Sulfur Deficiency Research Articles

Soil Sulfur Deficiency Restricts Canola (Brassica napus) Productivity in Northwestern Russia Regardless of NPK Fertilization Level

Canola cultivation at high latitudes is becoming more promising in terms of modern climate change. Sustainable crop production requires an understanding of yield-limiting factors, which need to be adjusted in agricultural management first. Therefore, our study was aimed at examining the effect of climate and soil fertility factors on the canola yield from 2012 to 2015 in northwestern Russia. Simultaneously, effectiveness of chemical fertilizer (N65P50K50 and N100P75K75) rates was tested. Studied soils had light texture, high acidity and severe sulfur deficiency. Canola yield (Y) varied from 0.81 to 1.60 t·ha−1 for the observed period. Applied fertilizer increased Y by around 30%, but this change was not significant. Climate effect testing with the FAO-AquaCrop simulation showed no noticeable water and heat stresses for the study period (0% to 20% reduction in potential Y). Among the tested soil properties, the content of organic carbon, available nitrogen and sulfur significantly correlated with Y (r = 0.58–0.66). Combining these factors together with soil pH in a path model explained 60% of variability in Y. Importantly, sulfur had the highest and most significant effect in this model. Thus, this soil parameter is the main yield-limiting factor in the study area, which must be the first to be adjusted in agricultural practice.

Sulfur deficiency mediated visible emission of ZnS QDs by magnesium dopant and their application in waste water treatment

The photocatalyst with antimicrobial activity serves as a better candidate material for wastewater treatment, as wastewater contains microbes, hazardous dyes, and heavy metals. Hence, the present study extensively examines the photocatalytic and antibacterial activities against two waterborne bacterial strains, namely Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli. Pure and Mg-doped ZnS (Mg:ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized using a low-cost and simple co-precipitation method. The QDs' structural, surface morphology, chemical purity, and optical characteristics were analyzed through XRD, SEM, EDAX, TEM, UV–visible, and photoluminescence spectra. The incorporation of Mg dopants did not introduce significant alterations to the cubic blende structure of ZnS, nor did it induce substantial changes in the structural parameters. However, the QDs exhibited a slight sulfur deficiency, which was further increased by the presence of Mg dopant. The Mg dopant, due to its dominant compositional effect, reduced the band gap. Several optical emission bands were observed in the UV, violet, blue, and green regions, corresponding to NBE emission, sulfur-related defects, and Zn-related defects. Initially, Mg doping enhanced visible emission related to defects, while NBE emission was suppressed by the Mg dopant. However, increasing the concentration of the Mg dopant led to a slight increase in NBE emission. The Mg dopant enhanced the photocatalytic activity of the QDs, and a strong correlation was found between photocatalytic activity and NBE emission. The presence of the Mg dopant led to an increased rate of ROS-based decolorization by reducing the electron-hole recombination rate.

Pod and Seed Production Potential of Vegetable Pea (Pisum sativum L.) as Influenced by Different Levels of Sulphur and Boron in Calcareous Soil of North Bihar

Background: Vegetable pea is one of the relevant vegetable crops grown in the cool season all over the India. Sulphur deficiency is becoming more prevalent in Bihar due to the less use of boron and sulphur-containing fertilizer in calcareous soils and the consequent decrease in sulphur and boron nutrients. On the other hand, organic matter-rich manures, are utilized in very small quantities which is a source of a macro-and micronutrients, including sulphur and boron. As a consequence, soils have become deficient in sulphur and boron, which is detrimental to crop production. In the absence of these sulphur and boron in the soil, different legume crops such as vegetable pea suffer from reduced growth, yield and nodule formation. Methods: In this field investigation during 2020-2022, experiments were conducted in Factorial Randomized Block Design using fifteen different combinations of Boron and Sulphur doses in Azad Pea-3 variety of vegetable pea in three replications and different pod and seed yield attributing traits were studied. Result: Among the different treatments, it has been inferred that treatment combination 40 kg S ha-1 + 2 kg B ha-1 exhibited superiority over rest of the treatment combinations with respect to pod and seed yield attributes of vegetable pea.

Differential modulation of Target of Rapamycin activity undersingle and combined iron and sulfur deficiency in tomato plants.

