Ammonium Sulfate Improves Nutrient Status and Photosynthetic Activity in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Grown in Alkaline-Saline-Sodic Soils

Authors

  • María Belén Ciacci Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales (IFRGV). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios (UDEA-CONICET). Av. 11 de Septiembre 4755. X5020ICA. Córdoba. Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2090-021X
  • Rodrigo Ezequiel Domínguez Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales (IFRGV). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios (UDEA-CONICET). Av. 11 de Septiembre 4755. X5020ICA. Córdoba. Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2252-0715
  • Silvia Del Carmen Imhoff Imhoff ICiAgro Litoral (CONICET-UNL). Kreder 2805. Esperanza. Santa Fe https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7330-9728
  • Dolores Ángela Bustos Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales (IFRGV). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios (UDEA-CONICET). Av. 11 de Septiembre 4755. X5020ICA. Córdoba. Argentina https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3744-1323
  • Fernando Salvagiotti Grupo de Manejo de cultivo suelo y agua. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Ruta Nacional 11 km 353. (C2206) Oliveros. Santa Fe. Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6043-9803
  • Darío Fernando Luna Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales (IFRGV). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios (UDEA-CONICET). Av. 11 de Septiembre 4755. X5020ICA. Córdoba. Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5550-0828

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48162/rev.39.212

Keywords:

Sorghum bicolor, alkaline-saline-sodic soils (ASS), ammonium sulfate (AS) fertilization , urea (U), plant mineral nutrition, photosynthesis

Abstract

This study investigated whether fertilization with urea or ammonium sulfate could mitigate the growth limitations of sorghum imposed by alkaline-saline-sodic (ASS) soils. We hypothesized that the application of these nitrogen sources would improve the plant’s mineral status and photosynthetic activity. Experiments were conducted using three sorghum hybrids under both field and greenhouse conditions, comparing ASS soil to a non-ASS control. The treatments included fertilization with ammonium sulfate, urea, and a non-fertilized control. At the end of both experiments, soil and plant samples were analyzed to assess soil pH, nutrient content, and chlorophyll fluorescence. Our results demonstrate that ammonium sulfate, but not urea, significantly improved plant mineral status by inducing acidification in the ASS soil. This improved status led to increased photosynthetic rates and biomass production compared to unfertilized controls. These findings position ammonium sulfate as an effective tool for improving sorghum growth and productivity in challenging marginal soils.

Highlights:

  • Ammonium sulfate (AS) fertilization reduced alkaline-saline-sodic (ASS) soil pH by approximately 1 unit under field conditions, whereas urea (U) shows no significant effect on soil pH.
  • Unlike U, fertilization with AS improves the mineral status of sorghum by increasing the uptake of essential macro- and micronutrients, including N, P, K, and Ca, which are limited in AAS soils.
  • The damage to the photosystem II electron transport chain was mitigated by AS treatment, demonstrating protection of the photosynthetic machinery from ASS stress.
  • Hybrid-specific responses revealed that moderately tolerant genotypes (163 and SIP) achieved biomass production comparable to control soil conditions when treated with AS, highlighting the importance of combining appropriate genotypes with fertilization strategies.

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Published

10-04-2026

How to Cite

Ciacci, M. B., Domínguez, R. E., Imhoff, S. D. C. I., Bustos, D. Ángela, Salvagiotti, F., & Luna, D. F. (2026). Ammonium Sulfate Improves Nutrient Status and Photosynthetic Activity in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Grown in Alkaline-Saline-Sodic Soils. evista e a acultad e iencias grarias NCuyo, 58(1), e9114. https://doi.org/10.48162/rev.39.212

Issue

Vol. 58 No. 1 (2026): January-June

Section

Ecophysiology and crop management

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