27 Ate Today? Thank a Farmer. Better Farming | December 2024 DOES SULPHUR PAY? acre + ammonium sulphate (21-0-024) at 40 pounds to the acre. All treatments were applied prior to planting and worked into the soil profile. Overall, there was no response to sulphur applied. When we looked at planting date trials planted before May 10, there was a 1.2-bushel response. Trials planted after May 10 were 0.8 bushels less. This supports the theory that sulphur is more readily available (mineralized) under warmer conditions, and crops respond more to applications earlier in the season than later. In 2017, we also conducted a soybean sulphur trial to look at specific soil types. Among trial locations with sandy soil, the addition of sulphur fertilizer increased yields by 4.1 bushels per acre. No yield response was observed with loam soils. You may be asking yourself why there is a difference in the Purdue University work compared to Ontario. A lot would come down to soil type differences, organic matter differences and sulphur availability at planting time. Hence the reason to evaluate theories that look good in other areas and make sure they work at home. So, what does a grower do moving forward? Look at using sulphur, especially in higher-use crops like wheat and alfalfa. As soybean yield continues to increase, crop removal will increase as well. This may warrant the addition of sulphur in your crop fertility program. Target specific lower organic matter and lower texture soils for soybean response. Earlier planted soybeans will respond more to sulphur than later planted. Conduct replicated trials on your farm to see if yield advantages exist with your management practices. BF SULPHUR CONTENT OF SEVERAL COMMON SULPHUR FERTILIZERS (Dick et al. 2008) FERTILIZER N-P-K S -------- % -------- ELEMENTAL SULPHUR 0-0-0 88-98 AMMONIUM THIOSULPHATE 12-0-0 26 AMMONIUM SULPHATE 21-0-0 24 POTASSIUM-MAGNESIUM SULPHATE 0-0-18.2 22 CALCIUM SULPHATE (GYPSUM) 0-0-0 18 POTASSIUM SULPHATE 0-0-41.5 18 MAGNESIUM SULPHATE 0-0-0 14 ORDINARY SUPERPHOSPHATE 0-20-0 11-12 CROP YIELD S lbs/acre Alfalfa 10 tons/ac 54 Canola 60 bu/ac 20 Corn 200 bu/ac grain 16 stalks 14 Soybeans 60 bu/ac grain 11 Wheat 90 bu/ac grain 9 straw 12 Differences in crop uptake and responses to sulphur. SOYBEAN YIELD RESPONSE TO SULPHUR APPLICATION AT SIX HARVESTED SITES IN EASTERN ONTARIO, 2017 Yield Response to Sulphur (bu/ac) 5.7 6.7 -1.8 2.0 4.0 1.9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 Sand Sand Loam Sand Sand Sand PAUL HERMANS Paul is the 2024 International Certified Crop Advisor of the Year. He is an area agronomist in Eastern Ontario with Corteva Agriscience.
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