Over the past few decades, a close relationship between sulfur (S) and iron (Fe) in terms of functionality and nutrition was demonstrated in the tomato. However, very little is known about the regulatory mechanisms underlying S/Fe interactions. Recently, the potential role of citrate in plant adaptation to Fe deficiency and combined S and Fe deficiency has been described. It is known that an impaired organic acid metabolism may stimulate a retrograde signal, which has been proven to be linked to the Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling in yeast and animal cells. Recent reports provided evidence of TOR involvement in S nutrient sensing in plants. This suggestion prompted us to investigate whether TOR may play a role in the cross-talk of signaling pathway occurring during plant adaptation to combined nutrient deficiency of Fe and S. Our results revealed that Fe deficiency elicited an increase of TOR activity associated with enhanced accumulation of citrate. In contrast, S deficiency resulted in decreased TOR activity and citrate accumulation. Interestingly, citrate accumulated in shoots of plants exposed to combined S/Fe deficiency to values between those found in Fe- and S-deficient plants, again correlated with TOR activity level. Our results suggest that citrate might be involved in establishing a link between plant response to combined S/Fe deficiency and the TOR network.

Spatio-temporal variability of available sulphur and micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, B and Mo) in soils of a hilly region of northern India

Knowledge about spatio-temporal variabilities of plant available (hereafter called available) nutrients in soils is important for undertaking revised and efficient site-specific soil nutrient management practices in order to achieve higher crop production and nutrient use efficiency in different parts of the world. Despite emerging deficiencies of available sulphur (AS) and micronutrients in various soil-crop situations, the information pertaining to temporal changes in spatial variability of AS and available micronutrients in soils of different parts of the world is limited due to scarce studies in the said area. The present study was carried out to assess and compare the status and spatial as well as temporal distribution pattern of AS, available micronutrients, and some selected soil properties [soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and soil organic carbon (SOC)] in cultivated soils of a hilly region of India, in 6 years (2015–2021). We also visualized correlations among soil properties, AS, and available micronutrients, and studied spatial structures of the soil parameters. We collected altogether 2, 871 (1, 127 in 2015 and 1, 774 in 2021) georeferenced representative topsoil (0–15 cm depth) samples from cultivated areas of Uttarakhand state of India and analysed. Soil properties, AS and available micronutrients exhibited moderate variability with coefficient of variation (CV) values ranging from 10 to 100%. The mean values of AS and available micronutrients in 2015 and 2021 differed significantly, as revealed by t-test. The mean concentrations of AS (13.2 mg kg−1), available iron (AFe) (36.5 mg kg−1), available boron (AB) (0.92 mg kg−1) and available molybdenum (AMo) (0.40 mg kg−1) in 2021 were significantly lower than the concentrations of AS (44.7 mg kg−1), AFe (42.8 mg kg−1), AB (1.46 mg kg−1), and Amo (0.94 mg kg−1) in 2015. The AS concentration was positively and significantly correlated (r = 0.064 p < 0.05 in 2015, r = 0.261 p < 0.01 in 2021) with soil pH and negatively and significantly correlated (r = −0.082 p < 0.01 in 2015, r = −0.125 p < 0.01 in 2021) with SOC in both the years. There were positive and significant correlations of SOC with available zinc (AZn) (r = 0.111 p < 0.01), available copper (ACu) (r = 0.062 p < 0.05) and AB (r = 0.159 p < 0.01) in 2015 and with AZn (r = 0.101 p < 0.01), AFe (r = 0.187 p < 0.01), ACu (r = 0.164 p < 0.01), available manganese (AMn) (r = 0.169 p < 0.01) and AMo (r = 0.266 p < 0.01) in 2021. The exponential model was found to be best fitted for all of soil parameters with lower MSE values (−0.007 to 0.006 in 2015 and −0.010 to 0.012 in 2021) in both the years of estimation. The nugget/sill ratios (varied from 0.32 to 0.74 in 2015 and from 0.29 to 0.57 in 2021) indicated the moderate spatial dependence for all the soil parameters except AFe (nugget/sill ratio 0.14, strong spatial dependence) in 2015 and EC (nugget/sill ratio 0.24, strong spatial dependence) in 2021.There were varied distribution patterns of soil properties, AS and available micronutrients in the study area for both the years of estimation. The distribution patterns of AS, AB and AMo changed to a greater extent over the period of time. Thus, the study highlighted the change in spatial variability of AS and available micronutrients in the study area over a period of 6 years.

