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Best Practices of Nitrogen Fertilization Management for Sugarcane Under Green Cane Trash Blanket in Brazil

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Abstract

The low efficiency of nitrogen (N) use from fertilizer applied to sugarcane is a major concern worldwide threatening the sustainability of sugarcane production. Further, the significance of N losses to the environment is becoming more important as global warming becomes a more significant issue. Improving nitrogen use efficiency is a major challenge for sugarcane cropping systems worldwide. Amongst other factors, N application method has a significant effect on the efficiency with which N is used by the crop. In Brazil, the sugar industry is rapidly moving towards green cane harvesting and the maintenance of a trash blanket (GCTB) between crops in a cycle. However, there is limited information regarding the most appropriate nitrogen fertilizer placement between ratoon crops in a GCTB system. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen application methods on the productivity of ratoon sugarcane being grown under a green cane trash blanket (GCTB) system. The application methods tested were: (1) control (no fertilizer applied), (2) fertilizer incorporated at 0.2 m in the centre of each interrow, (3) fertilizer applied to the GCTB surface in both sides of the row, and (4) fertilizer incorporated at 0.08 m depth in both sides of the row. The incorporation of the fertilizer at 0.08 m depth on both sides of the row resulted in the best agronomic performance, producing approximately 13 and 12 % more cane tonnage and sugar yield, respectively, when compared to band surface application, which was the second best method.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank AgroQuatro-S sugarcane farm for their aid and support and CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for granting the scholarship to the first and second authors during the execution of the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Campinas, Cidade Universitária “Zeferino Vaz”, Campinas, SP, 13083-970, Brazil

    Sérgio Gustavo Quassi de Castro & Paulo S. Graziano Magalhães

  2. CTBE/CNPEM- Brazilian Bioethanol Science Technology Laboratory, Polo II Alta Tecnologia, R. Giuseppe Máximo Scolfaro, 10000, Campinas, SP, 13083-970, Brazil

    Sérgio Gustavo Quassi de Castro, Henrique Coutinho Junqueira Franco & Paulo S. Graziano Magalhães

  3. University of São Paulo State, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donatto Castellane, s/n, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil

    Sérgio Tadeu Decaro Jr. & Miguel Angelo Mutton

  4. James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

    Alan Garside

  5. Agritrop Consulting, Townsville, Australia

    Alan Garside

Authors
  1. Sérgio Gustavo Quassi de Castro
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  2. Sérgio Tadeu Decaro Jr.
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  3. Henrique Coutinho Junqueira Franco
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  4. Paulo S. Graziano Magalhães
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  5. Alan Garside
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  6. Miguel Angelo Mutton
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Correspondence to Paulo S. Graziano Magalhães.

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de Castro, S.G.Q., Decaro, S.T., Franco, H.C.J. et al. Best Practices of Nitrogen Fertilization Management for Sugarcane Under Green Cane Trash Blanket in Brazil. Sugar Tech 19, 51–56 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-016-0443-0

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