multiple cropping system, continuous use of Sulphur free fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides for crop production resulting in exhaustion of soils of Sulphur. Soil Sulphur status varies due to variation in soil forming factors like parent materials, climatic conditions, degree of weathering, amount of organic matter etc. Normal agricultural soils in India content total Sulphur in the range of 50 to 300 mg kg-1 available Sulphur status of soil indicated that available Sulphur in Indian soil varied from as low as traces to as high as 800 mg kg-1. It has become increasingly clear that oilseed require Sulphur in higher amount followed by pulses forages, tuber crops and cereals. Results of Sulphur researches revealed that response of crops to Sulphur application is highly location specific; available S status, genotypes, growth conditions and crop management level dependent, whose optimum level has to be established based on local condition. Sulphur uptake varied depending on the crop and its variety, its yield level, cropping intensity, rates of Sulphur application, soil Sulphur status and status of other major nutrients particularly nitrogen and phosphorus.