OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
Winter Canola Response to Sulfur Fertilization Edwin M. Lentz, Crop Specialist, Department of Extension
INTRODUCTION
Table 1. Grain yield and leaf S content means in response to spring N alone (60-120 lb acre-1 ) and spring N + 20 or 40 lb acre-1 S for winter canola at two OH locations, 20032012. No significant differences were detected among means unless designated.
Historically, agronomic crops do not respond to supplemental sulfur on most Ohio soils. Oil seed crops such as winter canola often have larger demands for sulfur than cereal crops. Since winter canola is a relatively new crop in Ohio, little is known about the benefits of supplemental sulfur.
Year/Location
OBJECTIVES • Evaluate yield response to S fertilizer • Evaluate S rates on potential yield
METHODS Location: • OARDC Northwest Agricultural Research Station, Custar, OH (clay soil): 2003-06; 2010;2012 • OARDC North Central Agricultural Research Station, Fremont OH (silty clay to loam soil): 2006-08; 2010 Previous crop: wheat except for 2012 (oats) Tillage: chisel plowed, seeding Fall fertilizer: 30 lb N soil test
disked,
acre-1;
culti-packed
after
P and K as needed from
Planting date: early September Seeding rate: 6 lb
acre-1
Variety: Wichita (2003-08); Kiowa (2010); Hornet (2012) Plot Dimensions: 4 x 25-30 ft (7 rows, 7 in apart) Spring N: applied prior to bolting; S applied with the N. Harvest date: late June – early July Plant analysis: upper 2nd or 3rd leaves collected at early pod development Treatments: Spring N alone from urea: 90 lb acre-1 (2003); 100 lb acre-1 (2004-08); 60,80,100,120 lb acre (2010-12) Spring N + 20 lb acre-1 S (2003-08); Spring N + 40 lb acre-1 S (2003-12)
2003 Custar 2004 Custar 2006 Custar Fremont† 2007 Fremont 2008 Fremont‡ 2010 Custar Fremont 2012 Custar
Grain Yield N N + 20 S N + 40 S ----------------lb acre-1---------------2522.7 2228.8 2146.9 2522.9 2343.1 3999.4 3968.7 3673.2 3999.4 1903.0b 2018.1ab 2231.8a 1958.8 1892.0 2066.0 3320.0 3083.2 3186.8 3594.3 3741.0 1232.8 1406.6* 2277.6 2291.8
Leaf S N N + 20 S N + 40 S ---------------ppm------------------
0.43 0.51 1.26b 1.00 0.78 1.21
0.37 0.55 1.43a
0.49 0.53 1.53a 1.84*** 1.05*** 1.59*
* Significant at the 0.05 probability level. *** Significant at the 0.001 probability level. † lsd0.05 = 224.2 for grain yield at 2006 Fremont location ‡ lsd0.05 = 0.16 for leaf S concentration at 2008 Fremont location
RESULTS
CONCLUSIONS
• Yield results are given in Table 1 Data was combined across N rates for years 2010 and 2012 since there was no N Rate x S interaction. • Yield increase from S applications 2/9 site years; only from ammonium sulfate Yield increase may have been the result of later available N from the ammonium with the sulfate since the increase occurred with ammonium sulfate and not gypsum Yield increase was similar for the 20 and 40 lb acre S rate at the responsive site
• Low probability of yield increase from S applied to mineral soils with organic matter larger than 2% (similar for other agronomic crops grown in Ohio) • 20 lb S acre-1 should be adequate for potential yield increase until S rate curves are determined for responsive soils
• Leaf S concentration was increased with S applications 4/6 site years
S Source − ammonium sulfate, Custar (2003-05); Fremont (2003-06, 2010) − pelletized gypsum: Custar (2006-12); Fremont (2007-09) Randomized block design replicated four times Simple ANOVA for analysis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: • Financial support from the U.S. Canola Association • Seed provided from Kansas State University and Rubisco Seed Company
Hancock County Extension Office 7868 CR 140 Suite B, Findlay OH 45840 http://hancock.osu.edu CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information: http://go.osu.edu/cfaesdiversity.