PRODUCT MANUAL The Science Behind SO4 Calcium Productscalciumproducts.com | SO4 Product Manual | 1 May 18 00447_CP_SO4_ProductGuide_8.5x11_JC_April18B.indd 1 5/14/18 3:31 PM TABLE OF CONTENTS What is SO4? Page 3 The Need for Sulfur Page 4 Comparing Sulfur Sources Page 6 SO4 Application, Handling and Storage Page 8 Soil Amending Page 10 Selling SO4 to Growers Page 12 2 || SO4 Product Manual | Calcium Products 00447_CP_SO4_ProductGuide_8.5x11_JC_April18B.indd 2 5/14/18 3:32 PM WHAT IS SO4? SO4 SO4 Fertilizer Ca Ca Ca S Superior Sulfur Release S 1 14 SO4 is the superior sulfur source that S 7 delivers the right amount of sulfur pH perfectly matching plant needs for yield-maximizing plant growth. Superior Sulfur Release pH Neutral Application Flexibility • Superior Sulfur Release. SO4 Product Specifications What is gypsum? supplies a strong initial release Guaranteed Analysis Gypsum is a soft mineral, of sulfur followed by a steady Calcium: ............................... 21% chemically composed of calcium supply throughout the growing Sulfur (sulfate): ..................... 17% and sulfate, and two molecules season, perfectly matching plant Moisture (max): ................... 1.0% of water (CaSO4 • 2H2O), called needs. Ammonium sulfate (AMS) Calcium sulfate dihydrate: ... 92% calcium sulfate dihydrate. is 300x more soluble than SO4 Variations of calcium sulfate occur (Haynes, 2014), releasing sulfur Average Particle Size Before naturally, such as anhydrite (CaSO4) too quickly, while elemental Pelletizing but it has lower solubility compared sulfur releases sulfur too slowly, 4-mesh: 100% passing to dihydrate gypsum due to the neither meeting the crop’s 8-mesh: 100% passing lack of bound water in its crystalline complete needs. 100-mesh: 80% passing structure. • pH Neutral. SO4 is pH neutral, which means it will Production Details How did SO4 get its name? not acidify the soil, while other • SO4 pelletized gypsum is The chemical formula for sulfate is sulfur sources. Proper soil pH 2- manufactured SO4 and served as the inspiration maximizes a plant’s utilization of from mined gypsum in Fort for the founder of Calcium nutrients promoting good plant Dodge, IA. Products to give the brand name of health and optimizing yield. • The binding agent used is SO4 to his pelletized gypsum. • Application Flexibility. SO4’s calcium lignosulfonate consistent pellet size allows it and is a byproduct of the paper SO4 is OMRI Listed® to be blended and applied with milling industry. SO4 is the only pelletized gypsum other dry fertilizers and makes approved for use it the smart choice for any Pellet Physical Characteristics in certified organic application scenario. Size Guide Number (SGN) production. It is Averages: certified by the SO4 is mined and pelletized from a < 200: 3% Organic Materials Review gypsum vein in northwest Iowa, one 200-280: 37% Institute (OMRI). of the purest sources in the world. 280-400: 40% The mined gypsum is finely ground > 400: 20% to a powder, 80% passing a 100- mesh screen, and then pelletized to Average SGN: 300 achieve ideal reactivity and pellet Uniformity Index (UI): 50 strength. Compression strength: 9.0 pound- feet (LBF) Bulk density: 61 lbs/ft3 Calcium Products | SO4 Product Manual | 3 00447_CP_SO4_ProductGuide_8.5x11_JC_April18B.indd 3 5/14/18 3:33 PM THE NEED FOR SULFUR The Fourth Major Nutrient It is widely understood that plant growth is impacted by the three primary macronutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Many agronomists consider sulfur, a secondary macronutrient, to be the fourth major nutrient because of the critical role it plays in healthy plant growth. The Benefits of Sulfur Sulfur is an essential component of plant growth. Key functions of sulfur in the plant include chlorophyll formation, protein production and activation of enzymes. Amino acids such as cysteine and methionine may be deficient in plants where Sulfur is Needed Throughout the Growing Season Sulfur uptake in corn has been presumed to be similar to Sulfur uptake in soybeans is similar to corn, with more nitrogen. However, a University of Illinois study indicated than one-half of sulfur uptake occurring after the that more than one-half of sulfur uptake occurs after the reproductive phase has begun (Bender et al., 2013). transition from vegetative to reproductive processes has Alfalfa would have a very similar, although greater begun. This suggests that a season-long supply of sulfur is overall, uptake pattern for sulfur. critical for corn nutrition (Bender et al., 2013). CORN SOYBEAN 26.0 100 100 18 22.8 ) ) -1 S -1 15 S 80 19.5 75 al (%) 16.3 12 t 60 To 13.0 50 9 9.8 40 ent of 6 c 6.5 25 S Uptake (kg ha S Uptake (kg ha 20 Per 3.3 3 0.0 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 GDDC Days After Planting VE V2 V4 V6 V10 