Algal polysaccharides-Selenium nanoparticles regulate the uptake and distribution of selenium in rice plants.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element required for proper human and animal health. In this paper, we investigated the uptake and distribution characteristics of a new Se fertilizer, which comprises algal polysaccharides-selenium nanoparticles (APS-SeNPs), in rice plants in both hydroponic and pot experiments. The results from the hydroponic experiments revealed that the rice root uptake of APS-SeNPs fitted the Michaelis-Menten equation, with a V max of 13.54μgg-1 root dry weight (DW) per hour, which was 7.69 and 2.23 times those of selenite and selenate treatments, respectively. The root uptake of APS-SeNPs was inhibited by AgNO3 (64.81%-79.09%) and carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP; 19.83%-29.03%), indicating that the uptake of APS-SeNPs by rice roots is mainly via aquaporins and is also affected by metabolic activity. Moreover, sulfur deficiency caused rice roots to absorb more APS-SeNPs, but treatment with APS-SeNPs increased the expression of the sulfate transporter OsSULTR1;2 in the roots, suggesting that OsSULTR1;2 is probably involved in the uptake of APS-SeNPs. The application of APS-SeNPs significantly increased the Se content in rice plants and the apparent Se uptake efficiency compared with selenate and selenite treatments. Most of the Se in the roots of rice plants was distributed in the cell wall, while it was primarily located in the cytosol in the shoots when treated with APS-SeNPs. The results from the pot experiments indicated that the application of Se enhanced the Se content of each rice tissue. It is worth noting that the Se content in brown rice under APS-SeNP treatment was higher than that under selenite or selenate treatment and was mainly concentrated in the embryo end, with the Se in organic form. Our findings provide important insights into the uptake mechanism and the distribution of APS-SeNPs in rice plants.

The Effect of Nitrogen and Sulphur Application on Soybean Productivity Traits in Temperate Climates Conditions

Both nitrogen and sulphur are important macronutrients necessary for the proper development and yield of soybean. Moreover, sulphur plays a special role in nitrogen metabolism in the plant, and sulphur deficiency leads to a reduction in the utilization of nitrogen from fertilizer. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of nitrogen and sulphur application on the yield and quality traits of soybean seeds. The following factors were analyzed in the experiment: I. Nitrogen application rate: 0, 30 and 60 kg ha−1 applied at different times (before sowing and/or at the start of the seed filling stage); II. Sulphur application rate: 0 and 40 kg ha−1 applied in two portions: half during the development of lateral shoots and half at the start of flowering. Thus the 14 fertilizer combinations were obtained. Result show that the highest seeds yield was obtained in the combinations with 60 kg N applied ½ before sowing + ½ after emergence (BBCH 73-75) and ¾ before sowing +¼ after emergence. In these combinations, sulphur did not significantly affect seed yield. In the remaining nitrogen application, sulphur application significantly increased the seed yield. Taking into account the yield and the chemical composition of the soybean seeds, fertilization with 60 kg N ha−1 in two portions can be recommended—½ or ¾ before sowing and the remainder during the development of pods and seeds—in combination with sulphur application.

High Sodium‐Ion Battery Capacity in Sulfur‐Deficient Tin(II) Sulfide Thin Films with a Microrod Morphology

Sulfur‐deficient SnS thin films for sodium‐ion battery anode application are prepared using aerosol‐assisted chemical vapor deposition. Growth directly onto the metal foil current collector forms sulfur‐deficient SnS microrod structures via a vapor–liquid–solid growth mechanism, with 92 nm average SnS crystallite size and an 800 nm film thickness. The sulfur deficiency is demonstrated with energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, powder X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure analyses. This sulfur‐deficient SnS material demonstrates a very high capacity in sodium half cells. The first reduction scan at a specific current of 150 mA g−1 shows a capacity of 1084 mAh g−1. At the 50th cycle the specific capacity is 638 mAh g−1 for reduction and 593 mAh g−1 for oxidation. This capacity is demonstrated for tin sulfide itself without the need for a nanostructured carbon support, unlike previous high capacity SnS anodes in the literature. Both the capacity and ex situ characterization experiments indicate a conversion reaction producing tin, followed by alloying with sodium during reduction, and that both of these processes are reversible during oxidation.

