Masters Theses

Date of Award

6-1983

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Plant, Soil and Environmental Sciences

Major Professor

Jeffrey D. Wolt

Committee Members

Gary M. Lessman, Randall J. Miles

Abstract

The effects of sulfur (S) fertilization and atmospheric S inputs upon extractable soil S and corn yield and S concentration were investigated in nine location-years of experimentation conducted from 1980-82 at three locations within Tennessee: Ames Plantation, Grant Junction; The Tobacco Experiment Station, Greeneville; and the Plant Science Field Laboratory, Knoxville. At each location S (as K₂S0₄) was applied at rates of 0, 17, and 34 kg*ha⁻¹ in a replicated, randomized complete block design. The influence of S fertilization, years, and locations on grain yield, nutrient concentration of both leaf and grain samples, and soil extractable S and pH was evaluated for the data combined across years with locations nested within years. Additionally, wet/dry deposition of atmospheric S was monitored at each location throughout the study. The analysis of data indicated that yield and S concentration of leaf and grain tissue was uninfluenced by S fertilization, suggesting that S was not limiting for corn yield in this experiment. Additionally, S fertilization and years had no ffect on extractable soil S while locations within years significantly ffected this value. The soil at Knoxville was considerably lower in extractable S than soils at either Grand Junction or Greeneville and therefore had a greater potential for S deficiency during the course of this study. An average of 16 kg*ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ of S was contributed to these cropping systems via wet/dry deposition. It is likely that atmospheric input may be compensating for the S removed as harvested grain and lost by leaching, thus preventing a corn response to S fertilization at these locations.

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