Skip to main content
SLU publication database (SLUpub)
Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2009

Net sulfur mineralization potential in Swedish arable soils in relation to long-term treatment history and soil properties

Boye, Kristin; Nilsson, S. Ingvar; Eriksen, Jorgen

Abstract

The long-term treatment effect (since 1957-1966) of farmyard manure (FYM) application compared with crop residue incorporation was investigated in five soils (sandy loam to silty clay) with regards to the net sulfur (S) mineralization potential. An open incubation technique was used to determine accumulated net S mineralization (S(AccMin)) and a number of soil physical and chemical properties were determined. Treatments and soil differences in S(AccMin), as well as correlations with soil variables, were tested with single and multivariate analyses. Long-term FYM application resulted in a significantly (p = 0.012) higher net S mineralization potential, although total amounts of C, N, and S were not significantly (p < 0.05) increased. The accumulated S mineralization differed significantly (p < 0.05) between soils within this treatment. The measured soil variables were not significantly correlated to S(AccMin). Conclusively, different treatment histories influenced the quality (e.g., chemical composition) and cycling rate of the organic S pool, rather than its size.

Keywords

Sulfur mineralization; Farmyard manure; Physical protection; Open incubation

Published in

Biology and Fertility of Soils
2009, Volume: 45, number: 7, pages: 743-751