Response studies of nano-sulphur on nutrient uptake, sulphur fractions, yield and quality parameters of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Abstract

An attempt was made to study the response of nano-sulfur in groundnut using four levels of nano-sulfur (NS) and conventional sulfur (CS) fertilizers in a completely randomized block design and replicated thrice. The results indicated that application of nano-sulfur @ 30 kg S ha⁻¹ recorded 0.76 mg root sulfur uptake plant⁻¹, 40.5 mg shoot sulfur uptake plant⁻¹, 14.9 mg kernel sulfur uptake plant⁻¹, and 3.09 mg shell sulfur uptake plant⁻¹ higher in comparison to conventional sulfur @ 40 kg S ha⁻¹ recorded root, shoot, kernel and shell sulfur uptake of 0.53, 35.8, 11.4 and 2.46 mg plant⁻¹, respectively. The highest pod yield was recorded at 12.4 g plant⁻¹ with nano-sulfur application @ 30 kg S ha⁻¹ when compared to conventional sulfur @ 40 kg S ha⁻¹ registered at 10.7 g plant⁻¹. Quality parameters such as oil, crude protein, methionine, cysteine, and total free amino acid content were recorded highest under nano-sulfur application @ 30 kg S ha⁻¹ i.e. 48.3%, 27.2%, 3.44 mg g ⁻¹, 1.89 mg g⁻¹ and 46.3 mg g⁻¹ respectively whereas conventional sulfur @ same set of sulfur treatment observed (46.7% oil, 25.1% crude protein, 3.16 mg methionine g⁻¹, 1.75 mg cysteine g⁻¹, and 39.6 mg total free amino acids g⁻¹. Finally, the results concluded that the application of nano-S @ 30 kg S ha⁻¹ is sufficient to attain higher sulfur use efficiency with a reduction of sulfur fertilizer to the tune of 25% besides augmenting the soil sulfur reserve without harming the environment.

Keywords:

• Amino acids
• sulphur fractions
• sulphur use efficiency
• uptake
• yield

Acknowledgments

The authors are very grateful to the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

Disclosure statement

No conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the DST Nano Mission Project.