Evaluation of the Sulphur-Supplying Ability of Soils to Support Plant Growth and Assessment of Relative Crop Response to Sulphur Application through Neubauer Technique

Sulphur plays a vital role in the nutrition of oilseeds and pulses. Along with nitrogen and phosphorus, it plays an important role in the formation of proteins and is involved in the metabolic and enzymatic processes of all living cells. Several biological techniques have been studied in order to assess sulphur deficiency or sufficiency in different groups of sulphur fertilizer for achieving the optimum yield of crops of which Neubauer technique is generally considered as one such tool that can be used for piloting the sulphur supplying capacity of the soils to supplement its requirement for the establishment of the plant. Surface (0-15 cm) soil samples from typical rice and pulse growing fields spread over the dominant soil groups of West Bengal which belong under 16 identified soil series were collected for this study. In order to assess sulphur availability in soils Neubauer technique was employed. Under sulphur treatment, the lowest dry matter yield and uptake by shoot was recorded in Bankul soil. Among the soils, the lowest root dry matter yield at control treatment was recorded in patapahari soil and the highest was in Hijalgara soil. A similar trend was also observed in case of S uptake by the shoot. While highest dry matter yield and maximum sulphur uptake by shoot was registered in Sukhnibasa and kusmi soil respectively. Likewise for N, P and K elements, the Neubauer technique may be used as one of the biological techniques for evaluating S response to crops as well as S supplying capacity of the soil to support plant growth.