Sulfur is a chemical element with symbol S and atomic number 16 with atomic mass 32.065. It is abundant, multivalent, brittle, yellow, tasteless, odourless and non-metallic element. Sulfur is the tenth most common element by mass in the universe, and the fifth most common on Earth. In the Bible, sulfur is called brimstone . Today, almost all elemental sulfur is produced as a by product of removing sulfur-containing contaminants from natural gas and petroleum. Most soil sources of S are in the organic matter and therefore concentrated in the top soil or low layer. Under normal conditions, sulfur atom forms cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula S8. Sulphur is the most abundent and widely distributed element in the nature and found both in free as well as combined states.

1. welcome

2. Seminar Topic
“SULPHUR IN SOILAND ITS MICROBIAL TRANSFORMATION”
Submitted by
MISS. SUCHITA BHARAT YERME
Reg. No: – 2017A/120M
Research guide
Dr. S. T. SHIRALE
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry
VNMKV, Parbhani.
Seminar Incharge
Dr. Syed Ismail
HEAD
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry
VNMKV, Parbhani.
Submitted to
DEPARTMENT OF SOIL SCIENCE AND AGRIL. CHEMISTRY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
V.N.M.K.V., PARBHANI 431402 (M.S.)
2018

4. INTRODUCTION
• Sulfur is a chemical element with symbol S and atomic number 16
with atomic mass 32.065.
• It is abundant, multivalent, brittle, yellow, tasteless, odourless and non-
metallic element.
• Sulfur is the tenth most common element by mass in the universe, and
the fifth most common on Earth.
• In the Bible, sulfur is called brimstone .
• Today, almost all elemental sulfur is produced as a by product of
removing sulfur-containing contaminants from natural gas and
petroleum.
• Most soil sources of S are in the organic matter and therefore
concentrated in the top soil or low layer.
• Under normal conditions, sulfur atom forms cyclic octatomic
molecules with a chemical formula S8.
• Sulphur is the most abundent and widely distributed element in the
nature and found both in free as well as combined states.

5. • Sulphur, like nitrogen is an essential element for all living systems.
In the soil, sulphur is the organic form ( sulphur containing amino
acids- cysteine, methione, proteins, polypeptides, biotin, thiamine
etc.) which is metabolized by soil microorganisms to make it
available in an inorganic form (sulphur, sulphates, sulphite,
thiosulphate etc.) for plant nutrition of the total sulphur present is
soil only 10-15% is in the inorganic form (sulphate) and about 75-
90% is in organic form.
• They must be converted to the sulfate
(SO4
-) form to become available to the crop.
• This conversion is performed by soil microbes and required soil
conditions for that are warm, moist and well drained to proceed
rapidly.
• The sulfate form of S is an anion (- ve charge), and therefore is
leachable. As a rough rule of thumb, it can be considered to leach
through the soil profile at about 50% as fast as nitrates (NO3
-).
• In soils with a significant and restrictive clay layer in the sub- soil.
It is common to find that sulfate which has leached through the soil
over time and become “perched on the clay layer”.

6. • Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow crystalline solid at room
temperature. Chemically, sulfur reacts with all elements
except for gold, platinum, iridium, tellurium, and the noble
gases.
• Elemental S and other forms as found in soil organic matter
and some fertilizer which, are not easily available to crops.
• The greatest commercial use of the element is the production
of sulfuric acid for sulfate and phosphate fertilizers, and other
chemical processes.
• The element sulfur is used in matches, insecticides, and
fungicides. Many sulfur compounds are odoriferous, and the
smells of odorized natural gas, scent, grapefruit, and garlic are
due to organosulfur compounds.
• Hydrogen sulfide gives the characteristic odour to rotting eggs
and other biological processes.

