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Effects of foliar-applied sulphur and nitrogen on grain growth, grain sulphur and nitrogen concentrations and yield of winter wheat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

M. W. Griffiths ,
P. S. Kettlewell  and
T. J. Hocking
M. W. Griffiths
Affiliation:
Crop and Environment Research Centre, Harper Adams Agricultural College, Newport, Shropshire TFW 8NB, UK
P. S. Kettlewell
Affiliation:
Crop and Environment Research Centre, Harper Adams Agricultural College, Newport, Shropshire TFW 8NB, UK
T. J. Hocking
Affiliation:
School of Applied Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WVl ISB, UK
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Summary

Elemental sulphur (32 kg S/ha) and urea (30 kg N/ha) were applied to the foliage of different winter wheat cultivars, halfat flag leaf emergence and halfat ear emergence, in factorial experiments in 1986, 1987 and 1988. There were no clear visual symptoms of S deficiency, but there was evidence from soil analysis, grain S concentration and grain N:S ratio that the crops were marginally deficient in sulphur. Disease severity was generally negligible. Leaf senescence at the end of grain growth was delayed by sulphur in two of the three years, both with and without urea in 1987, but only with urea in 1988. Sulphur, both alone and mixed with urea, increased grain S concentration from early grain growth in 1986 and 1987, but not until the end of grain growth in 1988. Urea alone reduced yield in 1986 and 1987, but mixing S with the urea compensated for this phytotoxic effect. Yield was not significantly increased by S when compared with plots receiving neither urea nor S.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 125 , Issue 3 , December 1995 , pp. 331 - 339
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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