Elemental sulfur coated fertilizer materials as sulfur sources for rice under flooded and non-flooded conditions.

Abstract

A study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of a range of elemental sulfur (S°) coated TSP fertilizer materials in rice under flooded and non-flooded conditions. The experiment was conducted in a glasshouse at the University of New England, Armidale, N.S. W., Australia, using a factorial combination of 6 sources of S° coated fertilizer materials [Gold-phos 10 (GP10), UNE511, UNE1, TSP+S°f (fine), TSP+S°m (medium), TSP+S°c (coarse)], and a Control, 2 water regimes and 3 replications. The soil used in the study was an S-deficient Aquic Haplustalf. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete Block design (RCBD). P and S from the different S° coated materials were applied at the rates of 46 kg P/ha and 10 kg S/ha, respectively. The use of 35S labeled soil and the employment of the Reverse Dilution Technique enabled the estimation of the recovery of the fertilizer S in the various components derived from the different S sources. Mean percentage recovery of fertilizer S in the straw and grain, and mean total S recovered in the rice tops were significantly lower in the GP10 and UNE511 fertilizer treatments. Based on the results, it was concluded that UNE1, TSP+S°f, TSP+S°m and TSP+SJc were effective S sources for rice under flooded and non-flooded conditions.