7. • Crustal rocks contain about 11 times more sulfur than
the ocean. Only the two largest natural reservoirs of
sulfur are – the lithosphere and hydrosphere.
• LITHOSPHERE : Evaporates, though of relatively very
small mass, have by far the highest sulfur content and
are thus the single largest reservoir of terrestrial sulfur,
about a third of the total, and virtually all of it in
sulfates.
• In mafic, metamorphic, or volcanic rocks, nearly all
sulfur present is in sulfides, which are often
concentrated by hydrothermal processes in major
mineral ore deposits.
• Lithosphere holds largest amounts of Sulfur
• In terrestrial environments, SOM holds the greatest
amounts of S

8. Source:- www.powershow.com

9. HYDROSPHERE :
Sulfur storage in this reservoir is dominated by the
abundance of sulfate in seawater where it is, after chloride,
the second most important anion: each kilogram of ocean
water contains on the average 19.35 g NaCl and 2.712 g
Sulfate.
Sulfates are also the second most abundant
compounds dissolved in river waters. Ocean sulfur is
removed from water by formation of both reduced (mostly
pyritic) and oxidized (sulfate) sediments.

10. Source:- www.sciencedirect.com
Global S Cycle

11. • EVAPORATION AND WEATHERING - Globally, this
process is capable of removing huge quantities of sulfur.
Both gypsum (CaS04 ·2H20) and anhydrite (CaS04), the
two dominant evaporate sulfates, release their sulfur by
dissolving, without the participation of other compounds:
in surface and ground waters, their solubility is 2-3 g/kg
H20.
• On the other hand, sulfur from pyrites enters the cycle
almost always through oxidation to sulfate, a process
greatly accelerated in acid environments by microbial
mediation of thiobacilli.

12. Physical Weathering
release of sulfides (HS-) or sulfates
(SO4
-3) from minerals
Biological transformations:
aerobic
sulfur-oxidizing bacteria
sulfides are converted to sulfate
(SO4
-2) sulfate is assimilated by
plants and microbes
anaerobic
sulfate-reducing bacteria; sulfate
converted to sulfides
aerobic or anaerobic
Mineralization of organic S, release
as either HS- or SO4
-2
Volatile organic S compounds
Assimilation of mineral S into
biomass
Terrestrial pools and transformations
Source:- www.science.sciencemag.org

13. -: Sulphur in Soil :-
• Most soil sources of S are in the organic matter and
therefore concentrated in the top soil or low layer.
Elemental S and other forms as found in soil organic
matter and some fertilizer, are not available to crops. They
must be converted to the sulfate (SO4
-) form to become
available to the crop. This conversion is performed by soil
microbes and therefore requires soil conditions for that are
warm, moist and well drained to proceed rapidly.
• This SO4
- is available to crops when the roots reach this
area of the soil.

14. Function:-
• Sulfur is essential for many plant functions. Some of them
are
• A structural component of protein and peptides.
• Most of the sulfur absorbed by plants, about 90% is used
for that purpose.
• Active in the conversion of inorganic N into protein.
• A catalyst in chlorophyll production. It is a major
constituent of one of the enzymes required for the
formation of the chlorophyll molecule.
• Promotes nodule formation in legumes.
• Essential in the synthesis of oils, especially in oilseed crops.
• A structural component of various enzymes
• A structural components of the compounds that give the
characteristic odors and flavors to mustard, onion and
garlic.

15. Factors affecting availability:-
• Sand :- Sulfur is leachable, plus sandy soils are typically low in
organic matter, therefore these soils are often low in sulfur.
• Soil Organic Matter:- Organic matter is a reservoir for S.
• Cold Soil:- The conversion of various forms of S to the available
sulfate (SO4) form is a microbial process requiring oxygen, therefore
saturated soil slow this process.
• Pollution :- Soil that, over the years, has been subject to high levels
of deposition from industrial sources of S.
• Irrigation water :- irrigation water may contain high levels of S,
and excess irrigation of sands can leach S out of the root zone.
• SO4:NH4 Application:- added NH4 has been shown to appreciably
enhance the uptake of SO4.

