Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > SR > SR05080
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 44(2)

Sulfur mineralisation in a coarse-textured soil after different sulfate fertilisation histories, and yield responses of wheat and lupin

G. C. Anderson A , I. R. P. Fillery A D , F. H. Ripper B and B. J. Leach C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CSIRO, Private Bag, PO Wembley, WA 6014, Australia.

B CSBP Ltd, PO Box 345, Kwinana, WA 6966, Australia.

C Formerly CSBP Ltd, now at John Duff and Associates, Suite 5, 110 Robinson Avenue, Belmont, WA 6104, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: Ian.Fillery@csiro.au

Australian Journal of Soil Research 44(2) 165-174 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR05080
Submitted: 24 June 2005  Accepted: 4 January 2006   Published: 27 March 2006

Abstract

The effect of annual applications of gypsum at rates of 0, 5, 15, and 30 kg S/ha on grain yields of lupin, wheat, and canola were studied between 1992 and 1995, and the residual value of these sulfate (SO42–) inputs was examined in 1996 and 1997. The top 0.1 m of soil was collected in 1994, 1996, and 1997 to determine KCl-40 extractable S. Extensive soil sampling was undertaken in 1996 and 1997 to determine quantities of SO42– in soil layers to 0.5 m, and to measure rates of net SO42– mineralisation. Application of gypsum resulted in significantly higher grain yields in 2 out of 3 wheat crops, and in canola, but SO42– fertiliser use did not increase lupin yield. Wheat yields were also significantly higher in treatments with a prior history of gypsum use but lupin grain yields were not enhanced by previous gypsum applications. The quantities of SO42– in the top 0.2 m of soil decreased sharply in the first year after SO42– fertilisers were withheld with further declines in SO42– to low levels across all treatments in the second year gypsum was not applied. A buildup of SO42– was evident in soil between 0.3 and 0.5 m. However, S budgets for the top 0.5 m suggested that little SO42– leached below 0.5 m in the years studied. Previous sulfur fertilisation did not significantly affect the total growing season net SO42– mineralisation, which was 2.2–8.0 kg S/ha. Mineralisation of organic S over a summer fallow period (0–5.8 kg S/ha) and the total S net mineralised over 17 months (7–17 kg S/ha) was significantly affected by previous S fertiliser history. Net SO42– mineralisation was not correlated with the labile organic S fraction extracted using the KCl-40 soil test.

Additional keywords: sulfate, net SO42– mineralisation, sulfate leaching, S balance.


Acknowledgments

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and CSBP Limited provided funding for the project. The assistance of CSBP Ltd field staff in seeding and managing the trial site and technical assistance of Ms Megan Bytheway (CSIRO) during soil and plant sampling is gratefully acknowledged. The experiment was conducted on land generously made available by Ben and Wendy Davey, Konnongorring. Dr Senthold Asseng provided ASPIM predictions of drainage.


References


Anderson GC, Blair GJ, Lefroy RDB (1998a) Soil-extractable sulfur and pasture response to applied sulfur 2. Seasonal variation in soil sulfur and sulfur response by pastures under field conditions. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 38, 575–582.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Anderson GC, Fillery IRP, Dolling PJ, Asseng S (1998b) Nitrogen and water flows under pasture–wheat and lupin–wheat rotations in deep sands in Western Australia. 1. Nitrogen fixation in legumes, net mineralisation, and utilisation of soil-derived nitrogen. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 49, 329–343.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Asseng S, Fillery IRP, Dunin FX, Keating BA, Meinke H (2001) Potential deep drainage under wheat crops in a Mediterranean climate. 1. Temporal and spatial variability. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 45–56.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Atwell BA, Fillery IRP, McInnes KJ, Smucker AJM (2002) The fate of carbon and fertilizer nitrogen when dryland wheat is grown in monoliths of duplex soil. Plant and Soil 241, 259–269.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Barrow NJ (1966) The residual value of the phosphorus and sulfur components of superphosphate on some Western Australian soils. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 6, 9–15.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Barrow NJ (1969) The accumulation of soil organic matter under pasture and its effect on soil properties. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 9, 437–444.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Blair GJ, Chinoim N, Lefroy RDB, Anderson GC, Crocker GJ (1991) A soil sulfur test for pasture and crops. Australian Journal of Soil Research 29, 619–629.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bolan NS, Scotter DR, Syers JK, Tillman RW (1986) The effect of adsorption on sulfate leaching. Soil Science Society of America Journal 50, 1419–1424. open url image1

Burr, EJ (1982). ‘NEVA user’s manual.’ (University of New England Computer Centre: Armidale, NSW)

Chen W, Blair G, Scott J, Lefroy R (1999) Nitrogen and sulfur dynamic of contrasting grazed pastures. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 1381–1392.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Day PR (1965) Particle fractionation and particle-size analysis. ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 1’. (Eds CA Black, DD Evans, JL White, LE Ensminger, EE Clark) pp. 545–566. (SSSA Madison:: WI)

