Sulphur in Ontario Crop Production - FarmSmart...Sulphur in Soil • There is a sulphur cycle that...
Transcript of Sulphur in Ontario Crop Production - FarmSmart...Sulphur in Soil • There is a sulphur cycle that...
Sulphur in Ontario Crop Production
Dale Cowan CCA.On, 4 R NMS Senior Agronomist AGRIS/ Wanstead Farmers Cooperatives
Dr John Lauzon U of Guelph
Sulphur in Ontario Crop Production
• Role of Sulphur in plants
• Sulphur in soils
• Annual deposition
• Responsive crops
• Sources of sulphur supply and methods of application
• Results
Responsive crops in Ontario
• Canola
• Alfalfa
• Winter wheat
• Corn?
• Soybeans?
N. P, K and S not just N.P .K anymore?
Sulfur Cycle
Sulfides Sulfate
Organic Matter
fertilizer
reduction
volatilization
H2S
SO2Burning fossil fuel
H2S, SO2
Soil Minerals
leaching
harvest
Plant
uptake
oxidation
SO4
Erosion
runoff
Elemental S
reduction
oxidation
Sulphur in Soil
• There is a sulphur cycle that runs much like the Nitrogen cycle
• It transforms sulphur containing materials into various forms by
mineralization, immobilization, oxidation and reduction
• There are many different forms of sulphur compounds concurrently
in the soil at anyone time ( over 300)
• As result it is difficult to calibrate a soil test that predicts a
responsive critical level with any kind of rigor
• SOM and Soil texture do influence Sulphate levels
• The plant available form is sulphate (SO42-)
y = 2.5736x - 1.3283
R² = 0.3269
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Sulp
hur
Test
ppm
Soil Organic Matter %
2009 Sulphate Sulphur and Organic Matter
Roughly 2 lbs of S per each 1% SOM
y = 0.5482x + 0.7839
R² = 0.3148
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Su
lphu
r in
ppm
CEC
2009 Soil Sulphur and CEC
As clay content increases so does the amount of S
Need For Sulphur in Ontario
• 1880's gypsum (land plaster)was commonly applied
in Ont. (applied as early as the mid 1700’s)
• Recent work is starting to show sulphur response
• After 1950 ammonium phosphate became common
(very little S)
• About 1880 super phosphate (0-20-0) was introduced
(14 % S)
2015 indicates less than 6
kg/ha or 5.4 lbs / acre of
Sulphate deposited annually
Most agronomically
important crops require an
annual total uptake of 20
lbs of S from sulphate
sources
Sulphate (SO4) Deposition From Environment Canada Monitoring
Sites, Northern Sites Removed
y = -0.6712x + 1360.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
SO
4kg h
a-1yr-1
Adapted from Environment Canada data
Reduction of 0.67 kg/ha/year (0.6 lbs/ac/year)
https://so2.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Estimates of Anthropogenic Sulphur Dioxide
Emissions: 1850–2005
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020
Em
issi
on
(G
gyr-1
) North America
Western Europe
China
Smith et al 20111 Gg = 1 000 000 kg
Sulphur in Soil
• Most of the annual crop needs for sulphur was at one time supplied by atmospheric deposition from rainfall
• All of the crop requirements could be met by the amount of S contained in annual rainfall
• With better pollution regulations since the 1970s the amount of sulphur from rainfall has diminished significantly
• The shift to more concentrated P fertilizers removed the sulphur,(0-20-0 to 11-52-0) removal of Sulphur from diesel fuel all contributed to a decreased application of incidental S to cropland.
