Assessment of Extraction and Analytical Methods in Estimating the Amount of Plant Available Sulphur in the Soil

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sulphur was extracted from 48 Finnish soil samples with 0.01 M CaCl2-solution and with 0.5 M CH3COONH4-0.5 M CH3COOH (pH 4.65), abbreviated here as AAAc. Sulphur was determined with plasma emission spectroscopy and with an indirect AAS method. The determination from CaCl2 extracts was also made turbidimetrically and from AAAc extracts gravimetrically. The results were compared with the yield and uptake of sulphur by Italian ryegrass in a pot experiment. AAAc extracted 1/4-1/2 more sulphur than did CaCl2 solution. From both extracts plasma emission spectroscopy yielded considerably higher results than other methods. The amounts of sulphur determined with various methods correlated well with the grass yields (r=0.77∗∗∗-0.87∗∗∗) and plant uptake of sulphur (r=0.81∗∗∗-0.91∗∗∗). The exception, however, were the gravimetric measurements, which were not in agreement with the results of the pot experiment. The determination made with plasma emission spectroscopy produced as practicable results as the more laborious methods. It seems possible to use the AAAc extracts of the usual fertility test in the determination of plant available sulphur of the soil. Field experiments are needed for the determination of the level of sulphur sufficient for normal yield formation.

This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit: