The importance of sulphur in crop productiongpcafertilizers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/05-Chris-Lawson.pdf · The importance of sulphur in crop production ... Gavin Ju Senior

The importance of sulphur in crop production

Chris Lawson – Senior Consultant - CRU

| Steering the Fertilizer Industry through Challenging Times

Who are CRU?

Anders IsbergSenior Consultant

Juan von GernetTeam Leader

Alistair WallaceTeam Leader

Yoston Montoya GarciaConsultant

Laima AlavočiūtėData Manager

Chris LawsonSenior Consultant

Mike GallagherGeneral Manager

Paul BurnsidePrincipal Consultant

Michael MewPrincipal Consultant

Isaac ZhaoSenior Consultant, Phosphate and Sulphur

Gavin JuSenior Consultant, Nitrogen and Potash

Deepak ChitrodaConsultant

Humphrey KnightConsultant

Valeriy AleshkinResearch Analyst

William IrwinConsultant

Peter HarrissonTeam Leader

Hamish SampsonConsultant

Ben FareyPublisher and Editor-in-Chief

Jennifer Willis-JonesSenior Markets Editor,Ammonia and Nitrates

Lars TaarlandSenior Markets Editor, Ureaand Nitrates

BK MorrisSenior News and MarketEditor, North America

Brendan DalyMarkets Editor, Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid

Tom McIvorPhosphates Market Editor

Sheenal KhimasiaUAN Market Editor

Logan CollinsPotash Market Editor

Phosphates Nitrogen Sulphur

Potash Agriculture Costs Beijing Mumbai

Fertilizer Week

Agenda

Sulphur in crop production

Why is sulphur important now?

A changing crop mix…

How is the industry reacting?

Conclusion


Sulphur in crop production.

What role does sulphur play in the crop and soil?

•Incorporated into essential amino acids, proteins, oils and organic compounds.

•Critical in the early establishment of crops

•Root nodulation and nitrogen fixation in legumes

•Sulphur contributes to resistance of environmental stresses

•Deficiency results in stunted early growth - associated yield losses

•Sulphur is key to the flavour of onions!

Photo here

Sulphur deficiency in Canola (Rapeseed)Image: CanolaWatch.org


Sulphur in crop production.

Sulphate (SO4

2-)

Leaching

Organic Sulphur

Elemental Sulphur

Atmospheric Deposition(Acid Rain)

Manure Crop Residue

SO2

Capture

Fertilizer manufacturing

Agenda





Conclusion



Why is sulphur suddenly ‘the 4th nutrient’?

•Sulphur deficiency in cropping systems has not traditionally been a problem… But this is changing

•Lower sulphur emissions (environmental regulations)

•More high analysis fertilizers (less S containing fertilizers)

•Greater cropping intensity (higher yields)

•These are creating a problem… And an opportunity for fertilizer

producers to diversify their products



Lower sulphur emissions

•Environmental regulations introduced in the 1980’s in Europe and North

America

•Developing world has taken steps to follow this example…

•But China has failed to restrict emissions as industrial growth has

accelerated

Data: Anthropogenic sulphur dioxide emissions: 1850–2005 S.J Smith et al. (2011) 0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

19

00

Em

issi

on

s

Euro

pe

N.A

mer

ica

Ch

ina

Asi

a

Ro

W

19

80

Em

issi

on

s

Euro

pe

N.A

mer

ica

Ch

ina

Asi

a

Ro

W

20

05

Em

issi

on

s

An

thro

po

gen

ic S

O2

em

issi

on

s



Sulphate (SO4

2-)

Leaching

Organic Sulphur

Elemental Sulphur

Manure Crop Residue

SO2

Capture


Less sulphur from acid rain…

Atmospheric Deposition(Acid Rain)



More ‘high analysis’ fertilizer

•Supply of urea, DAP, MAP, MOP have all increased sharply.

•These have taken over from low analysis fertilizers like single super

phosphate (SSP) and ammonium sulphate (AS)

•Less sulphur is being added to soils through fertilizer

Data: CRU, IFA

Non S Ferticontains <2% S. incl; urea, AN, CAN, DAP, MAP, TSP, MOP, NPK

S Fert incl; AS, SSP, SOP

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Fertproduction

1980

Non S Fert. S Fert. Fertproduction

2000

Non S Fert. S Fert. Fertproduction

2020

Tota

l fe

rtili

zer

pro

du

ctio

n

(mill

ion

pro

du

ct t

on

ne

s)



Sulphate (SO4

2-)

Leaching

Organic Sulphur

Elemental Sulphur

Acid Rain

Manure Crop Residue

SO2

Capture


Less sulphur from acid rain…

Less sulphur from fertilizer



>5m t S/year

1-5m t S/year<1m t S/year

DeficitCrop expansion in the ‘Cerrado’ region

Continental sulphur deficiencies

Data: Plant nutrient sulphur-a review of nutrient balance, environmental impact and fertilizers. SP Ceccotti (1996)

S included in NBS scheme

30% of arable land S deficient, particularly south

S demand highest on West Coast

Agenda





Conclusion


A changing crop mix

Intensive agriculture is altering the nutrient balance

•Higher yielding, shorter season crops are putting more pressure on soils.

•High S demand crops include: Brassica (rapeseed), bulbs (onions) and root vegetables

•Medium S demand crops include: cotton, coffee, sugarcane, grasses/pastures

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

260

280

300

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Yie

ld (

19

60

= 1

00

)

Wheat Corn

Rice Soybeans

Fruit & Veg

Crop Yields: 1960 - 2015


A changing crop mix

Demand fundamentals are driving rapeseed/canola area

•Rapeseed/canola has become an increasingly popular crop.

•Consumption of vegetable oils and biofuel is rising

•Canada - relationship between AS demand and canola area.

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

950

1,000

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

AS

de

man

d (

'00

0 p

rod

uct

to

nn

es)

Canola harvested area (million hectares)

2020 forecast


A changing crop mix

Sulphur and canola in Canada

•Experiment on sulphur deficient soil in Canadian Prairies

•Formulation, application rate, timing and method of application all have an impact on Canola

yield and oil content

•Yields optimized with 15-30kg S/hectare, using sulphate S at seeding.

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

0 N+S atplanting(S-15kg)

N+S atplanting(S-30kg)

N+S atflowering(S-15kg)

N+S atflowering(S-30kg)

Can

ola

yie

ld (

ton

ne

s/h

ect

are

)

Yields more than double when N + S is applied at planting

Data: Plant nutrient sulphur-a review of nutrient balance, environmental impact and fertilizers. SP Ceccotti (1996)


A changing crop mix

Sulphur and canola in Canada

•Experiment on sulphur deficient soil in Canadian Prairies

•Formulation, application rate, timing and method of application all have an impact on Canola

yield and oil content

•Yields optimized with 15-30kg S/hectare, using sulphate S at seeding.

•And when N is kept constant…

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

0 kg S/ha 10 kg S/ha 20 kg S/ha 30 kg S/ha

Can

ola

yie

ld (

ton

ne

s/h

ect

are

)

Data: A review of sulphur fertilizer management for optimum yield and quality of canola in the Canadian Great PlainsMalhi et al (2004)

Agenda





Conclusion


How is the industry reacting

Current sulphur fertilizers

•Gypsum – By-product

•Kieserite – Magnesium and Sulphur

•Ammonium Sulphate – By-product

•Ammonium Thiosulphate – Only used in North America fertigation systems

•SSP – On the way out…

•Potassium Sulphate (SOP) – Attracting huge interest

•Polysulphate (Polyhalite) – New product from North England

72%75% 71% 68%

55% 54%

23%

20% 23%25%

37%39%

4%

4% 4% 5% 4%

3%

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Handling adjustment Sulphur component

Low chloride Potassium component

SOP value components*

*CFR North-West Europe


How is the industry reacting

Sulphur enhanced fertilizers•Fertilizer industry has recognised the need for sulphur

•Sulphur also has a value… Premium fertilizer products

•Incorporation of sulphate and elemental sulphur

•Products more expensive

•NP+S is developing quickly in the US, Brazil and Africa

•Sulphur needs to come in a package…

N% P% K% S%S-Bentonite 0 0 0 90

S-coated-urea 40 0 0 10

S-coated-MAP 10 44 0 12

S-coated-TSP 0 40 0 15

Fortified SSP 0 6 0 45

NP+S 12-20 20-48 0 5-15

NK+S 18-28 0 12-18 5-10

NPK+S 10-20 15-25 10-18 5-10

Agenda





Conclusion


Conclusion

The agricultural value of sulphur is increasing•Sulphur is key early in the crop life cycle and is a critical element in crop biochemical

processes

•More high analysis fertilizers and lower SO2 emissions mean that sulphur deficiency is

increasing

•S deficiency most prevalent in Asia, Africa and Latin America

•Sulphur hungry crops like rapeseed and soybeans are increasing in area

•The industry is beginning to recognise the value of S. More sulphur enhanced products are

being released.

Thank You!www.gpca.org.ae

Documents

The importance of sulphur in crop productiongpcafertilizers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/05-Chris-Lawson.pdf · The importance of sulphur in crop production ... Gavin Ju Senior