16. • Interaction :-
• Other Anions:- Anions tend to compete with other anion in
terms of availability and plant uptake. Therefore excess
sulfate-S (SO4) can reduce the uptake of some anions such
as nitrates (NO3) and the available form of Molybdenum
(MoO4
-). Excessive amounts of nitrates can also reduce the
uptake of Sulfate-S.
• Copper:- Sulfur in some crops, effectively reduce the
possibility of Copper toxicity by creating Cu-S complexes.

17. • The importance of S for plants :-
• Sulfur is a vital element for all organisms due to its important
role in methionine and cysteine biosynthesis. Cysteine is not only
an important constituent of proteins, but is also essential to
determine the structural conformation of proteins and metal
binding, and contributes to the catalysis of enzymatic reactions.
Sulfur is also essential for the synthesis of coenzyme A, which is
important for fatty acid biosynthesis and oxidation, amino acid
uptake, oxidation of intermediates of the citric acid cycle, and
for ferredoxin oxidation, which is vital in photosynthesis and
biological N fixation. Furthermore, S is important in vitamin
synthesis.
• Forms of S Absorbed by Plants - Some absorption of SO2 by
leaves – High concentrations are toxic. Most S taken up by roots
as sulfate (SO4
2−) – < 10% of total soil S is SO4
2-. Roots can also
take up thiosulfate (S2O3
2−).

18. Source:- www.chem.libertexts.org.

19. • S Supply to Roots :- SO4
2− moves in soil by both
mass flow and diffusion. Usually supplied to plant
roots by mass flow. Diffusion important in low S
soils – Sandy, low organic matter soils.
• S Mobility :- Sulphur Mobile in the Soil.
Relatively immobile in plant. Not readily
translocated from older leaves to young growing
points . Deficiencies usually occur first on upper,
younger leaves . May also occur uniformly over
entire plant in the form of Pale green color.
• The sulfur cycle is the collection of processes by
which sulfur moves to and from minerals
(including the waterways) and living systems.

20. • High Response Crops:-
• While this is an essential element for all plants, these crops have
been found to be especially responsive: Alfalfa, Broccoli, Cabbage,
Canola, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn, Sugarbeets, sugarcane, table
beets, turnips and watermelon.
• Deficiency Symptoms:-
• Sulphur is a necessary constituent in several amino acids and
proteins. Since these are building blocks in the plant, sulfur becomes
fixed into the plant’s structure. Therefore the classic symptom of
deficiency is a paleness of the younger foliage is not easily noticed.
This can lead to a misdiagnosis of N deficiency for S Deficiency
(Nitrogen deficiency symptoms appears on the older leaves first.) In
some cases, the leaf veins may be lighter in color than the
surrounding tissue.
• Sulfur is immobile in plants and does not readily translocated from
older leaves to young leaves. Therefore, sulfur deficiency first
appears on younger leaves.
• Sulfur deficiency symptoms show up as light green to yellowish
color, deficient plants are small and their growth is retarded.

22. • Toxicity:-
• Sulfur toxicity for practical purposes should be considered
as non existent. Excessive applications most often result in
a depression of soil pH and an increases of the problems
that occur with the pH decrease. In fact, sulfur uptake is
reduced as the pH of the soil decrease.

23. Sulfur Containing Fertilizer :-
Today, there are various fertilizer containing significant amounts of sulfur. The
most common one are listed in the table below
Source:- www.pioneer.com

24. -: Sulfur transformation:-
• Sulfur can be grouped into two broad areas: organic and
inorganic forms.
• Organic form of sulfur:-
• This fraction of Sulphur constitutes about 80-90 % of the
total sulphur present in most Indian soils. Realising its
occurrence in soils, the transformation of this form of
sulphur is considered as the most important mechanism in
supplying sulphur to the plants. Biological sulphur to the
plants. Biological sulphur cycle showing major chemical
pools of sulphur (Trudinger 1979).

25. Source:- www.soilmanagmentindia.com

26. • Path 1 and 3 :- Assimilatory Reduces like
Bacteria, Fungi, Algae and Plants.
• Path 2:- Carried out by dissimilatory reducers
e.g. Desulphovibrio, Desulphotomaculum.
• Path 4, 6 and 8:- Carried out by
chemolithotrophs (Thiobacillus, Beggiatoa) amd
photo lithotrops (chlorobium and chromatium).
• Path 5: Carried out by Desulphuromonas.
• Path 7 and 9: Carried Out by heterotrtophic
micro-organisms, and chemo and
photolithotrophs.