Overexpression of the Phosphoserine Phosphatase-Encoding Gene (AtPSP1) Promotes Starch Accumulation in Lemna turionifera 5511 under Sulfur Deficiency

Duckweeds are well known for their high accumulation of starch under stress conditions, along with inhibited growth. The phosphorylation pathway of serine biosynthesis (PPSB) was reported as playing a vital role in linking the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism in this plant. The overexpression of AtPSP1, the last key enzyme of the PPSB pathway in duckweed, was found to stimulate the accumulation of starch under sulfur-deficient conditions. The growth- and photosynthesis-related parameters were higher in the AtPSP1 transgenic plants than in the WT. The transcriptional analysis showed that the expression of several genes in starch synthesis, TCA, and sulfur absorption, transportation, and assimilation was significantly up- or downregulated. The study suggests that PSP engineering could improve starch accumulation in Lemna turionifera 5511 by coordinating the carbon metabolism and sulfur assimilation under sulfur-deficient conditions.

Soybean yield response to nitrogen and sulfur fertilization in the United States: contribution of soil N and N fixation processes

ContextSoybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is the most important legume grown worldwide. The effect of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization on seed yield is commonly studied in the United States (US). However, soybean yield response to fertilization remains inconsistent, partly due to the lack of standardized field designs and a better understanding of the plant nutrition processes underpinning yield formation. ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to assess the i) seed yield, (ii) plant N status (as N nutrition index, NNI), (iii) the contribution of N fixation, and (iv) the uncertainties on i), ii), and iii) in response to N-S fertilization using a uniform protocol across environments. MethodsTwenty-six trials in twelve US states tested five fertilization strategies that combined N and S at varying rates and timings. Using Bayesian statistics, seed yield response to fertilizer, NNI, and contribution of N fixation were analyzed at site and treatment levels providing both magnitude of responses and estimation of their uncertainties. From the significance of responses on seed yield, sites were split into two groups: non-responsive (18 sites) and responsive (8 sites). The NNI, ratio of the actual to the critical plant N concentration, was calculated to diagnose soybean N deficiency, and the N derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa, %) as N fixation contribution were investigated to better understand the source of plant N across all sites. ResultsRoughly for three-fourths of the sites, fertilization resulted in an unlikely (non-responsive) yield effect, with uncertainties ranging from 0.09 to 2.62 Mg ha−1. The other one-third of the sites were mainly responsive to S or both N + S, with the yield responses ranging from − 0.42–1.1 Mg ha−1 and uncertainties varying from 0.47 to 1.36 Mg ha−1. For the yield responsive sites, NNI presented a high proportion of deficiency (NNI<1) for most of the treatments, except for the “Full” signaling to a potential for yield response. Likewise, only 6% of the changes in Ndfa were not related to the treatment “Full”, and regardless of the seed yield response to fertilization, within the same site, soil and N fixation showed similar contributions to plant N demand. ConclusionDue to the high uncertainty in treatment response and contribution of N fixation, N fertilization is unlikely to increase yields, leading to non-profitable recommendations. Sulfur deficiency, on the other hand, should be explored under site-specific conditions. A decision support system should include appropriate diagnosis methods for identifying N and S deficiencies, such as NNI in soybean. Attainable maximum Ndfa did not appear to be affected by fertilization but largely varying depending on the site. ImplicationsFuture research should assess the role of soil and meteorological variables underpinning N fixation and soil N, along with the impact on seed quality composition, as a critical trait for this crop.

