Effects of sulfur fertilizer on the bread-making quality of wheat depend on the nitrogen input level

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.003

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Xiu Zhang^1,², Bin Zeng¹, Donghai Ding³, Wei Zhou², Xinglong Dai²^#, Mingrong He²

¹Tianjin Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Breeding/Crop Research Institute, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin 300192, China

²State Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement/Colloge of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China

³Tai’an Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Tai’an 271000, China

Highlights

1. Application of sulfur fertilizer had different effects on the bread-making quality of wheat at different nitrogen input level.

2. The bread-making quality of wheat was closely associated with the Glu/Gli ratio and the polymerization degree of glutenin.

3. Application of S fertilizer can improve the bread-making quality of wheat only when the N/S ratio in grains is close to or higher than 16:1 in the S-sufficient soil.

Abstract
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摘要

土壤缺硫时，硫（S）肥和氮（N）肥对小麦的面包品质均有显著影响。然而，在土壤不缺硫的情况下，施用硫肥能否改善面包小麦的最终品质尚不清楚。本研究选用藁优5766和洲元9369两个面包小麦品种，设置三个氮肥水平（100、200和300 kg N hm^-²）和两个硫肥水平（0和67.5 kg S hm^-²），研究了氮肥和硫肥对籽粒含氮量、含硫量、籽粒N/S比、籽粒蛋白质含量（GPC）、籽粒蛋白质组成、谷蛋白聚合程度和品质性状的影响。结果表明：在每个施氮水平下，两个品种在GPC、籽粒N/S比以及高分子量谷蛋白亚基与低分子量谷蛋白亚基比值方面对施硫的响应一致。然而在土壤不缺硫的情况下，硫肥对谷蛋白/醇溶蛋白比值（谷/醇比）、谷蛋白聚合程度、面团流变学特性和面包品质的影响随施氮量的不同而不同。在施氮量为100 kg N hm^-²且不施硫时，籽粒N/S比低于12.2:1；施硫导致谷/醇比和谷蛋白聚合程度降低，面团筋力减弱，面包品质下降。在施氮量为200 kg N hm^-²且不施硫时，籽粒N/S比为13.7:1~15.9:1，施硫提高了谷/醇比和谷蛋白聚合程度，从而使面团筋力增强但延展性减弱，面包品质得以维持。在施氮量为300 kg N hm^-²且不施硫时，籽粒氮硫比高于15.9:1，施硫提高了谷/醇比和谷蛋白聚合程度，从而增强了面团筋力并提高了面包品质。相关分析表明，小麦面包品质与受氮、硫肥调控的谷醇比及谷蛋白聚合程度密切相关。综上所述，氮硫配施通过改变特定富硫蛋白与贫硫蛋白的相对含量，从而影响小麦面包品质。在土壤不缺硫的情况下，只有当籽粒N/S比接近或高于16:1时，施硫才会提升小麦面包品质。

Abstract

The bread-making quality of wheat is significantly influenced by both sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) fertilizers when soil S deficiency occurs. However, it is not clear whether the end-use quality of bread wheat can be improved by the application of S fertilizer in the absence of soil S deficiency. In this study, two bread wheat cultivars, Gaoyou 5766 and Zhouyuan 9369, were subjected to three N rates (100, 200, and 300 kg N ha^-1) and two S rates (0 and 67.5 kg S ha^-1). The effects of the N and S fertilizers on the grain N and S concentrations, grain N/S ratio, grain protein concentration (GPC), grain protein composition, glutenin polymerization degree, and quality traits were investigated. The results showed that the responses of the two cultivars to the application of S fertilizer in the GPC, the grain N/S ratio, and the ratio of high molecular weight glutenin subunit to low molecular weight glutenin subunit were similar under each N input level. However, the effects of S fertilizer on the ratio of glutenin to gliadin (Glu/Gli ratio), the glutenin polymerization degree, the dough rheological properties, and the bread-making quality varied with the N input level in the absence of soil S deficiency. At the N rate of 100 kg N ha^-1 without S input, the grain N/S ratios were below 12.2:1; application of S fertilizer resulted in a decreased Glu/Gli ratio and glutenin polymerization degree, lower dough strength, and decreased end-use quality. At the N rate of 200 kg N ha^-1 without S input, the grain N/S ratios were in the range 13.7:1–15.9:1, and application of S led to an increased Glu/Gli ratio and glutenin polymerization degree. As a result, the dough strength increased but the dough extensibility decreased, the end-use quality was maintained. At the N rate of 300 kg N ha^-1 without S input, the grain N/S ratios were higher than 15.9:1, and application of S resulted in an increased Glu/Gli ratio and glutenin polymerization degree, thereby increasing the dough strength and end-use quality. As shown by correlation analysis, the bread-making quality of wheat was closely associated with the Glu/Gli ratio and the polymerization degree of glutenin as modified by N and S fertilizers. In conclusion, the combination of N and S exerted effects on wheat bread-making quality by changing the relative abundance of specific S-rich and S-poor proteins. When there is no S deficiency in the soil, application of S fertilizer favors improvement in the bread-making quality of wheat only when the N/S ratio in grains is close to, or higher than, 16:1.

Keywords: bread wheat quality sulfur fertilizer N/S ratio polymerization of glutenin

Online: 05 July 2025

Fund:

This work was supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Shandong Province (2022LZGC005-402), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFD2300200), the College Youth Innovation Technology Support Program of Shandong Province, China (2022KJ242), the Doctor Innovation Funding Project of the Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China (TJNKY012534), and the Transfer and Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements, China (24ZYCGSN01320).

About author: #Correspondence Xinglong Dai, E-mail: adaisdny@163.com

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