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Studies on sulphur in vertisols

I. Soil and plant tests for diagnosing sulphur deficiency in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)

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Summary

Some soil and plant test methods were evaluated for predicting response of soybean crop (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) to S application in vertisols. Morgan's reagent, 500 ppm P containing Ca(H2PO4)2.H2O and KH2PO4 solutions, 0.5N NH4OAc+0.25N HOAc and 0.15% CaCl2 were found to be suitable extractants for measuring available soil S. The critical limits of extractable S were 9.0 ppm by Morgan's reagent, 10.0 ppm by phosphate solutions, 8.0 ppm by 0.5N NH4OAc +0.25N HOAc and 14.0 ppm by 0.15% CaCl2. Morgan's reagent was regarded as superior to other soil test methods in view of its high relationship with S uptake by plants, A values and relative yield. Critical S concentration in soybean plants varied with age. It was 0.15% and 0.185% for 36 and 60 days old plants, respectively. The critical N/S ratio on the other hand appeared to be constant at about 16.5 during vegetative growth period. Constancy of critical N/S ratio in plants was attributed to the near constancy of N/S ratio in plant proteins. There was highly significant relationship between response of soybean to S and to N, supporting the conclusion of some earlier workers that any soil showing large responses to N may not be supplying adequate S from the mineralization of soil organic matter.

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Author notes

  1. D. P. Motiramani

    Present address: Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat (Assam), India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, J.N. Agricultural University, Jabalpur, India

    K. N. Bansal, D. P. Motiramani & A. R. Pal

Authors
  1. K. N. Bansal
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  2. D. P. Motiramani
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  3. A. R. Pal
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Bansal, K.N., Motiramani, D.P. & Pal, A.R. Studies on sulphur in vertisols. Plant Soil 70, 133–140 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374756

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374756

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