Effect of growth pressure on sulfur content of RF-magnetron sputtered WS2 films and thermal oxidation properties of them toward using Pd decorated WO3 based H2 gas sensor

Obtaining near stoichiometric WS2 films with sputtering is challenging because of high sulfur deficiency during sputtering, which limits the application of these films in different solid-state device applications. In this study, in order to understand the growth pressure effect on the sulfur/tungsten ratio, WS2 films were grown at four different growth pressures, 5, 25, 50, and 100 mTorr, by RF-magnetron sputtering. With increasing growth pressure from 5 to 100 mTorr, it is found that films change from relatively metallic to near stoichiometric WS2 films. The thermal oxidation process of as-deposited WS2 films in the presence of O2 gas was also studied. The study showed that WS2 films were turned into WO3 films without significant change in morphology at a temperature of 400 ℃. The obtained WO3 films were then decorated by Palladium catalysis deposited by RFMS to activate the WO3 films toward H2 gas. The high response of 586-fold at an operating temperature of 200 ℃ for 1000 ppm H2 gas response and recovery times of 360 and 90 s, respectively, has been achieved for the sensor deposited at a growth pressure of 50 mTorr. In addition, a detection limit of 10 ppm was achieved for the sensor.

A Revised View of the LSU Gene Family: New Functions in Plant Stress Responses and Phytohormone Signaling.

LSUs (RESPONSE TO LOW SULFUR) are plant-specific proteins of unknown function that were initially identified during transcriptomic studies of the sulfur deficiency response in Arabidopsis. Recent functional studies have shown that LSUs are important hubs of protein interaction networks with potential roles in plant stress responses. In particular, LSU proteins have been reported to interact with members of the brassinosteroid, jasmonate signaling, and ethylene biosynthetic pathways, suggesting that LSUs may be involved in response to plant stress through modulation of phytohormones. Furthermore, in silico analysis of the promoter regions of LSU genes in Arabidopsis has revealed the presence of cis-regulatory elements that are potentially responsive to phytohormones such as ABA, auxin, and jasmonic acid, suggesting crosstalk between LSU proteins and phytohormones. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the LSU gene family in plants and its potential role in phytohormone responses.

Effect of antimony doping on the structural, optical, and optoelectrical properties of aluminum sulfide thin films synthesized by the electrodeposition method

In this research, undoped aluminum sulfide (Al2S3) and with various antimony (Sb) doping concentrations of 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, and 8.0 wt% were synthesized by an electrodeposition method. The α-Al2S3 phase of the hexagonal crystal structure was revealed using x-ray diffraction analysis. The crystallographic parameters of the electrodeposited thin films, for example crystallite size (D), dislocation density (δ), and microstrain (ε) were determined. The transmittance and reflectance spectra were further analyzed for linear, dispersion, optoelectrical, and nonlinear optical properties. The overall optical results were changed with various Sb doping concentrations, owing to the natural formation, and the dependence upon the amount of sulfur or sulfur deficiency in the undoped and Sb-doped Al2S3 thin films. Furthermore, the investigation of major charge carriers in the electrodeposited thin film revealed that the pure Al2S3 exhibited a p-type semiconductor, and the films were altered to be an n-type semiconductor after Sb doping. This demonstration can confirm that this kind of thin film is suitable for promising linear, and nonlinear optoelectronic devices. However, further improvement is required for certain applications in all optical switching or wavelength/photon energy conversions.

Spectral Discrimination of Macronutrient Deficiencies in Greenhouse Grown Flue-Cured Tobacco

Remote sensing of nutrient disorders has become more common in recent years. Most research has considered one or two nutrient disorders and few studies have sought to distinguish among multiple macronutrient deficiencies. This study was conducted to provide a baseline spectral characterization of macronutrient deficiencies in flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Reflectance measurements were obtained from greenhouse-grown nutrient-deficient plants at several stages of development. Feature selection methods including information entropy and first and second derivatives were used to identify wavelengths useful for discriminating among these deficiencies. Detected variability was primarily within wavelengths in the visible spectrum, while near-infrared and shortwave-infrared radiation contributed little to the observed variability. Principal component analysis was used to reduce data dimensionality and the selected components were used to develop linear discriminant analysis models to classify the symptoms. Classification models for young, intermediate, and mature plants had overall accuracies of 92%, 82%, and 75%, respectively, when using 10 principal components. Nitrogen, sulfur, and magnesium deficiencies exhibited greater classification accuracies, while phosphorus and potassium deficiencies demonstrated poor or inconsistent results. This study demonstrates that spectral analysis of flue-cured tobacco is a promising methodology to improve current scouting methods.