27. • Ester sulfate acts as readily available S stores when needed
for plant and microbial nutrition, because it is mineralized
faster than C-bonded S. Soil microorganisms and plant
roots can hydrolyze esters sulfates when S is needed to
meet immediate nutritional demands. most C-bonded S in
soils is derived from litter and dead root inputs, though
some is present in microbial biomass. Carbon-bonded S is
broken down less easily and, therefore, is less labile and
available to plants and microorganisms.
• Carbon-bonded S is particularly immobile if it is carried
illuvially into mineral soil horizons.

28. • Organic matter - About 95 percent of the total
sulfur content of most soils is contained in the
organic matter. As this soil organic matter is
broken down or decomposed, the organic sulfur is
mineralized into the sulfate form (SO4
2- S).
Sulfate-sulfur can then be taken up by the roots of
growing plants. Breakdown of all the sulfur in
organic matter does not occur in a single year, but
rather is a continuous process requiring a
considerable amount of time. The return of crop
residues to the soil adds to the pool of sulfur. A
typical rule of thumb is that 3-5 lbs of sulfur are
mineralized per year for each percent organic
matter.

29. -:Transformation of Inorganic
Sulphur:-
• This form of sulphur typically occurs as its three groups: water soluble
sulphate sulphur; adsorbed sulphate sulphur. And elemental and
sulphide sulphur.
• The amount of water soluble sulphate sulphur varies with seasons,
moisture content, soil types rate of mineralization of organic sulphur
and other environmental condition etc. Sulphate sulphur undergoes
rapid leaching losses from the surface soil because of its anionic nature.
• However, such leaching losses of sulphate sulphur varies with nature of
cations Present in the soil solution, being greater loss due to leaching
when soil solution contains an adequate amount of monovalent cation
like Na+, K+ etc. As compared to divalent cations. In addition, in acid
soils such leaching loss of sulphate sulphur is less which may be due to
presence if an adequate amount of exchangeable Al and Fe in soils.
• Adsorption of Sulphte sulphur depends on various factors like nature
of soils, organic matter content, oxides and hydrous oxides of Fe and
Al, CaCo3 content, temperature, clay minerals cations anions soil pH
concentration of sulphate time of contact etc. This fraction of sulphur
also plays an important role in contributing sulphur to the crops
because it is protected from various harmful processes like leaching,
other losses etc.
•

30. • When this elemental sulphur is applied to soils, it is oxidised
to sulphate form by soil micro- organism as follows:
Elemental sulphur provides the highest amount of sulphur which
may be available to the plant after transformation to its sulphate
form. Of course, its usefulness as a plant nutrient depends on the
rate if its oxidation.
Oxidation of elemental sulphur, sulphides and other inorganic
sulphur compounds takes place both chemical and biological
processes. The chemical process is very slow and hence it is
little importance in sulphur oxidation as compared to
microbiological process of sulphur oxidation.

31. • A simple scheme for the sulphate adsorption as affected by different factors
is depicted below:
• The adsorption of sulphate sulphur has been found to be increased with the
decrease in soil pH (i.e in acid soils )which may be due to effective
neutralisation of replaced OH- ions. Elemental sulphur (So) and sulphides
are not found in well-drained soils.
• These are found in waterlogged soils where bacterial reduction takes place.
Elemental sulphur is not soluble in water and it is a crystalline solid.

32. • However, the rate of sulphur oxidation due to microbiological process
depends upon the following factors:
Source:- www.soilmanagmentindia.com

33. • There are usually two types of bacteria involved in the oxidation of
sulphur: chemolithotropics utilise energy released from the oxidation of
inorganic sulphur compounds (I) and photolithotropic carry out
photosynthetic carbon fixation using sulphide and other sulphur
compounds as “Oxidant sinks”(II).
• The rate of sulphur oxidation, however varies with soils having difference
in types and numbers of sulphur oxidising microorganism. The most
numerous sulphur oxidisers are heterotrophic bacteria followed by
facultative, then obligate autotrophic Thiobacili, and finally green and
purple bacteria, Both are Photo lithotrophic.

