Full Length Research Paper

Effects of elemental sulfur and sulfur-containing waste on nutrient concentrations and growth of bean and corn plants grown on a calcareous soil

Muharrem Kaya¹, Zeliha Küçükyumuk² and Ibrahim Erdal^2*

¹Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops. Turkey.

²Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: ierdal@ziraat.sdu.edu.tr. 

Accepted 13 August, 2009

   Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of elemental sulfur (S) and S-containing waste from an S factory on nutrient concentrations and growth of bean and corn plants. Therefore, elemental S and S containing waste corresponding to 40, 80 and 120 kg S da^-1 were applied to pots. Each plant was grown twice on the same soils to determine initial and residual effects of applied S. Results showed that applications of elemental S and S-containing waste resulted in a decrease of soil pH, but general increase in nutrient concentrations for both plants and increase in residual available nutrient concentration in the experimental soils. In addition, it was found that S-containing waste could be used as an alternative to elemental S for improvement of plant nutrition in calcareous soils.

Key words: Calcareous soil, plant growth, plant nutrition, sulfur application.