Table I.

Growth of Brassica oleracea as affected by pedospheric and atmospheric sulfur nutrition

	Growth Rate		Biomass Production
	t6 − t2	t10 − t6	t10 − t0
	g g−1 day−1		g
Leaves
−S	0.201 ± 0.040	0.106 ± 0.006*	2.42 ± 0.46 (63)*
−S, H2S	0.205 ± 0.019	0.212 ± 0.016	3.99 ± 0.72 (104)
+S	0.211 ± 0.008	0.197 ± 0.009	3.84 ± 0.82 (100)
+S, H2S	0.203 ± 0.037	0.210 ± 0.005	4.26 ± 0.95 (111)
Stem Plus Petioles
−S	0.279 ± 0.043	0.129 ± 0.017*	0.76 ± 0.15 (65)*
−S, H2S	0.257 ± 0.023	0.252 ± 0.044	1.17 ± 0.17 (100)
+S	0.234 ± 0.012	0.257 ± 0.011	1.17 ± 0.21 (100)
+S, H2S	0.282 ± 0.071	0.258 ± 0.028	1.44 ± 0.30 (123)
Roots
−S	0.248 ± 0.072	0.128 ± 0.029*	1.09 ± 0.22 (89)
−S, H2S	0.243 ± 0.067	0.242 ± 0.026	1.76 ± 0.50 (143)*
+S	0.186 ± 0.026	0.200 ± 0.021	1.23 ± 0.41 (100)
+S, H2S	0.189 ± 0.048	0.195 ± 0.019	1.18 ± 0.38 (96)

B. oleracea was grown on a 25% Hoagland nutrient solution (0.5 mm sulfate) in a climate controlled room for 7 d and subsequently transferred to a fresh nutrient solution at 0 mm sulfate (−S) or 0.5 mm sulfate (+S) and simultaneously exposed to 0 or 75 nL L⁻¹ H₂S for 2, 6, and 10 d. Growth rates were measured over the period from day 2 to day 6 (t₆ − t₂) and from day 6 to day 10 (t₁₀ − t₆), and biomass production (fresh weight) was measured over the entire 10 d period (t₁₀ − t₀). Growth rate was calculated using the natural log transformed fresh weight. Data represent the mean of 3 independent experiments on 3 to 4 (4–12 for t₀) measurements per experiment with 3 plants in each (± sd). Data between brackets represent values as percent of the control (+S). Values marked with an asterisk are significantly different from the control value (+S; P < 0.01).