Elemental sulfur and Thiobacillus culture alter nutrient availability and maize growth in compost-amended calcareous soil

Sholpan Muminova; Baglan Makhamedova; Khansulu Kuspangaliyeva; Liza Zhussupova; Gulzhan Zhaksybayeva; Zukhra Mussina; Ashirali Smanov; Bakhytkul Kenzhaliyeva

doi:10.18393/ejss.2005074

Elemental sulfur and Thiobacillus culture alter nutrient availability and maize growth in compost-amended calcareous soil

Abstract

Elemental sulfur can improve nutrient availability in calcareous soils, but its effectiveness depends on oxidation conditions, soil buffering, and associated organic and microbial amendments. A controlled greenhouse experiment evaluated seven elemental sulfur rates (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, and 1500 kg ha⁻¹) combined with either sterile water or a live Thiobacillus thioparus culture treatment in a compost-amended calcareous clay soil. Each of the 14 treatment combinations had three replicate pots. All pots received mature composted cattle manure at 20 Mg ha⁻¹ on a dry-matter basis, and one hybrid maize plant was grown per pot for 86 days. Increasing sulfur rate lowered post-harvest soil pH and increased available P, S, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and B. The lowest pH (6.68), highest available P (12.8 mg kg⁻¹), and highest available S (205 mg kg⁻¹) occurred at 1500 kg S ha⁻¹ with the culture treatment. Post-harvest total N declined as shoot N removal increased, whereas available K changed little. Total aboveground dry biomass increased from 466–478 g pot⁻¹ at 0 kg S ha⁻¹ to 744–812 g pot⁻¹ at 1500 kg S ha⁻¹. Uptake of all measured macro- and micronutrients followed a similar increasing pattern. The greatest responses within the tested range occurred at 1500 kg S ha⁻¹, particularly in culture-treated pots. These results show that micronized elemental sulfur, under adequate moisture and warm greenhouse conditions, can substantially alter nutrient availability and maize performance in compost-amended calcareous soil. The highest tested rate should not be interpreted as a field optimum without multi-soil and field validation.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Soil Sciences and Plant Nutrition (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Sholpan Muminova This is me
0000-0002-4017-4107
Kazakhstan

Baglan Makhamedova ^* This is me
0000-0002-0793-4821
Kazakhstan

Khansulu Kuspangaliyeva This is me
0000-0002-5485-3565
Kazakhstan

Liza Zhussupova This is me
0000-0002-6379-3488
Kazakhstan

Gulzhan Zhaksybayeva This is me
0000-0002-6516-7325
Kazakhstan

Zukhra Mussina This is me
0000-0003-4726-2393
Kazakhstan

Ashirali Smanov This is me
0000-0001-7468-575X
Kazakhstan

Bakhytkul Kenzhaliyeva This is me
0000-0002-1815-9461
Kazakhstan

Publication Date

October 5, 2026

Submission Date

March 12, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 19, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 15 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.2005074

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA38GW24RX

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Muminova, S., Makhamedova, B., Kuspangaliyeva, K., Zhussupova, L., Zhaksybayeva, G., Mussina, Z., Smanov, A., & Kenzhaliyeva, B. (2026). Elemental sulfur and Thiobacillus culture alter nutrient availability and maize growth in compost-amended calcareous soil. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science, 15(4), 529-537. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.2005074

AMA

1.Muminova S, Makhamedova B, Kuspangaliyeva K, et al. Elemental sulfur and Thiobacillus culture alter nutrient availability and maize growth in compost-amended calcareous soil. EJSS. 2026;15(4):529-537. doi:10.18393/ejss.2005074

Chicago

Muminova, Sholpan, Baglan Makhamedova, Khansulu Kuspangaliyeva, et al. 2026. “Elemental Sulfur and Thiobacillus Culture Alter Nutrient Availability and Maize Growth in Compost-Amended Calcareous Soil”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 15 (4): 529-37. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.2005074.

EndNote

Muminova S, Makhamedova B, Kuspangaliyeva K, Zhussupova L, Zhaksybayeva G, Mussina Z, Smanov A, Kenzhaliyeva B (October 1, 2026) Elemental sulfur and Thiobacillus culture alter nutrient availability and maize growth in compost-amended calcareous soil. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 15 4 529–537.

IEEE

[1]S. Muminova et al., “Elemental sulfur and Thiobacillus culture alter nutrient availability and maize growth in compost-amended calcareous soil”, EJSS, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 529–537, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.18393/ejss.2005074.

ISNAD

Muminova, Sholpan - Makhamedova, Baglan - Kuspangaliyeva, Khansulu - Zhussupova, Liza - Zhaksybayeva, Gulzhan - Mussina, Zukhra - Smanov, Ashirali - Kenzhaliyeva, Bakhytkul. “Elemental Sulfur and Thiobacillus Culture Alter Nutrient Availability and Maize Growth in Compost-Amended Calcareous Soil”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 15/4 (October 1, 2026): 529-537. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.2005074.

JAMA

1.Muminova S, Makhamedova B, Kuspangaliyeva K, Zhussupova L, Zhaksybayeva G, Mussina Z, Smanov A, Kenzhaliyeva B. Elemental sulfur and Thiobacillus culture alter nutrient availability and maize growth in compost-amended calcareous soil. EJSS. 2026;15:529–537.

MLA

Muminova, Sholpan, et al. “Elemental Sulfur and Thiobacillus Culture Alter Nutrient Availability and Maize Growth in Compost-Amended Calcareous Soil”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science, vol. 15, no. 4, Oct. 2026, pp. 529-37, doi:10.18393/ejss.2005074.

Vancouver

1.Sholpan Muminova, Baglan Makhamedova, Khansulu Kuspangaliyeva, Liza Zhussupova, Gulzhan Zhaksybayeva, Zukhra Mussina, Ashirali Smanov, Bakhytkul Kenzhaliyeva. Elemental sulfur and Thiobacillus culture alter nutrient availability and maize growth in compost-amended calcareous soil. EJSS. 2026 Oct. 1;15(4):529-37. doi:10.18393/ejss.2005074