Ullmannite and Heyrovskyite veins of the Genevskaya Darasunskoye gold deposit in Eastern Transbaikalia (Russia)

The first data on the mineral composition of the vein of the Geneva Darasunskoye gold deposit in Transbaikalia are given. Particular attention is paid to the rare mineral ulmannite NiSbS, which has not been described before, and Heyrovskyite, which is previously unknown in the ores of this deposit, which belongs to rare minerals of the lead-bismuth sulfosal salt group. Both mineral species are found in propylites containing a gold-bearing vein. Among the ulmannites, arsenic and non-arsenic varieties were found. The arsenic content is in the range of 4.9 – 7.37 wt.%. Two of the analyzed samples contained copper contents of 0.83–0.87 wt. %. All measured individuals contain iron ranging from 0.57 to 1.75 wt.% and there is a sulfur deficiency. For the first time, a lead-silver-bismuth sulfosalt belonging to heyrovskite was identified in the near-salband part of the Geneva gold-bearing vein of the Darasun gold deposit. Its composition is not constant. Kheyrovskite of the Darasun deposit differs in chemical composition from its other known occurrences in its relatively high antimony content up to 2.12%, as well as a high bismuth content and sulfur deficiency. Both minerals belong to the early stage of the formation of the Geneva gold vein.

Boron toxicity induces sulfate transporters at transcriptional level in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plants activate glutathione (GSH)-dependent detoxification pathways at biochemical and molecular levels under boron (B) toxicity. Sulfate uptake and transport are necessary for GSH biosynthesis in plants. Therefore, the transcriptional regulation of some sulfate transporters was determined in this study to clarify the importance of these transporters in leaf and root tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana under toxic B conditions. The expression level of SULTR1;3 was dramatically increased in leaf and root tissues under moderate and severe toxic B conditions, suggesting source-to-sink sulfate translocation under B toxicity. Stable expression levels of SULTR2;1, SULTR2;2, and low SULTR3;5 expression might restrict the sulfate movement into the xylem in leaves. SULTR3;1, SULTR3;2, SULTR3;3, SULTR3;4, SULTR4;1 and SULTR4;2 were induced in root tissues under toxic B conditions, indicating an induction of root-to-shoot sulfate translocation. These results showed that B toxicity might disrupt the homogeneous distribution of sulfate and sulfur-containing compounds in both tissues of A. thaliana. Moreover, we performed in silico analysis of microarray experiments to determine the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under B toxicity and sulfur deficiency. Gene ontology, hierarchical clustering, and coexpression network analyses of these DEGs demonstrated the requirement of sulfate transporters under B toxicity. A set of genes involved in sulfur metabolism coexpress with sulfate transporters under B toxicity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report focusing on the molecular regulation of sulfate transporters in Arabidopsis thaliana under B toxicity.

Detecção de estresse nutricional em cana-de-açúcar por espectroscopia de reflectância VIS-NIR-SWIR

ABSTRACT: This study applied spectroradiometry techniques with hyperspectral data to identify the correlations between sugarcane leaf reflectance and the contents of Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulfur (S), Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg). During the harvests 2019/20 and 2020/21, sugarcane was introduced to nutritional stress by the application of limestone doses. Liming was applied in a fractional way and, at the end of five years, the amounts corresponded to 0, 9, 15 and 21 t ha-1 of dolomitic limestone. The leaf hyperspectral reflectance data and the state of nutrients in the exponential growth phase of the culture were registered. The wavelengths correlated with N, P, K, S, Ca and Mg were identified using the Spearman’s correlation analysis. The test of similarity (ANOSIM) and the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were applied to evaluate data variability, as well as the Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) for the prediction of the nutritional contents. The order of the degree of correlation in the region of visible was: P &gt; K &gt; N &gt; Ca &gt; S &gt; Mg and for the region of the near infrared: P &gt; K &gt; Ca &gt; N &gt; S &gt; Mg. P presented peaks with high correlations in the wavelengths 706-717 nm (-0.78) and 522-543 nm (-0.76). The values of the PLSR registered the best spectral responses in the region of VIS and red-edge, regions that are more sensitive to the deficiency of sulfur, potassium and phosphorus.

