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Sulfur Response of Maize in Western Nigeria 1
Author(s) -
Kang B. T.,
Osiname O. A.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1976.00021962006800020032x
Subject(s) - soil water , sulfur , zea mays , leaching (pedology) , agronomy , zoology , grain yield , poaceae , chemistry , biology , ecology , organic chemistry
Studies of S deficiency, a problem in certain crops in Africa, have yielded inconclusive and incomplete information. There is little information on the S status of soil in the forest‐savanna zone. Field trials were carried out with maize ( Zea mays L.) at six locations in the forest and savanna zones of western Nigeria. Sulfur was applied at 0, 7.5, 15.0, 30.0, and 60.0 kg S/ha. Significant yield increases were observed with rates of S application from 7.5 to 30 kg S/ha. The response was more distinctly evident in the savanna than in the forest zone. Silking percentage was enhanced and grain quality improved with S application. No significant residual effect of the applied S was observed in the savanna zone, which was probably due to heavy leaching of the applied S. On these soils S response was observed where the amount of extractable S, extracted with either KH 2 PO 4 , Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 , or NH 4 C 2 H 3 O 2 was below 4 ppm S. There was no response to S when extractable S levels were equal to or greater than 8.5, 10.0, and 12.0 ppm when soils were extracted with Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 , NH 4 C 2 H 3 O, and KH 2 PO 4 , respectively. The critical S level in the ear leaf was estimated at about 0.14% S. Although there was a strong correlation between % N and % S in the ear leaf, the N:S ratio was not related to critical S levels in plants.