• These events have contributed to the decline of atmospheric S deposition to the point where less than half of the crop requirements for S is being met
Role of sulphur in plants • Sulphur (S) is an essential nutrient
• Involved in protein formation of 3 sulphur bearing amino acids (cysteine, cystine and methionine)
• Formation of chlorophyll which in turn impacts on all aspects of photosynthesis
• Involved in oil formation, important to crops like canola and soybeans
• Specifically with reference to crop quality, S improves protein and oil percentage in seeds, cereal quality for milling and baking, nutritive value of forages
• The need for sulphur is closely associated with the nitrogen demands of a crop
• It also enhances yields when deficient
Alfalfa Response to Sulphur in 1977 based on average of 2
N rates
Sulphur application rate (kg S/ha)
Cut 0 30 60 90
Forage yield (kg/ka)
1 4680 4940 5100 4500
2 3200 3110 3040 3040
3 2430 2220 2170 2300
total 10300 10300 10300 9900
(Sheard 1977)
dry year
Alfalfa Sulphur Response in 2012North of Fergus (Harrop)
First Cut Yield
kg/ha
4566 b
4474 b
6821 a
Treatment
Control
225 kg KCl/ha
270kg K2SO4/ha
First Cut Alfalfa
% of stand
31 b
35 b
56 a
Third Cut Yield
kg/ha
968 b
1067 b
2180 a
Lauzon and Ball 2012
52 % 104 %
All of the increase was due to greater alfalfa growth
Alfalfa Sulphur Yield Response in 2013
Treatment Wallenstein
(Logel)
Hesson
(Runsteder)
Listowel
(McLagan)
First Second First Second First Second
Yield (kg/ha)
Check 6817 2556 5078 2639 a 2833 2189 a
Fall 50 kg/ha elemental S 6583 2767 4575 3401 ab 3094 2531 b
Fall 100 kg/ha elemental S 6732 2830 5247 3715 b 3128 2482 b
Potassium Sulphate 55 kg
S/ha
6897 2768 4712 3352 ab 3138 2468 b
Potassium Chloride Same
K level
6718 2507 4627 2703 a 2824 2163 a
Bonnie Ball
Wet year
Alfalfa Sulphur Uptake Response in 2013
Treatment Wallenstein
(Logel)
Hesson
(Runsteder)
Listowel
(McLagan)
First Second First Second First Second
(kg/ha)
Check 6.6 a 3.2 a 4.3 3.2 a 5.0 a 3.3 a
Fall 50 kg/ha elemental S 8.0 a 4.1 a 5.8 5.7 b 7.8 b 6.5 b
Fall 100 kg/ha elemental S 8.0 a 5.3 b 4.4 8.0 c 9.8 b 8.5 b
Potassium Sulphate 55 kg
S/ha
12.0 b 5.7 b 5.3 8.5 c 9.9 b 6.7 b
Potassium Chloride Same
K level
6.7 a 3.5 a 3.6 3.2 a 5.0 a 3.2 a
Bonnie Ball
Alfalfa Sulphur Yield Response in 2014near Lynden Sand texture
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
0 10 20 30 40
S kg/ha
Yie
ld (
kg/h
a)
1st cut
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
0 10 20 30 40
S kg/ha
Yie
ld (
kg/h
a)
2nd cut
Alfalfa Sulphur Yield Response in 2014Elora Research Station Silt loam texture
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
0 20 40 60
1st Cut
S kg/ha
Yie
ld (
kg/h
a)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
0 20 40 60
2nd cut
S kg/ha
Yie
ld (
kg/h
a)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
0 20 40 60
3rd cut
S kg/ha
Yie
ld (
kg/h
a)
Wet year
Residual Impact of 2014 Application
with and without Sulphur in 2015
S kg/ha (2014)
Yie
ld (
kg/h
a)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1st Cut0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
S kg/ha (2014)
2nd cut
Yie
ld (
kg/h
a)
S kg/ha (2014)
3rd cut0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Alfalfa Response in Ontario 2014• Sulphur response becoming more wide spread
• Alfalfa S demand is high at 5 lbs per ton
• All sources are effective including elemental S if applied in the fall
before establishment at 25 to 30 lbs , up to 50 lbs may cover the life
of the stand
• The most responsive site had a yield increase of
• 1.55 ton/ acre
• Protein increase of 4% points
• Persistence of alfalfa in the stand improved by 33 to 56%
Sulphur on Alfalfa
• About ½ of the sites responded
• Soil texture and organic matter did not dictate
response
• Potentially dry years responded more (not
always)
• Older stands tended to respond more
Canola Response to Sulphur
2005 and 2006 Johnson Wheat Trials
No Sulphur Sulphur
Yield (bu/ac)
Carthage 05 83.2 89.3
Stratford 05 89.3 93.5
Lucan 99.2 95.5
Lucan 2 95.2 93.8
Perth 72.6 68.5
Carthage (2006) 69.9 69.2
Nairn 103.1 106.0
Brantford 57.6 57.6
Average 83.8 84.2
Sulphur Response on Winter Wheat
2011 - 2014
S Rate (lbs
S/ac)
Yield (bushels/acre)
2011 2012 2013 2014 Avg.
