Effect of different sources of iron and sulphur on nutrient concentration and uptake by groundnut

Abstract

The pot experiment showed that application of lime (20% CaCO3) and excess irrigation (watering at −0.3 bar) increased Ca and decreased N, P, K and Mg concentration of leaf and stem and their uptake by groundnut. The application of agricultural grade iron sulphate, zinc sulphate, iron pyrite, gypsum, phosphogypsum and elemental sulphur in the soil and iron sulphate, zinc sulphate and Fe—EDTA on the foliage increased the N, P, K and Mg concentration of leaf and stem and their uptake by groundnut. The gypsum and phosphogypsum was also found to increase the calcium concentration of leaf and stem and its uptake by groundnut. The study suggested that soil application of iron sulphate, iron pyrite, zinc sulphate, gypsum, phosphogypsum and elemental sulphur in the calcareous soil increased the availability of most of the macro nutrients causing their absorption by groundnut plant.