Effect of Sulphur application and water salinity on soil and plant properties

The main objective of this work was to study the effect of sulphur application and irrigation water quality on some soil properties of the calcareous, alluvial and sandy soils. A lysimeter experiment was conducted and filled with calcareous, alluvial and sandy soils to evaluate the impact of using elemental sulfur on the yields and mineral uptake of wheat plant. The experiment was cultivated with wheat plant (Triticum Vulgare L.), and irrigated by saline water (diluted sea water recording EC values of 2000, 3000 and 4000 mgl-1). The rate of sulfur applications were 0, 476 and 952 kg Sha-1. The results showed that increasing salinity to 4000 mgl-1 gradually and significantly decreased the fresh and dry weights of wheat were as follow: Sandy > alluvial > calcareous soils, and the reductions in the grain yield under the same condition were 27, 15 and 23% relative to the control for calcareous, alluvial and sandy soils, respectively. Salinity levels also significantly reduced the total uptake of NPK of all crops cultivated in different soils under study. Under sulfur application, the fresh and dry weights of wheat significantly increased relative to the control treatment. Under high salinity level 4000 ppm and high rate of sulfur (952 kg Sha-1), the increment in the crop under study and cultivated in calcareous, alluvial and sandy soils were 74, 60 and 46% for wheat grain yield, relative to the control, respectively. Also, sulfur applications significantly increased total uptake of NPK of wheat crop cultivated in different soils, especially calcareous soil. The chemical composition of soils under study after cropping showed that each of electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and soil pH increased with increasing salinity levels in the irrigation water, while, sulfur application decreased each of EC and pH and reduced SAR.