Assessment of Subsoil Sulfate and Manure as Sources of Plant Available Sulfur
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Date
1986-05Author
Warner, Delores J.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources
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Show full item recordAbstract
The amounts of sulfate-sulfur in profiles of eight Wisconsin soils and the contribution of plant available
sulfur from manure applications at three locations was
determined. Total profile contents of SO4-S ranged from
19.2 to 186.3 kg/ha in a Plainfield lfs at Hancock and a
Plano sil at Sun Prairie, respectively. Most of the soils
had substantial amounts of SO4-S in the subsoil relative to
the surface making S deficiency unlikely. Cumulative
amounts of SO4-S to a depth of 90 cm was highly correlated
to soil organic matter in the surface 30 cm (r=.782**). At
each depth increment, SO4-S was negatively related to soil
pH. The distribution of SO4-S within profiles are discussed
relative to soil properties.
Manure treatment effects were difficult to detect
because of inherently high SO4-S levels in the experimental
soils. The addition of high rates of nitrogen, through
manure or fertilizer treatments resulted in occasional
significant reductions in subsoil SO4-S at Sun Prairie and
Baraboo. In 1982 at Sun Prairie, the addition of 88 and 121
Mg/ha dairy manure and 274-37-158 kg/ha N-P-K resulted in a
significant decrease in total profile amounts of SO4-S.
Manure applications did not significantly affect levels of
SO4-S in total profiles at Fall River and Baraboo. A
contribution of S from dairy manure was not obtained for the
experimental period.