14 Mar Sulphur Deficiency in Oilseed crops
तिलहनी फसलों में गंधक की कमी Sulphur is an essential nutrient element for plant as well as animal kingdom. It often accumulates in areas with volcanic activity, and mostly found in organic form in soils. Though S is a secondary nutrient element, its uptake is 9-15% of N uptake and similar to that of P uptake. Crucifers are found to have much more requirement of S than other crops primarily because of oil production and other essential S containing volatile compounds. Sulphur deficiency is wide spread across the world soils (Scherer, 2009). Intensification of agriculture with high yielding varieties and multiple cropping coupled with use of high analysis sulphur free fertilizers along with restricted or no use of organic manures have accrued in depletion of soil sulphur reserve. Apart from that the reduction of sulphur dioxide emission from power plants and various industrial sources, the decreasing use of sulphur containing fungicides and pesticides and also injudicious use of irrigation water are the most important reasons for sulphur deficiency. Importance of Sulphur in Oilseed production: The importance of sulphur in oilseed production is obvious because of the following reasons- Required for the synthesis of sulphur containing amino acids methionine (21%), cysteine (26%) and cystine (27%), which are essential components of protein. Approximately 90% of plant sulphur is present...