Long-term field study on corn response to sulfur fertilization in Iowa, USA

IF 5.6 1区农林科学 Q1 AGRONOMY

Field Crops Research Pub Date : 2025-05-19 DOI:10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109990

Cecilia Crespo , John L. Kovar , Chad E. Hart , Richard T. Roth , Peter L. O’Brien , Sabrina J. Ruis

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Context

Declines in atmospheric sulfur (S) deposition and S removal through cropping have increased response to S fertilization in many crops. Yet, responses to S fertilization by corn (Zea mays L.) have been inconsistent.

Objective

We aimed to: (i) determine corn grain yield response to S fertilizer; (ii) evaluate pre-plant soil S and plant S at different growth stages as S diagnostic methods of corn S status; and (iii) explore the cost-effectiveness of S sources under historical and current market price conditions.

Methods

Twelve field experiments were conducted in central Iowa, USA, to evaluate corn response to ammonium sulfate (AMS), ammonium thiosulfate (ATS), and gypsum (GYP) applied at 34 kg S ha⁻¹. Extractable soil S was measured before planting, and S concentrations in plants at V5, in ear leaves at mid-silk R1 stage, and in grain were determined. Grain yield was measured at R6.

Results

Sulfur fertilization increased S concentration in 50 % of trials at V5, 33 % at mid-silk, and 30 % in grain. Grain yield increased in only 17 % of trials (6.2–34 % greater than the control). Extractable S, soil organic matter, and S concentration in corn tissue failed as predictors of grain yield response. Economic return from S fertilization via AMS and ATS was positive at current price levels (average return up to $ 27.6 ha⁻¹), after accounting for the value of N in the fertilizer.

Conclusion

Overall, our results showed that S application may improve early season S uptake by the corn plant but rarely increases grain yield. However, long-term positive economic returns are possible.

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美国爱荷华州玉米对硫肥响应的长期田间研究

大气中硫沉积的减少和作物对硫的去除增加了许多作物对硫施肥的响应。然而，玉米（Zea mays L.）对施S肥的反应并不一致。目的：(1)测定玉米籽粒产量对S肥的响应；（ii）评价种植前土壤S和不同生育期植株S作为玉米S状态的S诊断方法；（iii）在历史和当前市场价格条件下探索S资源的成本效益。方法在美国爱荷华州中部进行12个田间试验，评价玉米对施用34 kg S ha−1硫酸铵（AMS）、硫代硫酸铵（ATS）和石膏（GYP）的响应。在种植前测定土壤可提取S含量，测定植株V5期、R1期中期穗叶和籽粒中S含量。在R6时测定籽粒产量。结果施硫使5期试验S浓度提高50% %，中丝期提高33% %，籽粒提高30% %。籽粒产量仅增加17% %（比对照增加6.2 ~ 34% %）。可提取S、土壤有机质和玉米组织中S浓度不能作为籽粒产量响应的预测因子。考虑到肥料中N的价值后，在当前价格水平上，通过AMS和ATS进行S施肥的经济回报为正（平均回报高达27.6美元 ha−1）。综上所述，施S能提高玉米植株早期对S的吸收，但对产量的提高作用不大。然而，长期的积极经济回报是可能的。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Field Crops Research 农林科学-农艺学

CiteScore

9.60

自引率

12.10%

发文量

307

审稿时长

46 days

期刊介绍： Field Crops Research is an international journal publishing scientific articles on: √ experimental and modelling research at field, farm and landscape levels on temperate and tropical crops and cropping systems, with a focus on crop ecology and physiology, agronomy, and plant genetics and breeding.