The reduction of sulphur emissions achieved over the last 20 years has led to sulphur deficit in soil, which decreases crop yields and deteriorated yield quality. Sulphur fertilisation affects both plants and physicochemical soil properties. The total carbon content in soil affects the capacity and quality of the sorption complex, which in turn determines the buffer capacity. The content of available forms of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in soil has strong influence on the soil fertility. The uptake with yield and the acidification of soil, which intensifies the processes of retardation and nutrient leaching, result in depletion of those nutrients in soil. In 2005-2007, an experiment was carried out at the Experiment Station of the Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, the University of Technology and Life Sciences in Bydgoszcz, to assess the effect of sulphur fertilisation on the content of total carbon and available forms of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in soil. Sulphur fertilisation was applied in the ionic form, i.e. sodium sulphate(VI), and in the elemental form. The rates were 0, 20, 40, 60 kg S ha–1. The results demonstrated that increasing sulphur rates considerably decreased the content of available forms of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in soil. A significant increase was also found in the total carbon content in soil after fertilisation with 20 and 40 S kg ha–1 . Interestingly, the organic carbon content in soil clearly depended on the form of applied sulphur: sulphate(VI) or elemental.

18.1.2013