V14 VT/R1 R2 R4 R5 R6 Planting V2 V4 V7 R2 R4 R5 R6 R8 Growth StageGrowth Stage Grain Grain Flowers, Pods Flowers, Pods Stem, Petioles Stem, Petioles Leaves Leaves 4 | SO4 Product Manual | Calcium Products 4 | SO4 Product Manual | Calcium Products 00447_CP_SO4_ProductGuide_8.5x11_JC_April18B.indd 4 5/14/18 3:31 PM sulfur is lacking, negatively impacting instead of a lack of adequate sulfur in the youngest leaves of the the food or feed quality from these (Datnoff et al., 2007). corn plant first, while nitrogen plants. Sulfur is also important in deficiency appears in the older nodule formation in legume crops, Recognizing Sulfur leaves first. The difference is where it aids rhizobia bacteria in Deficiency related to how each nutrient is converting atmospheric nitrogen into 1. Look at leaf color. Plants with mobilized in the plant. plant usable forms (Marschner, 1995). pale green appearance should be inspected closer for nutrient 3. Utilize a tissue test. Sulfur Sulfur deficiency can result in the deficiency symptoms. Both deficiency can be visually inhibition of protein and chlorophyll sulfur and nitrogen deficiency misdiagnosed, even by seasoned synthesis. Sulfur deficiencies can be are marked by yellow striping agronomists. Collecting tissue difficult to determine from visual between the veins of the leaf from the growing plant and observation as symptoms resemble (interveinal chlorosis), which submitting it for laboratory nitrogen deficiency. Sulfur deficiency can cause confusion when analysis is an excellent way occurs in younger leaves, causing diagnosing sulfur vs. nitrogen to positively identify nutrient them to turn light green to pale deficiency. The photo (above) deficiencies and provide yellow. Many plants have their shows sulfur deficiency. quantitative values for any growing point at the top of the plant, needed corrective actions. Your which can often lead to a visual 2. Inspect plants’ youngest testing lab can provide threshold misdiagnosis of nitrogen deficiency leaves. Sulfur deficiency appears tissue test values. A Rising Need for Sulfur Agronomically, plants have always needed sulfur. of the amount of sulfur today compared to 30 years ago. Historically, much of the sulfur need was satisfied from atmospheric deposition of sulfur as a result of coal burning Additionally, modern fertilizers are highly concentrated industries. Amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990 and contain less sulfur than in the past. Compounded targeted sulfur dioxide emissions and the resulting “free” with declining organic matter, less sulfur is naturally atmospheric sulfur decreased dramatically. Many areas of available while crop yields continue to climb, resulting in the central and eastern Midwest receive less than one-half more opportunities for sulfur deficiency to occur. SULFATE ION WET DEPOSITION, 1985 SULFATE ION WET DEPOSITION, 2016 • •• • •• • • !! • •• • •• !!!! ••• •• •• • •• •• • • •• • • • • • • •• •• • • • • • •• • •• • •• •• • !! •• • • • • • •• • •• •• • • • • • • • • • • ••••• ••••• • • • • •• • • • •• ••• •• • • • • • •• • • • • •• • • • • • • •• •• • • • • •• •• •• •• • • ••• • • • •• •• •• •• •• •• • • • • • • •• •• • • •• • •• • • • •• • ••• • • •• • • • • • • • • • •• •• •• • • ••• •• • • • • • • •• • •• • •• • • • •• • •• • •••• • • • •• • • •• • •• • ••• • • •• •• ••• •• •• •• •• •• • • •• •• • • • • • • • • ••• • •• •• •• • • • • •• •• • •• • •• •• • • • • •• • •• • •• •• ••• • • •• •• •• • • • •• • • • • •• •• • •• • • •• •• •• • • • • • • • •• •• •• •• •• • • •• •• •• •• • •• •• 2- •• • • 2- • • Sulfate as SO4 • • • • Sulfate as SO4 • • •• •• • • ••• •• • •• •• • • (kg/ha) • • ••• • • • • (kg/ha) •• •• •• •• •• •• •• • ••• • •• ••• • •• •• •• ≥ 24 ••• ≥ 24 • • • • • •• • • •• •• •• !! 20 • • • • 20 •• •• • • •• •• •• 16 • • • • •• • •• • • • 16 •• •• •• • •• • • • • • • 12 • • 12 • • •• •• •• •• • •• • 8 • 8 Sites not pictured: •• ! • • •• ! 4 • • • Argentina 01 4.0 kg/ha • 4 •• •• • • Alaska 01 1.0 kg/ha 0 0 Alaska 02 3.0 kg/ha • •• • Alaska 03 <1 kg/ha Alaska 97 2.0 kg/ha Puerto Rico 20 19.0 kg/ha National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network Saskatchewan 20 2.0 kg/ha http://nadp.isws.illinois.edu Saskatchewan 21 2.0 kg/ha Virgin Island 6.0 kg/ha National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network http://nadp.isws.illinois.edu Calcium Products | SO4 Product Manual | 5 Calcium Products | SO4 Product Manual | 5 00447_CP_SO4_ProductGuide_8.5x11_JC_April18B.indd 5 5/14/18 3:31 PM COMPARING SULFUR SOURCES Side-by-Side Comparison There are several dry sulfur sources available on the market today and comparing them can be a complex task. There are differences to consider such as included nutrients, rate of sulfur release and soil acidification. Pelletized AMS MAP + AMS