34. -: C : S RATIO :-
C:S ration in crop residue Dominant process
< 200:1 Mineralization
200 – 400 No Charge
>400 :1 Immobilization

35. -:MICROBIAL TRANSFORMATION:-
DEFINATION:-
Microbial transformation is define as the biological process of
modifying a organic compound into a reversible product.
It involves the use of chemically defined enzyme catalyzed reaction in the
living cells.
ADVANTAGE:-
 They provide high specificity to attack exact site on the substrate and for a
single isomer of the product. Chemical reactions involved in microbial
transformation include oxidation, reduction, acylation, phosphorylation,
methylation, hydrolysis, amination, halogenations, glycosylation.
 One of the major applications of microbial transformation is in the
production of secondary metabolism.
.

36.  sulphur is one of the essential plant nutrient contributing to
yield and quality of crops.
 There are two main forms of sulphur in soil, inorganic and
organic sulphur.
 In soil sulphur is mainly found in organic form (90%). Organic
sulphur is present in three forms, ester sulfate-S, C-bonded S
and non- reducible organic sulphur.
 Sulphur transformation in soil are considered to result
primarily from microbial activity, which involves processes of
mineralization, oxidation and reduction.
 Mineralization of organic sulphur compounds and
transformation into forms accessible to plants is catalyzed by
enzyme sulphatase.
 Sulphatase activity has been noticed even in soils with
extremely low values of pH (3.5), but its effects in such extreme
conditions are unknown.

37. The essential steps of the sulfur cycle are:
• Mineralization :- the breakdown of large organic sulphur
compounds to smaller units and their conversion into inorganic
compounds (sulphates) by the microorganisms. The rate of sulphur
mineralization is about 1.0 to 10.0 %.
• Immobilization :- microbial conversion of inorganic sulphur
compounds to organic sulphur compounds.
• Oxidation :- oxidation of elemental sulphur and inorganic sulphur
compounds (such as H2S, Sulphite and Thiosulphate) to sulphate (SO4)
is brought about by chemoautotrophic and photosynthetic bacteria.
• When plant and animal proteins are degraded the sulphur is released
from the amino acids and accumulates in the soil which is then
oxidized to sulphtes in the presence of oxygen and under anaerobic
condition ( water logged soils) organic sulphur decomposed to produce
hydrogen sulphide.

38.  H2S can also accumulates during the reduction of
sulphates under anaerobic conditions which can be further
oxidized to sulphates under aerobic conditions
Ionization
a) 2 S + 3 O2 + 2 H2O 2H2SO4 2H (+) + SO4 (Aerobic)
light
b) CO2 + 2H2S (CH2O) +H2O + 2S
light
OR H2 + S + 2CO2 + H20 H2SO4 + 2 (CH2) (anaerobic)

39. • The member of genus thiobacillus (obligate
chemolithotrophic, non photosynthetic)eg. T.
ferrooxidans and T. thiooxidans are the main
organisms involved in the oxidation of elemental
sulphur to sulphates.
• These are aerobic, non – filamentous,
chemosynthetic autotrophs. Other than thiobacillus,
heterophic bacteria (bacillus, psedomonas, and
arthobacter) and fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium)
and some actinomycetes also reported to oxidize
sulphur compounds.
• Green and purple bacteria (photolithotrophs) of
genera chlorbium chromatium. Rhodopseudomonos
are also reported to oxidize sulphur in aquatic
environment..

