Abstract
High pH soils limit availability of pH sensitive nutrients including phosphorus (P), even though abundant levels are present. Application of such nutrients to the soil is ineffective because they quickly get tied up in unavailable forms. Elemental sulfur (S) application in a narrow band to lower root zone pH and increase nutrient availability to the crop is a possible economically feasible solution. A four year field study was conducted in which S was applied to sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) at rates up to 1120 kg S ha−1 each of the 1st three years in a band using different application methods. Sulfur application effects on soil pH were gradual, causing only a slight reduction in the application zone after one year; but was long lasting, resulting in continuing substantial declines in soil pH in an adjacent zone four years after the first S application. Soil available P, sulfate (SO4)-S, and salinity levels increased with increasing S applied. Sugarcane plant growth, as indicated by leaf area index during the grand growth period responded to moderate S application levels. Sugarcane yields increased linearly in the plant crop, but showed quadratic responses to S applications in the 1st through 3rd ratoon crops. Initial soil available P levels prior to the first treatment application were at the critical level considered adequate for crop requirements, yet growth and yield increases in response to S application suggest that the critical available soil P levels for sugarcane may be higher than previously established. Sulfur application at rates beyond those necessary to produce maximum yields resulted in salinity problems which probably reduced yields. The ‘stool splitter’ application method, which slices the plant stool using a coulter and places the fertilizer directly in the middle of the furrow caused crop damage and stand loss which persisted for the remainder of the sugarcane crops. Based on the results of this study, a single application of elemental S at up to 1120 kg S ha−1 directly below the seed cane at planting is recommend for sugarcane on a calcareous soil, with no additional applications in later crops.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur application caused only a slight reduction in soil pH in the application zone after one year.
- Taxon
- sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- Sulfur applicatione2
- Outcome
- soil pHe2
- Direction
- slight reductione2
- Setting
- application zonee2
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“A four year field study was conducted in which S was applied to sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) at rates up to 1120 kg S ha−1 each of the 1st three years in a band using different application methods”
e2“Sulfur application effects on soil pH were gradual, causing only a slight reduction in the application zone after one year; but was long lasting, resulting in continuing substantial declines in soil pH in an adjacent zone four years after the first S application”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil pH declined substantially in an adjacent zone four years after the first sulfur application.
- Taxon
- sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- first S applicatione2
- Outcome
- soil pHe2
- Direction
- continuing substantial declinese2
- Setting
- adjacent zonee2
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“A four year field study was conducted in which S was applied to sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) at rates up to 1120 kg S ha−1 each of the 1st three years in a band using different application methods”
e2“Sulfur application effects on soil pH were gradual, causing only a slight reduction in the application zone after one year; but was long lasting, resulting in continuing substantial declines in soil pH in an adjacent zone four years after the first S application”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil available P, sulfate-S and salinity levels increased with increasing sulfur applied.
- Taxon
- sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- increasing S appliede3
- Outcome
- Soil available P, sulfate (SO4)-S, and salinity levelse3
- Direction
- increasede3
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“A four year field study was conducted in which S was applied to sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) at rates up to 1120 kg S ha−1 each of the 1st three years in a band using different application methods”
e3“Soil available P, sulfate (SO4)-S, and salinity levels increased with increasing S applied”
Claim · model-written summary
Sugarcane leaf area index during grand growth responded to moderate sulfur application levels.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee4
- Organ / stage
- grand growth periode4
- Treatment
- moderate S application levelse4
- Outcome
- leaf area indexe4
- Direction
- respondede4
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“A four year field study was conducted in which S was applied to sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) at rates up to 1120 kg S ha−1 each of the 1st three years in a band using different application methods”
e4“Sugarcane plant growth, as indicated by leaf area index during the grand growth period responded to moderate S application levels”
Claim · model-written summary
Sugarcane yields increased linearly in the plant crop with sulfur application.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee5
- Organ / stage
- plant crope5
- Treatment
- S applicationse5
- Outcome
- yieldse5
- Direction
- increased linearlye5
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“A four year field study was conducted in which S was applied to sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) at rates up to 1120 kg S ha−1 each of the 1st three years in a band using different application methods”
e5“Sugarcane yields increased linearly in the plant crop, but showed quadratic responses to S applications in the 1st through 3rd ratoon crops”
Claim · model-written summary
Sugarcane yields showed quadratic responses to sulfur applications in the 1st through 3rd ratoon crops.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee5
- Organ / stage
- 1st through 3rd ratoon cropse5
- Treatment
- S applicationse5
- Outcome
- yieldse5
- Direction
- quadratic responsese5
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“A four year field study was conducted in which S was applied to sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) at rates up to 1120 kg S ha−1 each of the 1st three years in a band using different application methods”
e5“Sugarcane yields increased linearly in the plant crop, but showed quadratic responses to S applications in the 1st through 3rd ratoon crops”
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur at rates beyond those needed for maximum yield caused salinity problems that probably reduced sugarcane yields.
Verbatim
e7“Sulfur application at rates beyond those necessary to produce maximum yields resulted in salinity problems which probably reduced yields”
Claim · model-written summary
The stool splitter application method caused crop damage and stand loss that persisted for the rest of the sugarcane crops.
- Taxon
- sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- ‘stool splitter’ application methode1
- Outcome
- crop damage and stand losse1
- Direction
- causede1
- Qualifier
- persisted for the remainder of the sugarcane cropse1
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“The ‘stool splitter’ application method, which slices the plant stool using a coulter and places the fertilizer directly in the middle of the furrow caused crop damage and stand loss which persisted for the remainder of the sugarcane crops”
Claim · model-written summary
A single elemental sulfur application of up to 1120 kg S ha−1 below the seed cane at planting is recommended for sugarcane on calcareous soil, with no later applications.
Verbatim
e1“Based on the results of this study, a single application of elemental S at up to 1120 kg S ha−1 directly below the seed cane at planting is recommend for sugarcane on a calcareous soil, with no additional applications in later crops”
Claim · model-written summary
Critical available soil P levels for sugarcane may be higher than previously established.
Verbatim
e6“Initial soil available P levels prior to the first treatment application were at the critical level considered adequate for crop requirements, yet growth and yield increases in response to S application suggest that the critical available soil P levels for sugarcane may be higher than previously established”
The same questions in other papers
sulfur atom · yield · Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane)Positive and negative results
8 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction
- no effect
- no effect
- negative
8 papers more in this group
See all 12 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.