Eriksen J, Mortensen JV, Nielsen JD, Nielsen NE (1995) Sulphur mineralisation in five Danish soils as measured by plant uptake in a pot experiment. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 56, 43–51.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Goh KM, Gregg PEH (1982) Field studies on the fate of radioactive sulphur fertiliser applied to pasture. Fertilizer Research 3, 337–351.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Goh KM, Nguyen ML (1997) Estimating net annual soil sulfur mineralisation in New Zealand grazed pastures using mass balance models. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 48, 477–484.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Gupta VVSR, Roper MM, Kirkegaard JA, Angus JF (1994) Changes in microbial biomass and organic matter levels during the first year of modified tillage and stubble management practices on a red earth. Australian Journal of Soil Research 32, 1339–1354.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Hingston FJ, Gailitis V (1976) The geographic variation of salt precipitated over Western Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research 14, 319–335.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Heng LK, White RE, Bolan NS, Scotter DR (1991) Leaching losses of major nutrients from mole-drained soil under pasture. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 34, 325–334. open url image1

Johnson CM, Ulrich A (1959) Analytical methods for use in plant analysis. California Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin 766, 26–77. open url image1

Lefroy RDB, Santoso D, Blair GJ (1995) Fate of applied phosphate and sulfate in weathered acid soils under leaching conditions. Australian Journal of Soil Research 33, 135–151.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Lisle L, Gaudron J, Lefory R (1991) Laboratory techniques for plant and soil analysis. Department of Agronomy and Soil Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.

Matilainen R, Tummavuori J (1996) Determination of sulfur in fertilisers by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry—spectral and inter-element effects at various wavelengths. Journal – Association of Official Analytical Chemists 79, 1026–1035. open url image1

McCaskill MR, Cayley JWD (2000) Soil audit of a long-term phosphate experiment in south-western Victoria: total phosphorus, sulfur, nitrogen and major cations. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 51, 737–748.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Moss HJ, Wrigley CW, MacRitchie F, Randall PJ (1981) Sulfur and nitrogen effects on wheat. II. Influence on grain quality. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 32, 213–226.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Murphy CV, Sparling GP, Fillery IRP, McNeill AM, Braunberger P (1998) Mineralisation of soil organic nitrogen and microbial respiration after simulated summer rainfall events in an agricultural soil. Australian Journal of Soil Research 36, 231–246.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

National Land and Water Resources Audit (2001) Australian Agriculture Assessment 2001—Nutrient Management in Australian Agriculture. National Land and Water Resource Audit, Canberra.3. http://audit.ea.gov.au/anra/agriculture/

Probert ME, Dimes JP, Keating BA, Dalal RC, Strong WM (1998) APSIM’s water and nitrogen modules and simulation of the dynamics of water and nitrogen in fallow systems. Agricultural Systems 56, 1–28.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Randall PJ, Spencer K, Freney JR (1981) Sulfur and nitrogen effects on wheat. I. Concentrations of sulfur and nitrogen and the nitrogen to sulfur ratio in grain, in relation to the yield response. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 32, 203–212.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Rayment, GE ,  and  Higginson, FR (1992). ‘Australian laboratory handbook of soil and water chemical methods.’ (Inkata Press: Melbourne)

Robson AD, Osborne LD, Snowball K, Simmons WJ (1995) Assessing sulfur status in lupins and wheat. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 35, 79–86.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Sakadevan K, Hedley MJ, Mackay AD (1993) Sulphur cycling in New Zealand hill country pastures. I. Laboratory sulphur, nitrogen and carbon mineralization studies. Journal of Soil Science 44, 73–83. open url image1

Sakadevan K, Hedley MJ, Mackay AD (1994) An in situ lysimeter with a removable ion exchange resin trap for measuring nutrient losses by leaching from grazed pastures. Australian Journal of Soil Research 32, 1389–1400.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Scherer HW (2001) Sulphur in crop production—invited paper. European Journal of Agronomy 14, 81–111.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Schoknecht N (1997) Soil groups of Western Australia: a simple guide to the main soils of Western Australia. Resource Management Technical Report No.171, Agriculture Western Australia.

Tabatabai MA, Al-Khafaji AA (1980) Comparison of nitrogen and sulfur mineralization in soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal 44, 1000–1006. open url image1

Thomas GA, Standley J, Hunter HM, Webb AA, Blight GW, Sinclair DP (1992) The effect of fallow management practices on grain sorghum in central Queensland. AIAS Occasional Publication No.2, pp. 408–413.

Zhao FJ, Salmon SE, Withers PJA, Evans EJ, Monaghan JM, Shewry PR, McGrath SP (1999) Responses of breadmaking quality to sulphur in three wheat varieties. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 79, 1865–1874.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1