Vol. 11, Issue 3 (2022)

Author(s):
L Talukdar, S Dutta, P Dutta and Jemima Hussain

Abstract:
Nitrogen is considered as the most yield-limiting nutrient in crop production around the world. Sulphur is also a key nutrient for plant growth, accounting for 9 to 15% of N uptake by plants. Sulphur metabolism in plants is intertwined with their nitrogen metabolism, as both are components of proteins. A deficiency of S in a plant hinders its N-metabolism, resulting in higher levels of N in amide and NO3- forms. The ideal N:S ratio for plant growth and metabolism is 15-16:1 in legumes and 11-12:1 in cereals, according to research. In the absence of adequate S in soils, utilization of NO₃^- can be impeded. Leaching of underutilized NO₃^- can create serious environmental problems. As a result, a lack of S in proportion to N leads to poor N fertilizer-use efficiency by crops. Because the efficacy of additional nitrogen is limited by a lack of S, S addition becomes necessary to obtain maximal nitrogenous fertiliser efficiency. It was found that Maize yield was raised more by nitrogen fertiliser than by sulphur fertilisation. Likewise, N fertilization increased S concentration and S uptake, but S addition did not affect variables associated with N status in maize. In case of wheat Plant N uptake increased linearly in response to N addition until rates of 80 kg N ha^-1. Sulfur addition showed no effect at the lowest N fertilizer rate, but N uptake was increased when S was applied at the highest N rate, revealing a synergism between both nutrients. The application of N in combination with S significantly affected the yield, yield components, N uptake, nitrogen use efficiency, and grain protein content of the rice crop. Synergetic effects on S and N make use of efficiencies at optimum rates of S and N inputs, while antagonistic effects occur when one of the two elements is used at excessive rates. Adjusting S and N fertilization may result in good seed yield and seed protein quality in a sustainable manner, especially when N inputs are reduced.