Influence of Soil Texture on the Mineralization of Sulphur Nanoparticles under Incubation

Background: Nanotechnology has a great potential for achieving sustainable agriculture. Nano sulphur is highly homogeneous in the distribution to the ground with an average particle size of within 100 nm.

Study Design & Place: An incubation study was conducted at the laboratory, Micronutrient Research Centre, AAU, Anand, to study the effect of sulphur nanoparticles over conventional sulphur source on sulphur availability up to 60 days.

Methodology: Incubated soils were studied with the different levels of sulphur NPs in loamy sand and clayey soil at an interval of time i.e., 10, 20, 40 and 60 days. The soils were treated with four levels of sulphur nanoparticles (0, 2, 4 and 8 mg S/kg soil) and one level of 8 mg S/kg soil through Elemental S. The each set (40) was completely withdrawn after 10, 20, 40 and 60 days and was analyzed for 0.15% CaCl2-extractable sulphur.

Results: This lab study was stated that availability of sulphur up to 60 days in loamy sand soil was found higher with T5 (8 mg S/kg soil through ES) was 20.30 ppm at 40 days. In case of clay soil higher with T4 (8 mg S/kg soil through SNPs) was 64.34 ppm at 40 days. In case of fractionation at 60 days of incubated loamy sand soil, all forms of sulphur was found higher with T4 (8 mg S/kg soil through SNPs) except sulphate sulphur and non-sulphate sulphur. In case of clay soil fractionation all forms of sulphur was found with T4 (8 mg S/kg soil through SNPs) except non-sulphate sulphur. All forms of sulphur was found higher in SNPs treatments except non-sulphate sulphur in both loamy sand and clay soils. Under incubation study, the periodical availability of sulphate sulphur was found increasing pattern up to 40 days after application in soil and thereafter in declining trend in both soils and source of sulphur. Hence, looking to the overall observations, the sulphur nanoparticles proved better in increasing the periodical availability of sulphur as compared to elemental sulphur in loamy sand and clay soils.