Sulphur nutrition of horticultural crops.
Ganeshamurthy A. N., Satisha G. C.
Author Affiliation: Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bangluru - 560 089, India.
Indian Journal of Fertilisers 8 : 124-134
Abstract : Horticultural crops form a significant part of total agricultural produce in the country comprising of fruits and nuts, vegetables, root and tubers, flowers, ornamental plants, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices, condiments, plantation crops and mushrooms and contribute for 30.4 per cent of agricultural GDP. However, the yields of these crops are lower than the other competing countries. One of the main reasons for the low productivity of Indian horticultural sector is imbalances in nutrient application to horticultural crops. Secondary and micronutrients deficiencies and neglect to give equal importance to these nutrients in fertilisation programme has resulted in low productivity of horticultural crops. In recent years sulphur deficiencies in horticultural crops are becoming a major yield limiting factor in these crops. In addition it is a vital ingredient in nutrient management plans designed for high-yield, top-profit crop systems. Of late, subordinate position of S is going through a rapid transformation, since it is receiving more and more attention on a global scale and in this changing scenario, India is no exception. Horticulture, sector in India should also deserve equal importance. Wide variability in the content of sulphur and uptake by different horticultural crops is reported. Among the fruit crops banana and pineapple remove significantly higher quantity of sulphur compared to any other fruit crops. The least was recorded in mango wherein a crop yielding 6 tonnes of mango has just removed one kg S/ha. Among vegetable crops muskmelon yielding 12 tonnes/ha has removed just 900 grams of S whereas a crop of cabbage yielding 40 tonnes removes 81.6 kg/ha Profitable responses to applied sulphur in different groups of horticultural crops are reported. In order to break the yield plateau and to enhance yield levels of horticultural crops there is need to emphasize inclusion of sulphur in the balanced nutrition programme of horticultural crops.