Abstract
The aim of this field experiment was to analyze the influence of different nitrogen and sulfur doses on yield as well as the content and uptake of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) by spring rye grain. The study was conducted in south-eastern Poland (2009–2011) on Cambisols (WRB 2015), in conditions of low sulfur content in soil. The experiment included four doses of N fertilization (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha−1) and two doses of S supplementation (0 and 40 kg ha−1). The analysis showed that fertilization with N and S had a positive effect on the studied features of spring rye. The highest grain yields were found after use of 90 kg N ha−1. The grain of rye fertilized with these doses of N was characterized by the highest concentration and uptake of tested microelements. The supplementation of sulfur in a dose of 40 kg S ha−1 improved the nitrogen effect, because the rye grain yield and the content and uptake of micronutrients (except Mn) by rye grain dry mass increased. The highest yield of spring rye grain and accumulation of Mn and Zn and intake of Mn, Zn and Cu by grain dry mass (DM) were obtained in the vegetation season of 2011, which was characterized by an optimal rainfall distribution. The highest accumulation of Fe and Cu and intake of Fe were obtained in the vegetation season of 2009. Significant correlations were found also between grain yield and the content and uptake of all studied micronutrients. The supplementation of NPK fertilization with sulfur can be a good means of agronomic biofortification for spring rye in order to increase the content and uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu.
Highlights
Mineral fertilization in modern agriculture is the basic factor in plant cultivation and the main way to increase the amount of minerals in the plant
As shown in the presented experiment, the supplementation of sulfur improved the NPK effect, because the rye grain yield increased by 80.0 kg ha−1 (2.5%)
Our own research showed that the concentration of Fe, Zn and Cu in rye grain after sulfur application at a rate of 40 kg ha−1 increased in comparison with the control, by about 8.8%, 2.8%
Summary
Mineral fertilization in modern agriculture is the basic factor in plant cultivation and the main way to increase the amount of minerals in the plant. Agronomy 2020, 10, 35 and sulfur deficiency in soils in several parts in Poland and many countries of the world have led to the necessity of S fertilizer use to enhance the production and quality of crops [5,6,7]. Sulfur deficiency reduces the efficiency of the operation and use of fertilizer nitrogen by field crops This fact allowed us to formulate the following working hypothesis of the undertaken research: the use of sulfur in the cultivation of spring rye improves the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization, leading to better growth and yielding of plants and a better supply of grain, which is valuable for human and animal body microelements. The optimal combination of N + S dose for grain yield and content as well as for Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu uptake was selected
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