Sulphur is one of the important minerals necessary for proper plant growth and development. Also, Sulphur is found in protein disulfide bonds, amino acids, vitamins, and cofactors. Sulphur aids in the synthesis of enzymes, among other plant processes.
Moreover, sulphur is also an important component of the process through which plants produce new proteins, which impacts growth and vitality. Therefore, Sulphur partially interacts with plants by acting as a photosynthesis catalyst, which is vital to understand when diagnosing a sulphur shortage.
Why is Sulphur Essential for Plants?
To summarise, good soil includes micronutrients and macronutrients in various levels that all contribute to plant development. Sulphur, calcium, and magnesium are classified as “secondary nutrients,” indicating their availability is critical to plant survival. Sulphur is also a great soil conditioner, as it reduces the salt content of the soil.
Even though a plant can live in places with low sulphur levels in the soil, a lack of sulphur can cause the soil’s salinity to rise to levels that limit healthy development. A healthy plant has a balance of sulphur and nitrogen. If you apply a nitrogen-rich, water-soluble fertilizer, the comparative sulphur level may fall below the acceptable threshold.
How to Identify a Sulphur Deficiency in Plants
Assume you go out into your garden to check on your prize tomatoes and see that the leaves are turning yellow. Most people see this as an indication of a nitrogen deficit. You go out and buy a nitrogen-rich fertiliser to attempt to replace what appears to be a dearth of this crucial component in the soil, but the yellowing persists even after treating the area surrounding the tomato plants.
This indicates a sulphur deficit. Remember how we explained that sulphur helps to produce chlorophyll and is involved in photosynthesis? This indicates that a low sulphur content in the soil will have comparable consequences as a nitrogen deficit.
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Sulphur Deficiency Sources
Historically, crops obtained sulphur from the atmosphere in considerable quantities via SO2 gas from industrial operations entering the sulphur cycle. Currently, crops are not absorbing adequate levels of sulphur from the environment. Why the shift? Regulations modifying the composition of fuels and other pollution controls increased human air quality while reducing the quantity of sulphur compounds accessible in the environment for plants.
Agriculture is also influencing sulphur availability. Increased agricultural productivity removes more sulphur from the soil through increasing fertilizer usage, intensifying cropping patterns, encouraging high-yield crop types, and improving irrigation.
Moreover, the increasing use of high-analysis, sulphur-free fertilizers such as urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and potassium chloride introduces less sulphur to the soil. Consequently, this leads to potential sulphur deficiencies in crops. decreased use of conventional organic manures; and decreased use of sulphur-containing fertilizers.
Symptoms of Sulphur Deficiency in Plants
- When the sulphur status of developing plants falls below a threshold level, visible indications of sulphur deficiency occur on the plant. The presence of such symptoms signals a serious issue since crop yields might decline even when such symptoms do not exist.
- Sulphur deficiency symptoms are similar to nitrogen deficiency symptoms in that the leaves turn pale yellow or light green. Sulphur deficiency symptoms, unlike nitrogen shortage symptoms, emerge initially on the younger leaves and continue even after nitrogen administration. Sulphur deficiency damages some of the elder leaves in cotton, tobacco, and citrus first.
- Sulphur-deficient plants are small and spindly, with short and slender stalks; their growth is slowed; maturity in cereals is delayed; nodulation in legumes may be poor and nitrogen-fixation reduced; fruits frequently do not mature fully and remain light-green in color; and forages have an unfavorably wide N:S ratio and thus have lower nutritive value.
- When indications of sulphur deficiency are verified, soil treatment with a substance containing readily accessible sulphur should be used.
Conclusion
Sulphur is an essential component of full and balanced crop nutrition, and it has deservedly received more attention in recent years. Farmers should address several aspects when deciding on Sulphur requirements and fertilization.
