BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
SULFUR Essential plant nutrients with visual deficiency symptoms
Sulfur deficiencies have become and plant tissue and soil test values . relatively more common , especially in turfgrasses , due to reductions in acid rain pollutants and increasingly pure fertilizer materials . Predicting sulfur deficiencies is difficult , as the soil test is not well correlated to plant response . Rather , organic matter is a somewhat better predictor , with the likelihood of response diminishing as organic matter levels increase above ~ 2 %. As with nitrogen , sulfur is prone to leaching losses . As such , sulfur is more likely to be needed on highsand , low-organic-matter soils , especially on those that receive high precipitation / irrigation rates . Irrigation water should be tested because many sources , especially greywater , can be high in sulfur .
When sulfur is likely to result in improved plant health , it is commonly added in conjunction with nitrogen as ammonium sulfate and / or with potassium as potassium sulfate . Micronutrients ( zinc , iron , manganese , and copper ) are also often applied as sulfate salts , although the rates may not supply enough sulfur to meet all needs . Gypsum ( calcium sulfate ) and Epsom salt ( magnesium sulfate ) also contain sulfur , although these are usually applied for reasons other than sulfur nutrition . Sulfur-coated urea or elemental sulfur are good sources for steady release of sulfur over
SECONDARY MACRONUTRIENTS the growing season , which is especially helpful to
As with primary macronutrients , secondary soils prone to leaching . Excesses are not typically
macronutrients are found in plants at percent levels environmental or plant health concerns , although (> 0.1 %). However , they were classified as “ secondary ” these are wasteful of resources and , as with all soluble because they are historically less commonly deficient in fertilizers , can be a contributor to excessive salts / crop plants . fertilizer burn .
26 SportsField Management | January 2023 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com