Sulfur and Marketable Yield of Potato
Sulfur is considered a micronutrient of which relatively little is needed to overcome sulfur deficiency. However, in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), large amounts of sulfur can be applied to increase marketable yield. In many potato-growing areas, marketable yield is reduced by tuber blemishes caused by Streptomyces scabies (Thaxt) Waks. & Henrici (common scab) and Rhizoctonia solani Kühn (black scurf). A reduction of common scab can be accomplished on slightly acidic and neutral soils by addition of large amounts of sulfur to lower the pH below the optimal range for S. scabies growth. However, a reduction of common scab and black scurf has been reported due to application of sulfur without affecting pH. A mechanism has been proposed for the latter observation by which sulfur and sulfate (SO42−) are converted to volatile sulfur forms, especially hydrogen sulfide (H2S), that act as biocides.Please view the pdf by using the Full Text (PDF) link under 'View' to the left.
Copyright © 2008. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711-5801, USA. Sulfur: A Missing Link between Soils, Crops, and Nutrition. Agronomy Monograph 50.