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Soil Sulfate‐Sulfur and Growth Responses of Nitrogen‐fertilized Douglas‐fir to Sulfur
Author(s) -
Blake John,
Webster S. R.,
Gessel S. P.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1988.03615995005200040046x
Subject(s) - soil water , zoology , sulfur , douglas fir , nitrogen , nutrient , chemistry , dry weight , field experiment , basal area , horticulture , botany , agronomy , biology , ecology , organic chemistry
Abstract Two studies were conducted to determine the growth response of N‐fertilized Douglas‐fir [ Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] to S supplements. The relationship between response and soil SO 4 ‐S extracted with Morgan's solution, 1.22 M NaOAc + 0.53 M HOAc (pH 4.8), was used to establish critical levels for S. Douglas‐fir seedlings were grown in the greenhouse in the surface mineral layer (0 to 0.15 m) of 20 forest soils from western Washington and Oregon. On the average, significant increases in total dry weight (17.5%), stem diameter (10.1%), and height (6.9%) occurred when soils were fertilized with N and S in comparison to N alone. Using the Cate‐Nelson procedure, growth responses to N and S were most likely to occur when soil SO 4 ‐S was below 14 mg S kg −1 . Twenty eight installations were established in the field containing five N treatments, three rates of N as urea, and one plot of 336 kg N ha −1 with P, K, Ca, and S. Differences in percent basal area growth between N alone and N with P, K, Ca, and S were significantly related to soil SO 4 ‐S. Over the initial 5‐yr period, response over N alone was improved by 74% when soil SO 4 ‐S was <20 mg S kg −1 . When the N with P, K, Ca, and S plots were retreated with only N and S, response over the next 3 yr was more than doubled compared with N alone. Identification of S responsive stands was improved by the inclusion of stand age weighted subsoil SO 4 ‐S concentrations.