Sulphur in Fertilizer

Each year more and more information becomes available regarding the importance of sulphur in worldwide agriculture. China is no exception. Sulphur is now recognized as one of the essential nutrients that need to be replenished in deficient soils to improve crop production and quality.

Sulphur (S) is vital for life, and essential for plant growth. Like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), S is one of the essential plant nutrients. It contributes to high crop yields and quality in three different ways:

Times are changing. The agricultural community is looking more and more at the use of sulphur as a fertilizer nutrient in itself.

1. It provides a direct nutritive value
2. It improves the use efficiency of other essential plant nutrients, particularly N, P and some micronutrients, such as Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn and B.
3. It improves crop product quality by increasing protein and oil percentage in seeds, cereal quality for milling and baking, nutritional value and marketability of vegetables and fruits, quality of tobacco, nutritive value of forages, etc.

In general, S has similar functions in plant growth and nutrition as N and plant requirements for S are comparable to P. Most crops remove 15 to 25 kg S/ha. Oil crops, legumes, forages, and some vegetables require more S than P for optimal yield and quality.