The response of double‐low winter oilseed rape to fertiliser sulphur

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Abstract
The effect of soil‐applied ammonium sulphate (10, 20, 30, 50 and 80 kg S ha−1) and agricultural gypsum (20 and 50 kg S ha−1) and of foliar‐applied elemental sulphur (20 kg S ha−1) on the seed yield and chemical composition of double‐low cultivars of winter oilseed rape was determined at 11 sites in England during 1989‐1991. Significant (P ⩽ 0.05) mean seed yield responses to applied sulphur (S) of 10 and 17% were obtained at two sites on sandy soils in northern England which showed symptoms of severe S deficiency. At a third site on a shallow calcareous soil in south‐west England, which did not show S deficiency symptoms, seed yield was consistently but not significantly increased by an average of 8%. At one of the sites in 1989, application of ammonium sulphate caused leaf scorch and, at the maximum rate of S applied, seed and oil yield were decreased. No conclusions were reached regarding the amount of S required for maximum yield response. The S treatments decreased seed oil content by an average maximum of 9 mg g−1. Seed glucosinolate content was increased by a greater amount at the two sites in northern England compared to other sites, where increases averaged only 3 μmol g−1. Analysis of individual glucosinolates in the harvested seed from one of the sites in northern England showed that only the alkenyl glucosinolates were increased by S application. Yield responses were best predicted by total S concentrations and N : S ratio values in young fully‐expanded leaves at flowering. Foliar‐applied elemental S was consistently less effective in raising leaf S content than ammonium sulphate. Gypsum was occasionally found to be less effective than ammonium sulphate as an S fertiliser.

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