by Lady Carla Davis, MPH
Specializing in Nutrition
In Harmony with Nature
The chemistry of sulfur (S) in soil is as complex as it is in the human body. In fact, as with humans, S is essential for many plant functions such as being:
• A structural component of protein and peptides (90% of the S absorbed)
• Active in the conversion of inorganic N into protein
• A catalyst in chlorophyll production
• A structural component of various enzymes
• A structural component of the compounds that give the characteristic odors and flavors to mustard, onion, and garlic
Plus, in legumes, S promotes nodule formation and is essential for the synthesis of oils, especially in oil crops.
In most humid tropical soils, S is predominantly supplied from the degradation of organic material. However, while most of the S in soils is found soil in organic matter, it is unavailable to plants in this form.
According to Mr. Guy Sela, CEO of SMART Fertilizer Management software and an international expert in plant nutrition and irrigation, https://www.smart-fertilizer.com/articles/sulfur/:
In order to become available to plants, the S must first be released from the organic matter and go through a mineralization process, which is the result of microbial activity.
During this process S is then converted to the sulfate form (SO4-2), which is readily available to plants. (This is similar to the function of the microbiome in the human gut). In addition, the process is affected by the C/S (carbon/sulfur) ratio, temperature, and moisture.
The maintenance of high organic matter content in the soil increases the availability of S to the roots and decrease the rate of nutrient leaching.
SULFUR IN
HUMAN NUTRITION - Part 2