40. • The formation of sulphate Sulphuric acid is beneficial in agriculture
in different ways
• i) As it is the anion of strong mineral acid can render alkali soils fit for
cultivation by correcting soil pH.
• ii) Solubilize inorganic salts containing plant nutrients and thereby
increase the level of soluble phosphate, potassium, calcium,
magnesium etc. for plant nutrition.
4. Reduction of Sulphate:
• Sulphate in the soil is assimilated by plants and microorganisms and
incorporated into proteins.
• This is known as "assimilatory sulphate reduction". Sulphate can be
reduced to hydrogen sulphide (H2S) by sulphate reducing bacteria
(eg. Desulfovibrio and Desulfatomaculum) and may diminish the
availability of sulphur for plant nutrition.
• This is "dissimilatory sulphate reduction which is not at all desirable
from soil fertility and agricultural productivity view point.

41. • Dissimilatory sulphate-reduction is favored by the alkaline and anaerobic
conditions of soil and sulphates are reduced to hydrogen sulphide. For
example, calcium sulphate is attacked under anaerobic condition by the
members of the genus Desulfovibrio and Desulfatomaculum to release H2S.
• Hydrogen sulphide produced by the reduction of sulphate and sulphur
containing amino acids decomposition is further oxidized by some species of
green and purple phototrophic bacteria (eg .Chlorobium, Chromatium) to
release elemental sulphur.
Light
• CO2 + 2H2 + H2S ------> (CH20) + H2O + 2S.
Enzyme Carbohydrate Sulphur
• All sulphate-reducing bacteria excrete an enzyme called "desulfurases" or
"bisulphate Reductase".
• Rate of sulphate reduction in nature is enhanced by increasing water levels
(flooding), high organic matter content and increased temperature.

42. • Table 1: Range and average value of soil site characteristics.
Soil order pH
EC
(dsm-1)
O.C.
(%)
CaCo3
(%)
N
(kg ha-1)
P2O5
(kg ha-1)
K20
(kg ha-1)
Vertisol
6.02-
8.89,
(7.71)
0.10 –
0.65
(0.35)
1.30-
18.90
(5.02)
35.0 –
115
(94.79)
99.91-
437.16
(178.97)
1.14 –
20.62
(6.77)
118.7 –
844.60
(432.37)
Inceptisol
6.43-
8.92
(7.60)
0.12 –
0.49
(0.22)
1.40 -
15.0
(4.41)
35.0-
114
(93.62)
111.08 –
559.08
(175.31)
1.03 -
20.47
(6.74)
120.8 –
716.30
(427.26)
Entisol
7.09-
8.43
(7.80)
0.08 –
0.37
(0.19)
1.40 –
11.4
(3.94)
37.00-
114
(81.00)
101.64 –
606.19
(189.12)
1.65 –
10.57
(5.82)
130.9 –
835.60
(414.29)
.
Parenthesis “()” indicates average mean value.
(Source:- Dhamak A.L et.al (2014) Comparative stuides on dynamics soil properties and forms
of sulphur in oilseedgrowing soils of Ambajogai Tahsil of Beed distict Journal of Agriculture
and Veterinary Science vol. 7 pp 98- 102.)

43. Soil order
Total S
(mgkg-1)
Available S
(mgkg-1)
Organic S
(mgkg-1)
Water S
(mgkg-1)
Non – sulphate
S
(mgkg-1)
Vertisol
19.50 – 3652.00
(1678.16)
3.30 – 30.33
(15.05)
3.00 – 30.33
(15.05)
4.80 – 58.26
(18.92)
35.03 - 3554.27
(1631.32)
Inceptisol
347.50 –
4300.00
(1172.78)
3.32 – 28.92
(15.69)
11.36 – 176.00
(44.05)
6.30 – 68.30
(20.23)
206.68 –
4222.28
(1113.03)
Entisol
192.50 –
1625.00
(543.60)
2.42 – 28.85
(15.95)
10.95 – 120.30
(57.85)
5.20 – 63.90
(17.14)
9.58 – 1572.00
(469.79)
Table2:- Range and average value of soil in forms of Sulphur.
(Source:- Dhamak A.L et.al (2014) Comparative stuides on dynamics soil properties and forms of sulphur in oilseedgrowing
soils of Ambajogai Tahsil of Beed distict Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science vol. 7 pp 98- 102.)

