1Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India – 736165
2Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar – 813210, India
*Corresponding author: scpaul64@rediffmail.com
Online published on 6 August, 2015.
A study was conducted in some terai soils under subtropical zone of Eastern India considering some soil series and some benchmark sites to evaluate distribution of available sulphur status and important soil attributes on sulphur availability. The total S content was found to vary widely from 191.18 to 530.40 mg kg−1 with an average of 309.21 mg kg−1. The percentage contribution of organic S, sulphate S, adsorbed S, heat soluble S and water soluble S varied from 29.62 to 85.02, 7.85 to 9.94, 0.23 to 9.82, 5.97 to 17.59 and 1.77 to 6.80 per cent to total sulphur in soil samples. Available S was significantly and positively correlated to organic carbon, total N, clay and silt+clay, oxalate-Fe, CBD-Fe and only negative correlated with pH (r = -0.02). Organic S exhibited significant and positive correlations with sulphate, water soluble S, heat soluble S and adsorbed S and played major role in sulphur availability. Significantly positive correlations of sulphate S with water soluble (r = 0.80**), heat soluble (r = 0.70**) and adsorbed S (r = 0.46**) and organic form of S (r = 70**) were found. A significantly positive correlation was observed between water soluble and heat soluble S. Among the soil properties, organic carbon, total N, silt+ clay, CBD-extractable Al and Fe influenced mostly on variability of available S in these soils.
Total sulphur content widely varied and organic fraction mostly dominates in terai soils.
Organic C, N, silt+ clay, CBD-Al and Fe influenced mostly on sulphur availability.
Sulphur availability, sulphur distribution, soil physicochemical characteristics
