Levels of Sulfur as an Essential Nutrient Element in the Soil-Crop-Food System in Austria

Manfred Sager
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Manfred Sager: Competence Centre for Elements, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Spargelfeldstrasse 191, Vienna A-1220, Austria

Agriculture, 2012, vol. 2, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Total sulfur data of various agricultural and food items from the lab of the author, have been compiled to develop an understanding of sulfur levels and ecological cycling in Austria. As sulfur level is not an included factor among the quality criteria of soil and fertilizer composition, the database is rather small. Problems in analytical determinations of total sulfur, in particular digestions, are outlined. As a protein component, sulfur is enriched in matrices of animal origin, in particular in egg white. There is substantial excretion from animals and man via urine. Organic fertilizers (manures, composts) might contribute significantly to the sulfur budget of soils, which is important for organic farming of crops with high sulfur needs. For soils, drainage is a main route of loss of soluble sulfate, thus pot experiments may yield unrealistic sulfur budgets.

Keywords: sulfur; food; feed; cereals; manure; fertilizer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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