44. Table 3. Coefficient of correlation (r) of different forms of S with
Soil properties.
Forms pH EC OC CaCO3 CEC
Total S -0.628 -0.354 0.965 -0.621 0.854
Organic S -0.603 -0.293 0.941 -0.605 0.844
Adsorbed S -0.122 -0.164 0.255 -0.348 0.389
Non-sulphate S -0.479 -0.388 0.729 -0.520 0.593
Sulphate S -0.113 -0.058 0.056 0.194 0.160
Water soluble S -0.291 -0.264 -0.008 0.364 0.089
(Source:- Kour Sarabdeep and Jalali V.K ( 2008 ) Forms of sulphur and their
relationship in soils of different Agro-Climatic Zones of jammu region. Journal of
Indian Society of Soil Science. Vol.56 no.3 pp 309- 312 .)

45. Table 4 :- Coefficient of correlation (r) of different forms
of S with Soil properties.
Forms Sand Silt Clay Exch Al Free Fe oxides
Total S -0.608 0.470 0.682 0.593 0.593
Organic S -0.472 0.361 0.534 0.517 0.552
Adsorbed S -0.432 0.342 0.468 0.146 0.154
Non- sulphate S -0.697 0.511 0.817 0.409 0.501
Sulphate S -0.300 0.403 0.139 0.009 0.082
Water soluble S -0.228 0.267 0.143 0.280 0.282
(Source:- Kour Sarabdeep and Jalali V.K ( 2008 ) Forms of sulphur and their relationship in soils of different Agro-Climatic Zones of
jammu region. Journal of Indian Society of Soil Science. Vol.56 no.3 pp 309- 312 .)

47. Table 6: Accumulation of different forms of sulphur (kg ha-1) in
the soil profile (0-120cm) after harvesting of wheat.
Treatment Available S Water soluble S Heat soluble S
N0P0K0 75 22 108
N120P0K0 124 28 142
N180P0K0 104 28 232
N120P40K0 112 21 109
N180P40K0 138 36 224
N120P80K0 80 19 166
Source:- Setia R.K and Sharma K.N (2005) Effect of long term differential fertilization on
depth distribution of forms of sulphur and their relationship with sulphur nutrition of
whaeat under maize-wheat sequence. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science. Vol 53
pp91-96.

48. Fig1 :- Ratio of organic carbon and organic S and total S fractions of different soil
types of pulse- growing regions.
(Source:- Srinivasrao Ch. et. al (2004) Sulphur fractions distribution and their reltionship with soil properties
in different soil types of major pulse – Growing regions of India. Communication in Soil Science and Plant
Analysis .)
12.1
11.7
12.8
10.5
12.2
10.5
7.5
16.5
10.1
12
11.5
10.5
11.7
9.8
11.5
10.2
7.2
12.5
8.3
9.8
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Kanpur
(Alluvial)
Faizabad
(Alluvial)
Delhi
(Alluvial)
varanasi
(Alluvial)
Raipur
(Black)
Sehore
(Black)
Gulbarga
(Black)
Hyderabed
(Red)
Ranchi (Red) Bangalore
(Red)
org. C : Org S
Org. C: Total S

49. Fig 2 :- Sulphate S Mineralised
Source:- Palaniswami C. (2000): Sulphur Mineralisation and Oxidation
Potential of Some Soil Types of kerala Journal of the Indian Society of Soil
Science vol. 48, No. 2 pp 234-237.
0
10
20
30
40
50
20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Sulfate-S(ppm)
days after incubation
Red sandy loam laterite sandy kari

50. Graph 1:- The number of bacteria that transform organic sulphur
compounds (104 g -1 of soil).
12.16
28.01
25.28
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
luvisol pseudogley calcocambisol
104g-1ofsoil
(Source:- Stamenov D.R. et. al (2012) Proc. Nat. Sci, Matrica Srpska Novi Sad No.123, 27-36).