Deficiencies of Secondary Nutrients in Crop Plants—A Real Challenge to Improve Nitrogen Management

Secondary nutrient (e.g., calcium, magnesium, sulfur) deficiencies in crop plants disturb the nitrogen balance in the plants, thus reducing the overall yield. This hypothesis was analyzed based on the physiological functions of these nutrients, in relation to the uptake and utilization of N, in crop plants. Nitrogen uptake by plants requires a well-developed root system, the size of which depends on the supply of calcium. This process is largely controlled by the content of toxic aluminum in the soil, which can be mitigated through the application of lime and/or gypsum. In humid climates, the excessive uptake of calcium by plants occurs during water shortages; this process significantly interferes with N uptake. Magnesium, which affects plant growth throughout the growing season, can effectively control excessive calcium uptake. Magnesium deficiency can be ameliorated with soil- or foliar-applied fertilizers. These stages define the timing of plant sampling and determination of the N:S ratio, as an indicator of plant nutritional status. The application of Mg, S, or MgS facilitates higher productivity of fertilizer N by narrowing the N:Mg and N:S ratios in plants. The use of secondary nutrients can allow farmers to obtain high yields while reducing both production costs and environmental risks.

Microelement provision of cows of the western region of Ukraine

The article presents the results of research on the content of trace elements: Cobalt, Zinc, Copper and Manganese in the soils, fodder and blood of cows of the black and spotted Ukrainian breed in farms from the mountain, foothill and plain zones of the Western region of Ukraine. The western biogeochemical zone of Ukraine includes Zakarpattia, Lviv, Chernivtsi, Ternopil, Volyn and Rivne regions.&#x0D; It was established (mg per 1 kg of soil) that the amount of Cobalt was 0.5 mg/kg; Cuprum – 7.2; Zinc – 3.1; Manganese – 6.5; in the foothills – Cobalt – 0.6; Cuprum – 4.5; Zinc – 1.8; Manganese – 32; in the plain – Cobalt – 0.55; Cuprum – 5.0; Zinc – 1.5; Manganese – 39. During the analysis of the rations, it was established that the provision of other mineral substances did not meet the physiological needs. Thus, in the diets of cows from mountain, foothill and plain regions, an excess of Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Ferrum and a deficiency of Phosphorus, Sulfur, Zinc, Cobalt, Iodine and Copper were observed.&#x0D; Clinical studies of cows indicate the prevalence of trace element diseases in them. Anemia of visible mucous membranes and non-pigmented areas of the skin was recorded in cows, the number of erythrocytes in animals of the mountain zone was 5.7±0.29 T/l, in the foothills – 5.8±0.29, and in the plains – 6.2±0.30 T / l. The hemoglobin content in the blood of cows in the mountain zone was at the level of 97.0±5.40 g/l, in the foothills – 94.0±5.30, and in the plain zone – 98.0±3.70 g/l. Physiological values of the number of erythrocytes in the blood of cows range from 5.0–7.5 T/l, and the hemoglobin content – 95–125 g/l.

Quantum-Mechanical Driven 1H Iterative Full Spin Analysis Addresses Complex Peak Patterns of Choline Sulfate.

Choline and choline esters are essential nutrients in biological systems for carrying out normal functions, such as the modulation of neurotransmission and the formation and maintenance of cell membranes. Choline sulfate is reportedly involved in the defense mechanism of accumulating sulfur resources against sulfur deficiency. Contrary to expectations, a full assignment of the 1H NMR spectrum of choline sulfate has not been reported. The present study pioneered a full assignment by quantum-mechanical driven 1H iterative full spin analysis. The complex peak patterns were analyzed in terms of heteronuclear and non-first-order coupling. The 1H-14N coupling constants, including two-bond coupling, which can be neglected, were accurately determined by iterative optimization. Non-first-order splitting has been described to be due to the presence of magnetically non-equivalent geminal protons. Moreover, in the comparison of the methylene proton resonance patterns of choline sulfate with choline and choline phosphate, the differences in the geminal and vicinal coupling constants were further examined through spectral simulation excluding the heteronuclear coupling. The precise spectral interpretation provided in this study is expected to contribute to future 1H NMR-based qualitative or quantitative studies of choline sulfate-containing sources.