Summary
In a pot experiment with soils of Alfisol, Entisol, and Inceptisol orders, the relative yield of Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) was significantly correlated with Morgan's reagent (N NaOAc+HOAc, pH 4.8)—extractable soil S (r=0.88), plant S (r=0.82), and plant N/S ratio (r=−0.77) suggesting suitability of these tests for diagnosing S deficiency. Total plant S lower than 0.21 per cent, plant N/S ratio wider than 17, and extractable soil S lower than 10 ppm were indicative of S deficiency, and were suggested therefore to be critical limits for these tests. Nitrogen and S in plant proteins were in near constant ratio of 16 and were significantly correlated (r=0.99). Sixty one per cent of 250 surface soil samples had less than 10 ppm extractable S and hence were deficient in S, suggesting a widespread S deficiency in soils under study. Extractable soil S in all soil series was significantly correlated with electrical conductivity and alkaline KMnO4-extractable N, but not with pH, organic C, and CaCO3.
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Bansal, K.N., Pal, A.R. Evaluation of a soil test method and plant analysis for determing the sulphur status of alluvial soils. Plant Soil 98, 331–336 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02378354
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02378354