Mechanochemical Activation of Elemental Sulfur Increases Its Bioavailability in the Forage Species Brachiaria Production

Author(s)

Borges, Roger ; Sotiles, Anne Raquel ; Giroto, Amanda Soares ; Fernandes Guimaraes, Gelton Geraldo ; Wypych, Fernando ; Jablonowski, Nicolai David ; Ribeiro, Caue

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY; v. 2, n. 6, p. 8-pg., 2022-11-30.

Abstract

Although sulfur is an essential macronutrient for plants, its supply through elemental S-0 is not efficient, demanding its oxidation by soil microbiota before plant uptake. Thus, we demonstrate that a simple reactive mechanochemical route, using anhydrous KOH as a reactant with no need for water addition, can convert S-0 to bio-absorbable oxidized forms, leading to residual K+ as a plant nutrient in the final composition. The powdery products obtained by 1 h (S-1 h) or 8 h (S-8 h) milling have been fully converted to HSO3-, SO32-, and SO42-, also suggesting different amounts of these sulfur oxides according to the milling. S-1 h and S-8 h were efficient for S and K fertilization, as probed by the successful growing of the forage crop Brachiaria ssp. in a greenhouse trial, with similar biomass yields observed for K2SO4 (positive control) and superior to S-0 + KCl (negative control). These data suggest that the mechanochemical process provides a sustainable route to increase sulfur plant bioavailability, suggesting a simple alternative that can be easily implemented in forage plant production sites such as Brachiaria ssp. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/10636-8 - From the cell factory to the Biodiesel-Bioethanol integrated biorefinery: a systems approach applied to complex problems in micro and macroscales
• Grantee: Roberto de Campos Giordano
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/10104-1 - Nanocomposites Preparation from Urea modified with Glycerol for optimization of Process of Controlled Release of Nutrients
• Grantee: Amanda Soares Giroto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 21/13645-6 - Investigation of poly(glycerol-citrate) polymer as protective coating for boosting microbial inoculation effect in soybean plants
• Grantee: Amanda Soares Giroto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor