As one of the major cash crops in the world, sugarcane has been in the spotlight for its multiple uses including sugar, ethanol, and biomass production. To ensure a successful sugarcane crop, it is important to provide the right amount of nutrients, and fertilizer plays a significant role in supplying these nutrients.
Fertilizers are essential to meet the nutrient needs of sugarcane plants to produce high yields of good quality cane. Fertilization practices in sugarcane cultivation vary depending on soil fertility, weather, and crop varieties. The crop needs nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in varying quantities depending on the stage of crop growth.
When applying fertilizers to sugarcane, it is important to follow the recommended dosage by local agricultural research centers or professionals. Overuse of fertilizers may cause environmental problems and deteriorate soil health, which might affect future crop yields. Soil testing is an effective way to determine the nutrient status of the soil and to make precise and cost-effective fertilizer recommendations.
For sugarcane cultivation, two types of fertilizer are typically used: nitrogenous and phosphatic. Nitrogenous fertilizer provides nitrogen to the crops and is responsible for vegetative growth, while phosphatic fertilizer enhances root growth and development during early growth stages.
The recommended doses of fertilizers for sugarcane crops vary depending on agro-climatic regions and soil types. However, a general fertilizer recommendation for sugarcane cultivation is 100 to 120 kg/ha of nitrogen, 60 to 70 kg/ha of phosphorus, and 60 to 80 kg/ha of potassium. These doses should be split into three or four applications throughout the crop cycle, starting from the sowing stage and reaching up to the harvest stage.
Apart from the primary macronutrients, sugarcane also requires the secondary macronutrients like calcium, magnesium, and sulfur, and micronutrients like zinc, copper, manganese, and boron in small quantities.
In conclusion, the appropriate dose of fertilizer is critical for the success of sugarcane crops. It is essential to follow the recommended doses and fertilization practices to ensure optimal growth and development of sugarcane plants. Adequate and timely application of fertilizers not only enhances crop yield but also prevents the deterioration of soil health. Therefore, farmers need to be aware of the right doses and frequency of fertilizer application to achieve productive and sustainable sugarcane cropping systems.