EFFECT OF SULFUR AND STABILIZED AMMONIUM NUTRITION ON NUTRIENT UPTAKE BY WHEAT IN CLAY AND CALCAREOUS SOILS

pot experiment was set up to study the effect of urea, Ca(NO3)2 and urea + nitrification inhibitor in the presence or absence of sulfur on the growth and nutrient uptake by wheat plant. Alluvial and calcareous soils were chosen for these experiments. Wheat seeds were sown and planted in 5 Kg soil packed in plastic pots at the rate of 15 seeds/pot. The plants were thinned 15 days after emergence to obtain ten seedlings per pot. Plant materials at three different growth stages were analyzed for their content of the different nutritional elements. At the end of the growing season plants were harvested (straw and grains) for analysis. Fe percentage and uptake generally increased with increasing S and N applications; the effect of S was more than that of N in that respect. Sulfur application to urea increased Fe concentration and its uptake compared to urea alone. Nitrification inhibitor increased Fe concentration in grains, which increased even more with sulfur addition. Iron content seemed to be affected by different N-forms, sulfur and by nitrification inhibitor treatment. Urea stimulated Fe content in wheat grains as compared with calcium nitrate. ES application was not effective in increasing Fe contents in wheat grains. Application of nitrification inhibitor increased Fe concentration in wheat grains. Urea + inhibitor had a predominant effect on N-uptake by wheat plant. Sulfur application resulted in an increase in N content as well as N-uptake in clay soil. Phosphorus absorption was positively influenced by the addition of nitrification inhibitor.