Sulfur Sources Mediated the Growth, Productivity, and Nutrient Acquisition Ability of Pearlmillet–Mustard Cropping Systems

Abstract

Globally, excess soil nutrient mining is a serious challenge to sustainable agricultural production. The task is more daunting in the semi-arid region of the globe. In addition to the primary nutrient deficiency over the mining of secondary nutrients, especially sulfur is an emerging challenge in contemporary crop production systems. Hence, there is a dire need to devise an appropriate sulfur management protocol by searching for efficient and sustainable sulfur sources. Therefore, the efficacy of new sulfur molecules was evaluated on the performance and nutrient acquisition potential of the pearl millet–mustard system at the research farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi, India, for two years. The flexibility of urea–ES technology allows customized sulfur-enhanced urea formulations that suit unique crop needs, offering an all-in-one nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer solution. Hence, the study hypothesized that new sulfur molecules like sulfonated urea (SEU) will have a positive impact on crop growth, yield, and nutrient acquisition in the pearl millet–mustard system. The results revealed that the application of 50% sulfur (S) (15 kg/ha) as a base and 50% (15 kg/ha) as a topdressing (SEU 10-0-0-75) produced better growth, yield-contributing parameters, and economic productivity of the pearl millet–mustard system. However, both compositions of SEU (40-0-0-13 and 10-0-0-75) were significantly better than the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and the RDF along with other S sources like single super phosphate and bentonite in enhancing crop growth and productivity. The agronomic efficiency of nitrogen (AEn) and S (Aes) of SEU (40-0-0-13 and 10-0-0-75) were 9.1 and 10.3 kg seed yield/kg N and 51.2 and 28.9 kg seed/kg, respectively. The agronomic nitrogen use efficiency of SEU (40-0-0-13) and SEU (10-0-0-75) is significantly higher than those of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) alone. Thus, the findings inferred that splitting S (50% as a base and 50% as topdressing) through SEU is a practically feasible and economically robust S option for profitable and sustainable production of the pearl millet–mustard production model in the semi-arid region.

Sulfonated nitrogen and added-sulfur sources influence productivity, quality, and nutrient acquisition of soybean-wheat cropping system

“…Likewise, low PFP S under SN 1 alone [T 5 : Rec NPK + S as SN 1 (40-0-0-13), both crop] is also due to sub-optimal N application. Also, S improves the growth of roots and shoots of the plants, especially in high S-requiring crops, so plant roots enhance the uptake of both N and S [ 6 , 51 ]. Higher S application in soybean decreases the utilization of applied S in the case of direct application, however, a positive effect in succeeding wheat was evident in terms of yield and nutrient uptake [ 45 , 49 , 48 ].…”

“…The soil at the experimental site was clay loam in texture under Vertisol soil order, neutral to slightly saline in reaction (pH 8.1 and EC 0.25 dS/m); medium in soil organic carbon (OC 0.51%), low in available nitrogen (213.2 kg/ha); medium in available phosphorus (14.8 kg/ha), high in potassium (440 kg/ha), while the medium in sulfur (10.1 mg/kg). The climate is semi-arid tropical with a normal average annual rainfall (mean of 15 years) of 1020 mm [ 6 ].

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“…Ensuring balanced nutrient supply for the crops is one of the most effective agronomic interventions to achieve sustainable high crop production [ 5 ]. Sulfur, along with nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K), S is also one of the macro-elements, which has a vital role in crop growth, yield, and quality of crop produce [ [5] , [6] , [7] , [8] ]. Inadequate S nutrition also cause imbalance in nutrient uptake of other essential elements in the soil [ 7 , 8 ].…”

“…Sulfur has been reported to provide better resilience against biotic and abiotic stress (against plant diseases, insect pest, weather aberrations etc.) hence helps in climate change adaptations [ 6 , [15] , [16] , [17] , [18] , [19] , [20] ]. Thus, with increasing ecological and physiological stresses under climate change, appropriate S management is critical for sustainable crop production.…”

Optimizing polyhalite (POLY-4) use in the maize-wheat system: A comparative case study from upper and Trans Indo-Gangetic plains of India

“…Chemically, it is a hydrated potassium, calcium, and magnesium sulphate salt with the chemical formula K 2 SO 4 .MgSO 4 .2CaSO 4 .2H 2 O. The recommended doses of N, P, K and S were 150, 33.5, 62.5, 30 and 120, 26.2, 50, and 30 kg/ha for maize and wheat crops, respectively in Indo Gangetic Plain (IGP) zones of Northern India [ 55 ]. The S source of POLY 4 was evaluated against Bentonite S, based on S supply from POLY-4 for maize and wheat crops under TGP and UGP locations.…”