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Sulphur in Soil, Plant and Human Nutrition

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sulphur is now recognized as the fourth major plant nutrient after N, P and K globally. Sulphur in soils comes from the sulphur containing minerals present in parent materials from which the soils are derived and from the plants and animals residues or from the external addition of elemental S or its minerals. Sulphur enters the biological systems from soil through microbial activities involving mineralization of organic matter, immobilization, oxidation and reduction. Plants take up sulphur only as SO =4 and reduce it to form S containing amino acids and other compounds. Amino acid cysteine is the source of sulphur for most other S-compounds in plants. Sulphur containing vitamin thiamine (Vitamin B1) is also synthesized only in plants and not in humans or other animals. Plants also produce vitamin biotin and a number of S-containing metabolites including glutathione, glucosinolates and alliin/allicin. Sulphur deficiency in wheat can lead to poor baking quality and in oilseeds it can lead to reduced oil content and yield. Sulphur is taken in as sulphur containing amino acids (SAAs) cysteine and methionine by human beings. The recommended dietary allowance for SAAs for humans is 14 mg kg−1 body weight. Lack of sulphur can lead to arthritis, muscle and joint stiffness, spondylitis, etc. Dietary supplements containing (chondroitin sulphate, glucosamine sulphate, methylsulfonylmethane etc.) can be beneficial in the treatment of joint diseases.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the director of the institute and head, Division of Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India, for providing the necessary facilities to write this review. Professor Rajendra Prasad is also grateful to the director, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, for awarding him an Adjunct Professor position.

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  1. Division of Agronomy, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 012, India

    Rajendra Prasad & Yashbir Singh Shivay

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  1. Rajendra Prasad
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Correspondence to Yashbir Singh Shivay.

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Both the authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interests for the publication of this review in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Biological Sciences.

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Disclaimer The observations made on nutritional supplements and other sulphur compounds are for the general information of the reader and before using these they are advised to consult the nutrition and medical experts.

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Prasad, R., Shivay, Y.S. Sulphur in Soil, Plant and Human Nutrition. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 88, 429–434 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-016-0769-0

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