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Urea- Versus Ammonium Nitrate–Based Fertilizers for Green Sugarcane Cultivation

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Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that enhanced-efficiency fertilizers, such as urea treated with NBPT, are a feasible substitute for ammonium nitrate–based fertilizers for green sugarcane cultivation. The experimental design included six N sources applied over sugarcane straw at two sites in Central-South Brazil. Treatments included ammonium nitrate, urea, and four urea-based fertilizers treated with different rates of the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) at two rates of N (50 and 100 kg ha−1), plus an additional control. Nitrogen status in the plant, the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS) and nitrate reductase (NR) in the leaves, and sugarcane stalk yield and quality were evaluated. At site 1, N rates increased the SPAD index, stalk yield, N uptake, and sugar yield. At site 2, N rates increased GS activity, N content, the SPAD index, and N uptake, but stalk and sugar yield were not increased due to large variability in these parameters. All N sources resulted in similar yields at both sites. These results were compared with those in the literature. Among 27 studies surveyed, the average sugarcane yield was 97.8 or 97.4 Mg ha−1 under ammonium nitrate or urea fertilization, respectively, and these averages did not differ by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The results of this study demonstrate that enhanced-efficiency fertilizers have the potential to reduce NH3 emissions from urea-based fertilizers in green sugarcane fields without affecting sugarcane yield.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the biofuel unit of Cofco-Potirendaba and Valdir Aparecido Consoni for access to the experimental areas, the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel for a scholarship to the first author, and the Research and Extension Support Group (GAPE) for support in project execution. R. Otto received a research productivity fellowship from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), grant #309061/2020-2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

    Lílian Angélica Moreira, Rafael Otto & Acácio Bezerra de Mira

  2. Soils and Environmental Resources Research Center, Agronomic Institute of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Heitor Cantarella

  3. Laboratory of Stable Isotopes, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

    Jose Lavres Junior

  4. Department of Genetics, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

    Ricardo Antunes Azevedo

Authors
  1. Lílian Angélica Moreira
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  2. Rafael Otto
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  3. Heitor Cantarella
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  4. Jose Lavres Junior
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  5. Ricardo Antunes Azevedo
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  6. Acácio Bezerra de Mira
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Contributions

Conceptualization: Lílian Angélica Moreira, Rafael Otto, and Heitor Cantarella.

Data acquisition: Lílian Angélica Moreira and Acácio Bezerra de Mira.

Data analysis: Lílian Angélica Moreira.

Writing and editing: Lílian Angélica Moreira, Rafael Otto, Heitor Cantarella, Jose Lavres Junior, Ricardo Antunes Azevedo, and Acácio Bezerra de Mira.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rafael Otto.

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Highlights

• Volatilization losses limit the use of urea-based fertilizers in green sugarcane fields.

• Ammonium nitrate–based fertilizers are preferred by growers in green sugarcane areas.

• Ammonium nitrate- and urea-based fertilizers provide comparable yields.

• Urea with NBPT reduces ammonia emissions but does not promote yield gains.

• Urea-based fertilizers can be adopted for green sugarcane cultivation.

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Moreira, L.A., Otto, R., Cantarella, H. et al. Urea- Versus Ammonium Nitrate–Based Fertilizers for Green Sugarcane Cultivation. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 21, 1329–1338 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00443-x

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