Improving Crop Yield and Nutrient Uptake Efficiency with Premium Sulfur-Enhanced Phosphate Fertilizers.

Improving crop nutrient uptake efficiency is essential for sustainable agricultural production. Monoammonium phosphate (MAP) is a commonly used P fertilizer applied to winter wheat. We investigated the effect of MicroEssentials^® SZ™ (12-40-0-10S-1Zn) on yield and nutrient uptake efficiency of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, winter) as compared to MAP (11-52-0) and MAP+AS (21-0-0-24S)+ZnSO₄ (0-0-0-16.5S-36Zn) blend. In 2012 and 2013, small plot field experiments were established across United States and Canada at 16 locations. The experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Factors were different sources of Phosphorus and varying P₂O₅ rates (0, 34, 67, 101, 134 kg ha^-1). Results showed that MicroEssentials SZ yielded 5.01 Mg ha^-1 at 67 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 and MAP did not achieve a similar yield at 34 kg rate. MicroEssentials SZ increased wheat yield over MAP (5.7%) and over MAP+AS+ ZnSO₄ (3.4%) at 67 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1. Shoot P concentration and uptake increased with increased rates of MAP up to 101 kg ha^-1, however the increase was up to 134 kg ha^-1 with MicroEssentials SZ. MicroEssentials SZ had higher shoot Zn concentration and uptake than MAP+AS+ ZnSO₄. MicroEssentials SZ increased grain P (9%), S (6%) and Zn (6.3%) contents over MAP. The results suggested that MicroEssentials SZ applied at P₂O₅ rates lower than that of MAP can successfully improve yield and nutrient uptake efficiency. Increased yield and nutrient uptake at lower rates by MicroEssentials SZ demonstrated the benefit of uniform nutrient distribution and balanced crop nutrition because the N-P-S-Zn nutrients in MicroEssentials SZ are fused into one nutritionally balanced fertilizer granule.