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Yield, Seed Quality, and Sulfur Uptake of Brassica Oilseed Crops in Response to Sulfur Fertilization
Author(s) -
Malhi S. S.,
Gan Y.,
Raney J. P.
Publication year - 2007
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/agronj2006.0269
Subject(s) - canola , brassica , agronomy , cultivar , glucosinolate , sinapis , biology , human fertilization , bolting , rapeseed , fertilizer , horticulture
Field experiments were conducted in 2003, 2004, and 2005 on a S‐deficient Gray Luvisol (Boralf) soil near Star City, in northeastern Saskatchewan, to determine yield, seed quality and S uptake response of different Brassica ( B. ) oilseed species/cultivars to S deficiency and S fertilization. A total of 20 treatments were tested in a factorial combination of four oilseed crops ( B. juncea canola cv. Arid, B. juncea canola cv. Amulet, B. juncea mustard cv. Cutlass, and B. napus cv. InVigor 2663 hybrid canola) and five rates of potassium sulfate fertilizer (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 kg S ha −1 ). All B. species/cultivars responded positively for seed yield and most other parameters to S fertilizer in all 3 yr, but the magnitude of response varied with species/cultivar and year. Seed yield was highest with Cutlass juncea mustard in a dry year (2003), but was highest with InVigor 2663 hybrid canola in years with above‐average precipitation (2004 and 2005). Seed yield was usually maximized at the rate of 30 kg S ha −1 for all B. species/cultivars. Oil concentration in seed increased with S fertilization for all B. species/cultivars. There was a significant (albeit small) increase of protein concentration in seed due to S fertilization. Cutlass juncea mustard accumulated considerably high concentrations of glucosinolates in seed, but glucosinolate concentrations were low in other B. species/cultivars. Sulfur uptake in seed was highest with Cutlass juncea mustard in all years. The effects of S deficiency and applied S were more pronounced on seed than straw. In conclusion, S fertilizer requirements for optimum seed yield were similar for all the B. species/cultivars used in this study on S‐deficient soil, but higher yielding types of B. would produce greater seed yield by using S more efficiently.