The effect of application elemental sulfur on nutrient elements contents of Date palm leaf.

Date palm is considered as a strategic crop in Iran. According to agriculture statistic book of Iran (2003-2004), mature date plantation area and production of Iran are 195000 hectares and 990000 tons, respectively. This crop usually is planted in south of Iran that its soils are calcareous with high pH. The high soil pH causes reduction of nutrient elements absorption. Then finding solution for this problem is necessary. The results of researches in Iran and other countries show that application of elemental sulfur along with Tiobacillus inoculant in soil due to sulfur oxidation reduce local pH in rizosphere area. Increasing nutrient element availability for plant duo to decreasing pH of rizosphere lead to improvement plant nutrition. The research about effect of elemental sulfur on increasing nutrient element availability for date palm have not been carried out until now. In order to evaluate the effect of elemental on leaf nutrient elements content of date palm (cv. Barhee), an experiment was carried out in randomized completed block design (RCBD) with four treatments and four replications (each replication consisted of two date palm seedling) in 2002- 2004 in Ahvaze (Khuzestan Province). The treatments were: T1= Control (application of 40 kg animal manure based on general recommendation for each tree) T2= T1 + Tiobacillus inoculant + application elemental sulfur as 10% of animal manure T3= T1 + Tiobacillus inoculant + application elemental sulfur as 20% of animal manure T4= T1 + Tiobacillus inoculant + application elemental sulfur as 30% of animal manure In this experiment, irrigation was carried out by basin method, and agro- management was used for all of treatments as same. Elemental sulfur was applied with chemical fertilizer including (225 gr urea, 400 gr triplesuperphosphate and 450 gr potassium sulfate for each seedling) based on soil testing, at seedling plantation time in winter. 225 gr urea was applied in April, too for each treatment, the number of 20-25 leaflets from middle leaf of second row was sampled, every year. This samples were analysised to determine mineral nutrients in soil laboratory. In order to study of seedling vegetative growth, vegetative growth characteristics such as (number and length of leaf, length, wide and number of leaflet, high and trunk diameter of seedling) were determined in October, every year. Data were analysised with Mstatc statistical program and means were compared by using Duncan&rsquos Multiple rang test. The results showed that all of the treatments had significant difference on vegetative growth characteristics such as (number and length of leaf, number and length of leaflet and high of seedling) and leaf nutrient elements content of date palm such as (P, Zn and Mn) as compared with the control treatment (T1). The secondary treatment (T2) is recommended as the best, duo to the highest effect on leaf nutrient elements content of date palm and vegetative growth characteristics of seedlings. Therefore application elemental sulfur as 10% of animal manure along with Tiobacillus inoculant and animal manure at plantation time, duo to improving date palm nutrition and vegetative growth of seedling, is suggested.