Sulfur and Nitrogen: Essential Plant Nutrient Partners
Sulfur is described as the “4th Major Nutrient”. It’s essentiality is well established, but in recent years sulfur deficiencies have become more frequent and responses to added fertilizer sulfur more commonly observed following large reductions in atmospheric sulfur deposition. Recent observations of greater sulfur deficiency at higher rates of nitrogen illustrate the importance of the interactions of these two nutrients. This presentation will discuss the important synergies between sulfur and nitrogen and illustrate how sulfur can enhance nitrogen-use efficiency.
Speaker
Alan Blaylock
Dr. Alan Blaylock is senior agronomist at Nutrien Inc. He earned a Ph.D. in Soil Fertility from Iowa State Univ (1989) and BS and MS degrees from Brigham Young Univ. He joined Nutrien (formerly Agrium) in 1996 after serving as Extension Soils Specialist at University of Wyoming. He supports marketing, sales, and product development for Nutrien and has managed research and education programs in key global markets, such as No. America, Europe, and Asia. Alan has served on numerous regional and national committees, and in the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA). He received the 2018 SSSA Soil Science Industry and Professional Leadership Award, 2010 ASA Agronomic Industry Award, 2022 Fluid Fertilizer Foundation Werner Nelson Award, and the 2022 Great Plains Soil Fertility Conference Leadership Award. Alan has represented Nutrien and The Sulphur Institute as chair of The Sulphur Institute’s Agronomy Steering Committee since 2022 promoting TSI’s message of “Sulphur – The Fourth Major Nutrient”. Alan is a recognized industry expert on a variety of nutrient management topics.