Agronomic Responses of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) Ratoon to Natural and Synthetic Supplements under Water Deficit Conditions

Author(s) : Muhammad Sajid and Hassan Munir

Abstract:

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is one of four major cash crops with high importance for sugar industry in Pakistan. The objective of this study was to evaluate biomass of ratoon sugarcane in response to organic supplements and coated fertilizer under three irrigation levels. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split plot arrangement of factors, replicated three times. Ratoon sugarcane clone CPF-249 was exposed to four levels of natural amendments or synthetic fertilizers and three irrigation levels during two growing seasons. Results suggested significant effects of dose and time of synthetic fertilizer application on all agronomic traits. All quality parameters were statistically non-¬significant, except for cane sugar recovery% (CSR) and commercial cane sugar concentration (CCS). Results of this study indicate that maximum millable cane yield was achieved under 100% irrigation and polymer coated Single Super Phosphate (SSP) fertilizer during 2016-17 with production of 13.2 stalks/m2 and 14.1stalks/m2 whereas, millable cane yield was reduced in both treatments in 2017-18. Maximum stripped cane yields of 47.7 and 40.8 t ha-1 were recorded under 100% irrigation level and polymer coated SSP fertilizer, respectively. A significant reduction in yield was observed at 50% irrigation and no fertilizer application. The maximum cane sugar recovery of 14.0 and 13.6% was achieved when plants were treated with polymer coated single super phosphate (SSP) fertilizer under 100% of recommended irrigation during the 2nd growing season.