51. Table 7: Effect of nutrient combination and bio
inoculants on yield ( q ha-1).
Treatments Seed yield Stover yield Biological yield
Nutrient combinations
Control 14.99 18.09 33.07
N20 + P40 17.88 20.56 38.44
N20 + P40 + K20 19.24 21.90 41.13
N20+P40+K20+S40 20.59 23.47 44.06
SE m ± 0.442 0.502 0.942
CD ( P = 0.05) 1.26 1.43 2.68
(Source:- Meneria B.L et.al (2003) effect of nutrients and microbial
inoculants on growth and yield of soybean Journal Soils and Crops 13 ( 1)
14- 17 .)

52. Tr. No. Treatment
Protein Content
(%)
Oil Content
(%)
T1 100% RDF 35.87 16.37
T2 100% RDF + S.S.B 37.30 17.30
T3 100% RDF + 10 kg E.S. ha-1 +S.S.B 38.00 17.54
T4
100% RDF + 20 kg E.S. ha-1 +S.S.B
38.02 18.53
T5 75% RDF + FYM @ 10 Mg ha-1 + S.S.B 38.12 18.40
T6
100% RDF + FYM @ 10 Mg ha-1 + S.S.B
38.18 16.61
T7 100% RDF + FYM @5 Mg ha-1+ 10 Kg E.S ha-1 + S.S.B 38.24 18.71
T8 100% RDF + FYM @10 Mg ha-1 + 10 Kg E.S ha-1+ S.S.B 39.54 19.47
SE (m) 0.440 0.182
CD @ 1% 1.32 0.546
Table 8:-Effect of sulphur solubilizing bacteria with and without FYM on Protein
content and Oil content in soybean crop grown under Vertisols
( Source:- Shingare P.M (2016) Studies on sulphur fractions in soybean crop under fertilized
and unfertilized vertisols M.sc Agri Thesis College of Agriculture Parbhani.)

53. Tr. No Treatments
TS
(ppm)
WS
(ppm)
HS
(ppm)
SS
(ppm)
OS
(ppm)
T1 100% RDF 149.9 10 28 10 30
T2 100% RDF + S.S.B 150 11 29 10 31
T3 100% RDF + 20 kg E.S. ha-1 +S.S.B 150.2 11 29 10 32
T4 100% RDF + 10 kg E.S. ha-1 +S.S.B 151 12 30 11 32
T5 75% RDF + FYM @ 10 Mg ha-1 + S.S.B 152.1 12 31 12 35
T6 100% RDF + FYM @ 10 Mg ha-1 + S.S.B 153.6 12 31 13 36
T7 100% RDF + FYM @ 10Mg ha-1+ 10 Kg E.S ha-1 + S.S.B 155.8 16 32 14 38
T8 100% RDF + FYM @ 5 Mg ha-1 + 10 Kg E.S ha-1+ S.S.B 154.5 15 32 13 37
SE (m) 1.16 0.37 0.45 0.54 0.63
CD @ 1% 3.46 1.10 1.30 1.60 1.90
Table 9:- Sulphur Fractions Content (ppm) Is effect with use FYM, elemental sulphur and
sulphur solubilizers at various stage of groundnut.
Source:-Agrawal H.P & S.K.SINGH (1995) Forms of Sulphur in Some Soils of Jaunpur District,
Utter Pradesh AGROPEDOLOGY, 5.

54. Sulphur
Status
Levels of Sulphur
Mean
L0 L15 L30 L45 L60
SL 25.95 28.23 28.69 31.02 32.76 29.33
SM 34.04 35.52 37.87 38.69 39.52 37.12
SH 40.75 40.99 42.58 43.88 44.00 42.44
Mean 33.58 34.91 36.38 37.86 38.76 36.30
S L S X L
SE± 0.242 0.312 0.541
CD at 5% 0.70 0.904 NS
Table 10. Effect of sulphur status and levels of sulphur application on Number
of Pods per plant of at various growth stages.
(Source:- More P. B. (2009) Response of Soybean for sulphur application and
establishment of critical limit of sulphur in soil and plant. M.sc Agri Thesis College of
Agriculture, Parbhani.)