Revisiting Sulphur—The Once Neglected Nutrient: It’s Roles in Plant Growth, Metabolism, Stress Tolerance and Crop Production

Abstract

Sulphur plays crucial roles in plant growth and development, with its functions ranging from being a structural constituent of macro-biomolecules to modulating several physiological processes and tolerance to abiotic stresses. In spite of these numerous sulphur roles being well acknowledged, agriculture has paid scant regard for sulphur nutrition, until only recently. Serious problems related to soil sulphur deficiencies have emerged and the intensification of food, fiber, and animal production is escalating to feed the ever-increasing human population. In the wake of huge demand for high quality cereal and vegetable diets, sulphur can play a key role in augmenting the production, productivity, and quality of crops. Additionally, in light of the emerging problems of soil fertility exhaustion and climate change-exacerbated environmental stresses, sulphur assumes special importance in crop production, particularly under intensively cropped areas. Here, citing several relevant examples, we highlight, in addition to its plant biological and metabolism functions, how sulphur can significantly enhance crop productivity and quality, as well as acclimation to abiotic stresses. By this appraisal, we also aim to stimulate readers interests in crop sulphur research by providing priorities for future pursuance, including bettering our understanding of the molecular processes and dynamics of sulphur availability and utilization in plants, dissecting the role of soil rhizospherical microbes in plant sulphur transformations, enhancing plant phenotyping and diagnosis for nutrient deficiencies, and matching site-specific crop sulphur demands with fertilizer amendments in order to reduce nutrient use inefficiencies in both crop and livestock production systems. This will facilitate the proper utilization of sulphur in crop production and eventually enhance sustainable and environmentally friend food production.

Sulfur in Seeds: An Overview

“…It has been observed that, without presence of adequate sulfur (S) in soil, plants/crops cannot complete their life cycle adequately in terms of yield, quality or protein content in seeds, nor can they make optimum utilization of supplied N, required for protein and enzyme synthesis [ 7 ]. Sulfur compounds like tripeptide glutathione (GSH) are involved in detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to various abiotic and biotic stresses; it also acts as a substrate for the biosynthesis of phytochelatins and/or glucosinolates (GSLs) in response to defense against herbivores and other pathogens [ 8 ].…”

Evolutionary and Gene Expression Analyses Reveal New Insights into the Role of LSU Gene-Family in Plant Responses to Sulfate-Deficiency

“…Sulfur is an essential macronutrient for plants and a constituent of relevant biomolecules, such as the amino acids methionine and cysteine, the antioxidant glutathione, glucosinolates, coenzymes and prosthetic groups [1]. As such, the availability of S, the main source of sulfur in soils, is an important determinant of plant growth, yield and quality.…”

Multispectral Analysis of Small Plots Based on Field and Remote Sensing Surveys—A Comparative Evaluation

“…Sulfur plays an important role in the protection against environmental stresses, too. As Sulfur is not mobile in the plant, a continuous supply of Sulfur is needed for optimum crop performance [24].…”