Number of
sites
5 11 10 14 40
0 95.2 101.4 80.2 91.6 91.0
5 - -0.5 +0 +4.6 +0.7
10 - +1.2 +1 +4.7 +1.7
20 4.5 +0.6 +1.3 +4.3 +1.6
40 +0.8 - +4.1 -
Follings, Field crop news 2017.
(Peter Johnson)Approximately ½ of site responded
2018 Wheat Sulphur Trials
Check With Sulphur
Yield (bu/ac)
Elora 118 120
Sombra 86 82
Stayner 104 105
Average 102.7 102.3
AGRIS Sulphur Response on Winter Wheat 2011 - 21 sites
AGRIS / Wanstead Cooperatives Sulphur Response on Winter Wheat 2011
Yield response to 20 lbs of sulphur from ammonium sulphate
Cooperator
Yield Gain
bus/ acre
Net Return
to Sulphur
$/ acre Soil Texture
J. Diemer 6 $29.00 clay
D & R Bracken 8.3 $42.80 clay
D. Kabbes 2.3 $6.80 clay
E. Mallioux 12.5 $68.00 clay
Fereme Chauvin -1 -$13.00 clay
M. Mallioux 11.2 $60.20 clay
Steckle -2 -$19.00 clay
Doug Ross 7 $35.00 clay loam
Noorloos 8.6 $44.60 loam
Noorloos 8.3 $42.80 loam
Vanderploeg 3.4 $13.40 loam
Vanderlpoeg 4.6 $20.60 loam
Vanhuele 6.9 $34.40 sandy loam
Anderson 8 $41.00 sandy loam
McDonalds 3.7 $15.20 sandy loam
McKinlay -1.6 -$16.60 clay
Nemecek 10.8 $57.80 clay
Kerr 1.4 $1.40 clay
Haest Vanoverloop 13.5 $74.00 sandy loam
Jackson Vanoverloop 3.2 $12.20 clay
Kerr Vanoverloop 7$35.00
sandy loam
Triest 2.25 $6.50 clay
Average 5.7 26.9St Dev 4.3
CV% 76.5%
20 lbs of S 0 lbs of S
Sulphur Response on Corn
Sulphur Profile at Depth (Bill McDonald)
Depth ppm S -SO4 Total S- SO4 in lbs/ ac
6 in 3.68 7.36
6 - 12 in 2.72 5.44
12-24 in 2.95 11.8
Total 24.6
Treatment 20 lbs of S Yield bus/ acre
Sulphur 190
Sulphur 183
No Sulphur 162
Sulphur 171
No Sulphur 144
Sulphur 175
No sulphur 148
Avg sulphur 179.75
Avg No sulphur 151.3
Yield gain over no
Sulphur28.45
Field Characteristics
Soil Type- Normandale
SOM % 2.6 avg range 1.2 to 7.2
pH 6.4 avg range 5.8 to 7.2
P ppm – 47 avg range 30 to 69
K ppm- 90 avg range 59 to 144
Mg ppm 171 avg - range 95 to 313
Ca ppm 967 avg range 418 to
2760
CEC 7.8 avg range 4.5 to 18
. The net return to additional Sulphur with $5.00 corn and an
average cost of sulphur at $18.44 / acre is (28.45 x $5.00) –
$18.44 = $123.81 per acre. ( Spring price of S source)
2006 Corn Sulphur Trial Sites by Middlesex
S.C.I.A. Site Soil S (ppm) Corn yield
With S
Corn Yield
No S
bu ac-1
SJL 39.8 174 172
SMR 18.7 162 166
SSF 23 159 157
SNS 13.9 177 176
SRB 19.8 161 163
SKP 20.6 165 168
STL 17.7 194 196
SMA 18.5 154 143
SRM 46.9 130 134
SJF2 20.6 172 174
SJF3 20.6 182 182
SBP 25.9 170 169
SFH 30 167 185
Average 24 167 168
http://www.gocorn.net/v2006/Rotation/articles/Peas%20and%20Sulphur.html
Slightly low precipitation in spring Wet fall
Peter Johnson
2012- 2018 Corn Sulphur trials
2012 2013
Number of sites 5 6
Yield (kg/ha)
No Sulphur 9927 10956
With Sulphur 9736 10818
Stewart 2012 and 2013, Lauzon and Sanders 2016 and 2018
No Significant responses at any sites
2016 (Elora)
1
12190
11420
2018 (Elora)
1
14740
14410
Setting Up Sulphur Trials on Soybeans
• Choose high yield sites free of or low in SCN numbers
• Appropriate full season Soybean variety, inoculated with SCN
resistance
• Current soil tests not so much for sulphur test which is not very
reliable to predict responses but to remove other limiting factors.
