Sulphur management in rice (Oryza sativa L.) - groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) to boost crop growth and system productivity

Sulphur is the 4th major nutrient for crop production. Nearly 44% soils in India and 36% soils in Odisha are deficient in Sulphur (S). Rice and groundnut both respond well to sulphur application. For assessing their response, a field experiment comprising five sulphur fertilization viz., no sulphur, 20 kg S/ha as bentonite, 20 kg S/ha as gypsum, 40 kg S/ha as bentonite and 40 kg S/ha as gypsum in rice allocated to main plot; three sulphur levels viz., 0, 30 and 60 kg S/ha in groundnut allocated to subplots was conducted in a split-plot design with four replications during the kharif and rabi seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 at Bhubaneswar, India. Application of 40 kg S/ha as gypsum to rice registered  24.2% grain yield increment over no sulphur. In groundnut, an 18.4% yield increment was recorded with the application of 60 kg S/ha over no sulphur. Combined application of 40kg S/ha as bentonite in rice + 60 kg S/ha in groundnut recorded the maximum system rice equivalent yield (11.21 t/ha), which was at par with the application of 40kg S/ha as gypsum in rice + 60 kg S/ha in groundnut. Rice grain yield and groundnut pod yield exhibited a significant positive correlation with dry matter accumulation and yield attributes of respective crops. Farmers in sulphur deficient areas should apply 40 kg S/ha as bentonite or gypsum in rice along with 60 kg S/ha in groundnut to boost crop growth and maximize system productivity.