Effect of level, timing and method of nitrogen application on spring-planted sugarcane

Abstract

A field experiment conducted at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during the years 1976–79 involving two planted cane crops and two ratoons showed that nitrogen application to planted cane increased the millable cane and sugar yields of the planted cane and had a significant residual effect on the ratoon. Taking together the yields of planted cane and ratoon, an application of 150 kg N ha⁻¹ increased the yield of millable cane by 33.3t ha⁻¹ and that of sugar by 3.9t ha⁻¹. The results suggested that with 75 kg N ha⁻¹ three-quarters should be applied at planting, while with 150 kg N ha⁻¹ only half should be applied at planting. The remaining dose of nitrogen should be applied at earthing up. Foliar application of part of the nitrogen indicated some advantage in the case of millable canes in the planted cane, but this did not show up in the sugar yield.