• No point in applying S when K is deficient
• No point in growing on less than optimal pH. ( aim for 6.2 or higher)
• Plant early May
Setting Up Sulphur Trials on Soybeans
• Control pests to protect yield potential• Apply 100 to 150 lbs of AMS before or after planting• Apply at least 3 treatment strips with zero checks in between • Use fungicides • Recommended 24 to 30 lbs Sulphate S which is soybean uptake needs
less the soil supply • Roughly 2 to 3 lbs of Sulphate S from each 1% of SOM • Atmospheric deposition is becoming less reliable but could add 5 to 10
lbs annually or less.
• On a per bushel basis Soybeans contain 3 x more S than corn. ( corn 0.08 lbs/ bus
Soybean Sulphur Response
2018
Check With Sulphur
Yield (bu/ac)
Bornholm 1 72.5 74
Bornholm 2 69.6 77.9
Winchester 56.9 55.9
Elora 45.5 46.3
Average 61.1 63.5
Bohner
Ammonium sulphate applied the check was not corrected for the nitrogen
content in the first 4 sites
Arkona 58.4 60
Merlin 55.8 57
Elora 64 65
Average 59.4 60.7
Sanders and Lauzon
Sulphur Sources
• Commercial fertilizer
• Manure
• Biosolids and other organic amendments
• Dry granular fertilizer: Ammonium Sulphate (AMS), potassium sulphate (SOP) , KMag, Gypsum ( granular)
• Liquid Sources: Ammonium thiosulphate( ATS) , AMS, Potassium Thiosulphate (KTS)
• Elemental S – needs to be applied ahead of time for conversion to sulphate
• The most important thing to note is the plant available form is Sulphate
Source Rate to apply
20 lbs of S
Cost per acre BE Corn
Yield at
$5.00/ bus
BE Soybeans
$12.00/ bus
Ammonium
Sulphate
83 lbs $8.90 1.78 0.74
Ammonium
Thio Sulphate
77 lbs (7 gal) $14.30 2.86 1.2
Calcium
sulphate
95 lbs $13.45 2.69 1.12
Sulphate of
Potash
111 $37.16 7.4 3.1
KMag 93 $6.26 1.25 0.52
Sulphur content of selected Manures and Bio Solids
Type Solid S ppm Lbs of S / tonne
Diary 410 0.90
Beef 920 2.03
Swine SEW 200 0.44
Swine Finisher 620 1.37
Chicken layer 5000 11.02
Chicken Broiler 3250 7.16
Biosolid's pellets 6900 15.21
Lystegro (Liquid) 1950 19/1000gal
Liquid per 1000 gallons
Dairy 400 4
Beef 350 3.5
Swine Finisher 700 7
Swine SEW 180 1.8
Chicken Layers 1500 15
Sulphur in Manure and Biosolids will be
a mixture or inorganic and organic forms
of sulphur
Labs will test for Sulphur from sulphate
Be aware that there are many sources of
sulphur
As farms transition away from livestock
manure we begin to see how well
manure spreading was managed
Random areas of sulphur deficiency
begin to show
Converting Elemental Sulphur to sulphate forms
Conversion rates depend on:
• Temperature
• Soil moisture aeration
• Soil pH
• Fertility status of the soil
• Physical particle size of source
• Method of application
• Microbiology of the soil
After all these considerations there
can be a significant lag time for
oxidation to occur
Spring applications of elemental S
may not meet the immediate needs
of plants
Mosaic Crop Nutrition
Sulphur cycle at work
immobilization
Elemental Sulphur
Summary
• Sulphur deposition has drastically decreased in Ontario
• We have seen response on about ½ of the alfalfa,
canola, and wheat sites tested. Rarer response on corn
and soybean
• Greater probability of response would be expected on
sandy and/or low organic matter soils; however, this
was not seen in the trials
• More sites needed to determine if we can predict the
response to sulphur
2019 Field Trials
We are currently looking for grower cooperator trials If you
are interested please contact:
Joanna Follings
OMAFRA
EMAIL: [email protected]
Phone: (519) 271-8180