Sulphate nutrition, movement, and sorption, with special reference to a gley podzol, west coast, south island

Abstract

Using S³⁵, rapid lateral movement of applied sulphate was shown to occur on agley podzol, suggesting little capacity to retain sulphate and heavy losses of this anion in drainage water.

Field trials confirmed these findings. Gypsum applied to the soil surface protected white clover against sulphur deficiency for a relatively short time only. The action of flowers of sulphur, however, proved both rapid and persistent.

A relatively quick method of determining sulphate sorption properties of soils in the laboratory is described. This method promises to predict the propensity of soils to lose sulphate by leaching provided soil physical and climatic factors receive proper consideration.