Abstract
The effects of increasing sulfur applications on field-grown oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were investigated in 1998 and 1999, and the critical values and efficiency of several diagnostic indicators for S deficiency were determined. Critical values for leaf concentrations of total S, sulfate and glutathione changed over time and were not suitable for diagnosing S deficiency early in the growth season. The N:S ratio was more reliable but involved two analytical measurements. A practical and reliable indicator for S deficiency was the malate:sulfate peak area ratio as measured by ion chromatography, which required only a single analysis and was independent of the time of sampling or calibration of the samples. A malate:sulfate ratio ≤ 1 indicated S sufficiency at the time of sampling, whereas a ratio > 1 suggested S deficiency at the time of sampling. The malate:sulfate ratio was reliable at growth stage 3.6–3.7 (flower stalks extending to first flowers yellow) for oilseed rape and at growth stage 22–25 (main stem and 2–5 tillers) for wheat, which was sufficiently early in the growth season to apply remedial sulfur fertilizer, if necessary.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson M E 1985 Tissue glutathione. In Handbook of Methods for Oxygen Radical Research. Ed. R A Greenwald. pp 317–323. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA.
Blake-Kalff M M A, Harrison K R, Hawkesford M J, Zhao F J and McGrath S P 1998 Distribution of sulfur within oilseed rape leaves in response to sulfur deficiency during vegetative growth. Plant Physiol. 118, 1337–1344.
Blom-Zandstra M 1989 Nitrate accumulation in vegetables and its relationship to quality. Ann. Appl. Biol. 115, 553–561.
Crosland A R, Zhao F J and McGrath S P 2000 An inter-laboratory comparison of sulphur and nitrogen analysis in plants and soils. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. (in press).
Dijkshoorn W and Van Wijk A L 1966 The sulphur requirement of plants as evidenced by the sulphur- nitrogen ratio in the organic matter: A review of published data. Plant Soil 26, 129–157.
Jones MB 1986 Sulfur availability indexes. In Sulfur in Agriculture, Vol 27. Ed. M A Tabatabai. pp 549–566. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Kropff M J 1991 Long-term effects of SO2 on plants, SO2 metabolism and regulation of intracellular pH. Plant Soil 131, 235–245.
Lance C and Rustin P 1984 The central role of malate in plant metabolism. Physiol. Veg. 22, 625–641.
Martinoia E and Rentsch D 1994 Malate compartmentation - responses to a complex metabolism. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 45, 447–467.
McGrath S P and Zhao F J 1996 Sulphur uptake, yield responses and the interactions between nitrogen and sulphur in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus). J. Agric. Sci. 126, 53–62.
McGrath S P, Zhao F J and Withers P J A 1996 Development of sulphur deficiency in crops and its treatment. Proceedings of the Fertilizer Society, No 379. The Fertilizer Society, Petersborough.
Pinkerton A 1998 Critical sulfur concentrations in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in relation to nitrogen supply and to plant age. Aus. J. Exp. Agric. 38, 511–522.
Randall P J and Wrigley C W 1986 Effects of sulfur supply on the yield, composition and quality of grain from cereals, oilseeds and legumes. Adv. Cereal Sci. Tech. 8, 171–206.
Rasmussen P E, Ramig R E, Ekin L G and Rohde C R 1977 Tissue analyses guidelines for diagnosing sulfur deficiency in white wheat. Plant Soil 46, 153–163.
Scaife A and Burns I G 1986 The sulphate-S/total S ratio in plants as an index of their sulphur status. Plant Soil 91, 61–71.
Spencer K and Freney J R 1980 Assessing the sulfur status of fieldgrown wheat by plant analysis. Agron. J. 72, 469–472.
Sumner M E 1978 Interpretation of nutrient ratios in plant tissue. Commun. Soil Plant Anal. 9, 335–345.
Sylvester-Bradley R and Makepeace R J 1984 A code for stages of development in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). Asp. Appl. Biol. 6, 399–419.
Van Beusichem M L, Kirkby E A and Baas R 1988 Influence of nitrate and ammonium nutrition on the uptake, assimilation, and distribution of nutrients in Ricinus communis. Plant Physiol. 86, 914–921.
Withers P J A, Tytherleigh A R J and O'Donnell F M 1995 Effect of sulphur fertilizers on the grain yield and sulphur content of cereals. J. Agric. Sci. 125, 317–324.
Zadok J C, Chang T T and Konzak C F 1974 A decimal code for the growth stages of cereals. Weed Res. 14, 415–421.
Zhao F J, McGrath S P 1994 Soil extractable sulphate and organic sulphur and their availability to plants. Plant Soil 164, 243–250.
Zhao F J, Hawkesford M J, Warrilow A G S, McGrath S P and Clarkson D T 1996 Responses of two wheat varieties to sulphur addition and diagnosis of sulphur deficiency. Plant Soil 181, 317–327.
Zhao F J, Hawkesford M J and McGrath S P 1999 Sulphur assimilation and the effects on yield and quality of wheat. J. Cereal Sci. 30, 1–17.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Blake-Kalff, M., Hawkesford, M., Zhao, F. et al. Diagnosing sulfur deficiency in field-grown oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Plant and Soil 225, 95–107 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026503812267
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026503812267