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The sulphur requirements of plants as evidenced by the sulphur-nitrogen ratio in the organic matter a review of published data

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Summary

From a review of published data on S- and N-fractions it has been shown that on a gram atom basis these elements occur in organic forms in a ratio ranging from 0.025 (legumes) to 0.032 (gramineous plants) and that this is the same as the S : N ratio in the proteins which constitute about 80 per cent of the organic S and N present.

In plants deficient in sulphur, the ratio organic-S : organic-N becomes less than normal due to an increase in the proportion of non-protein organic-N compounds low in sulphur. With sulphur deficiency the cytoplasmic proteins decrease out of proportion to the chloroplast proteins of a higher S content so that the ratio of protein-S to protein-N tends to increase. A similar change may occur during the fall in tissue protein content with increasing plant age.

Sulphur-deficient plants show a subnormal ratio of organic-S to organic-N in the absence of sulphate in the tissues. Plants in which the protein content is decreased by proteolysis may have subnormal organic-S : organic-S ratios in the presence of sulphate in the tissues,i.e. without S shortage. This may occur during dark starvation or in seedlings drawing upon reserve proteins in the seeds.

The S-requirements for growth are reflected in the normal ratio of organic-S to organic-N.

In most species investigated, organic-S occurs mainly as cystine and methionine and is directly related to protein metabolism. Because of the presence of other forms of organic-S, the organic-S : organic-N ratio in the Brassica species is higher.

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  1. Institute for Biological and Chemical Research on Field Crops and Herbage, Wageningen, Netherlands

    W. Dijkshoorn & A. L. van Wijk

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  1. W. Dijkshoorn
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Dijkshoorn, W., van Wijk, A.L. The sulphur requirements of plants as evidenced by the sulphur-nitrogen ratio in the organic matter a review of published data. Plant Soil 26, 129–157 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01978680

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