magazinelogo

Soil Science and Agricultural Sustainability

ISSN Online: - CODEN:
Frequency: Quarterly Email: SSAS@hillpublish.com
Total View: 35704 Downloads: 746 Citations: 0 (From Dimensions)
ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ssas.2026.06.002

Impacts of Sulfur-nitrogen Interaction on Soil Saline-alkaline Properties and Yield of Sunflower Field in Hetao Irrigation District

Liming Lai1,2,*, Peng Zhang1,2, Xiaoyu Jia1, Yujue Zhai1, Shengbo Lin1, Wendi Jin1, Yuelong Dong1, Xiaoxue Wang1

1Department of Agronomy, Hetao College, Bayannur 015000, Inner Mongolia, China.

2Hetao Irrigation District Agricultural Soil Research Center, Hetao College, Bayannur 015000, Inner Mongolia, China.

*Corresponding author: Liming Lai

Published: March 23,2026

Abstract

The interaction between elemental sulfur (S0) and nitrogen (N) element exceeds the sum of their separate effects. In this study, we evaluated the impacts of the interaction of S0 and different N fertilization rates on the soil saline-alkaline properties and yield of sunflower field in Hetao Irrigation District (HID) by conducting a randomized block field experiment. The experimental treatment included 4 levels [N0 (no N fertilizer), N1 (35 kg urea/667m2), N2 (26.25 kg urea/667m2), N3 (17.5 kg urea/667m2)], 6 replicates. No S0 was applied in 2020 and S0 in 2021. The data showed that the S0 significantly reduced the pH values at the 0-20 and 20-40 cm depths by 0.36 and 0.31, respectively, and reduced the soil exchangeable sodium percentage, exchangeable sodium, and cation exchange capacity. The S0 can maximize the yield at the N3 among the 4 levels of N fertilization rates. These findings indicated that the sulfur-nitrogen interaction can improve the alkaline soil and reduce the N fertilization rate for the sunflower in the HID.

Keywords

Sulfur-nitrogen interaction; Sunflower; Soil saline-alkaline properties; Yield; Hetao Irrigation District

References

Cao, Z., Meng, C., & Hu, Z. (2011). Sulfur in Chinese agriculture and the environment. Science Press.

Gao, J., Gao, X., & Yang, X. (2019, December 17). Hetao Sunflower: I am a shining name card of Bayannur. Bayannur News Network. Retrieved from

He, J., & Zhang, L. (2013). Key microbial processes and mechanisms of nitrogen transformation in soil. Bulletin of Microbiology, 40(1), 98-108.

Inner Mongolia Bureau of Statistics. (2019). Inner Mongolia statistical yearbook 2019. China Statistics Press.

Lai, L., Hong, C. O., Kumar, S., Chintala, R., Sadeghpour, A., & Rice, P. J. (2018). Soil nitrogen dynamics in switchgrass seeded to a marginal cropland in South Dakota. GCB Bioenergy, 10(1), 28-38. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12443

Lai, L., Meili, & Yang, Y. (2022). Analysis of agricultural soil characteristics and development in the Hetao Irrigation District of Inner Mongolia. Jiangsu Agricultural Sciences, 50(2), 213-218.

Liang, F. (2017). Practical Q&A, technical models, and case studies of integrated water and fertilizer management. China Agriculture Press.

Liu, G., Li, X., Zhang, Y., Zhang, J., & Zhao, M. (2008). A preliminary study on sulfur-based improvement of sa-line-alkali soil in northern Yinchuan region. Arid Zone Agricultural Research, 26(4), 79-82.

Liu, Y., Shi, H., & Gong, Y. (2012). Effects of combined sulfur and nitrogen application on nitrogen translocation and leaf senescence in green wheat. Northwest Botanical Journal, 32(6), 1206-1213.

McCauley, A., Jones, C., & Jacobsen, J. (2003). Nutrient management module No. 8: Soil pH and organic matter. MSU Extension Service Continuing Education Series, Minnesota State University. Retrieved from

Ordos New Media Center. (2019, November 13). Ordos: Inner Mongolia irrigation structure included in ICID register. China Daily. Retrieved from htm

Pietri, J. C. A., & Brookes, P. C. (2008). Relationships between soil pH and microbial properties in a UK arable soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 40(7), 1856-1861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2008.03.020

Slaton, N. A., Norman, R. J., & Gilmour, J. T. (2001). Oxidation rates of commercial elemental sulfur products applied to an alkaline silt loam from Arkansas. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 65(1), 239-243. 

https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2001.651239x

Verma, O. P., Singh, S., Pradhan, S., Verma, S. S., & Singh, A. K. (2018). Irrigation, nitrogen and sulfur fertilization re-sponse on productivity, water use efficiency and quality of Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) in a semiarid environment. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 10(2), 593-600. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v10i2.1717

WheatA. (2021). Meteorological data (10 km accuracy). (Agricultural Meteorological Big Data System V1.4.5) [Data set]. WheatA Big Data Information (Ningbo) Co., Ltd.

Y. (1996). Causes and characteristics of alkaline soils in the Hetao Irrigation District of Inner Mongolia. Acta Pedologica Sinica, 33(4), 398-404.

Zheng, S. (2012). Effects of sulfur fertilizer on soil properties, heavy metal speciation and crop growth (Doctoral dissertation). Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.

Zhu, H., Chen, J., & Chen, S. (2019). Soil geography (3rd ed.). Higher Education Press.

How to cite this paper

Impacts of Sulfur-nitrogen Interaction on Soil Saline-alkaline Properties and Yield of Sunflower Field in Hetao Irrigation District

How to cite this paper: Liming Lai, Peng Zhang, Xiaoyu Jia, Yujue Zhai, Shengbo Lin, Wendi Jin, Yuelong Dong, Xiaoxue Wang. (2026). Impacts of Sulfur-nitrogen Interaction on Soil Saline-alkaline Properties and Yield of Sunflower Field in Hetao Irrigation District. Soil Science and Agricultural Sustainability1(1), 10-17.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ssas.2026.06.002