Sulphur deficiency

Sulphur deficiency: biology

Sulfur deficiency is a common nutrient deficiency that is often confused with disease. It is most common in grey and dark grey soils and occurs less on couse-textured black soils. Canola requires about 1 part of sulphur to 7 parts of nitrogen and much of this is needed during flowering and seed formation. Any deficiency at this time will drastically reduce yeild. Canola requires a constant supply of sulphur because unlike nitrogen, sulphur does not move from older tissue to actively growing parts.

Acute symptoms are usually first noticeable at flowering. Plants are stunted and the flowers are pale yellow and fail to set seed. Leaves are cupped and have a reddish appearance. Near harvest, symptoms consist of aborted or short pods mixed with normal pods on the plant. Symptoms are often in patches in fields, particularly on eroded knolls. Yield loss results.