Sulfur mineralization in rhizosphere of lowland rice

Abstract

Sulfur transformation in riee rhizosphere was investigated. Soil enzyme arylsulfatase in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil, whieh is responsible for mineralization of organic sulfur to sulfate sulfur, was studied. The Michaelis constants of arylsulfatase from Maahas c1ay and Pila c1ay loam were 3.04 × 10-4 M and 3.97 × 10-4 M, respectively. The arylsulfatase of rhizosphere soil showed higher activity than that of non-rhizosphere soil. Applieation of sulfate had no marked elTect on the enzyme aetivity either in rhizosphere or non-rhizosphere soil under the submerged condition. This indieates that arylsulfatase activity under the submerged condition is not inhibited by applieation of sulfate. The amount of HI-reducible sulfur in the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soi! inereased with time. However, rhizosphere soil had a higher amount of HI-reducible sulfur than did non-rhizosphere. Thc ditl'erence in arylsulfatase activity between the rhizosphcre and non-rhizosphere soil was not directly associated with thc number of sulfur-redueing and -oxidizing bacteria. © 1982 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.