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Leaching Losses of Sulfur During Winter Months When Applied as Gypsum, Elemental S or Prilled S¹

Sandy soils of the southeastern United States are often deficient in sulfur. The use of sulfate-containing fertilizers does not result in any buildup of sulfur in sandy soils since the sulfate is readily leached during whiter months. Interest, therefore, has developed in the use of elemental sulfur as a means of maintaining an adequate supply of sulfur where leaching is a problem. Studies were conducted with gypsum, finely divided elemental sulfur, and prilled sulfur on a Wagram loamy sand and a Georgeville silty clay loam to determine the levels of sulfate sulfur resulting from additions of these sources. Sulfate contents of the O to 15-, 15 to 30- and 30 to 45-cm depths were determined at various times over a period of 200 days after the different sulfur sources were applied in October.

Almost all of the sulfate, that added as gypsum and that resulting from the oxidation of elemental sulfur, had been leached from the top 45 cm of the Wagram soil 180 days after application. There was essentially no movement of sulfate, however, in the Georgeville soil.

Oxidization of finely divided elemental sulfur appeared to be completed in both soils 200 days after application. There was a buildup of sulfate in the Georgeville surface soil from oxidation of the elemental sulfur. In the Wagram soil, however, leaching was rapid enough to prevent buildup of sulfate in the surface soil. Very little oxidation of prilled sulfur appeared to be occurring to any extent in either soil.

Key Words: Sulfur oxidation • Sulfate

² Former graduate assistant and Professor of Soil Science.

Received for publication September 27, 1972.