Increasing Levels of Sulfur on Lowland Rice in Different Soil Textures

A viable alternative to increase productivity in rice cultivation areas has been the investment in macronutrient fertilization. Sulfur (S) is an essential nutrient for plants, as it participates in the formation of several organic molecules, being essential to ensure high yields of rice. The aim of this paper is to analyze the rice crop performance in two types of irrigated floodplain soils under different doses of sulfur fertilization. The experiment was carried out on two lowland soils in Formoso do Araguaia-Tocantins, Brazil, under a randomized block design, in a 2 × 8 factorial arrangement, two soil types and eight sulfur doses, using ammonium sulfate as the source of S (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 kg ha-1 of S). The doses were applied when the plants were in the V3-V4 development stage in both soils. S provided plant a growth up to 40 kg ha-1, which is the economical feasible dose for plant height in soil 1. With the increase of the dose of S over 60 kg ha-1 in soil 2, there was a decrease in the number of panicles per m2. There was an increase in productivity in soil 2 and reduction in soil 1. The highest grain yield was obtained in soil with higher clay content. The dynamics of sulfur fertilization in floodplain soils requires further studies for a better understanding.