Growing Sugarcane
Crop Nutrition Advice

General Aspects:

Nitrogen

Influences sugarcane yield and quality (nitrogen increases the number of millable canes and total weight of stalks)​. Optimum N concentration of 1.95–2.0% at plant at tillering has been estimated to be essential for maximum cane yield. Excess nitrogen leads to delayed maturity and ripening, lowers juice quality and makes crops susceptible to lodging and pest and disease incidence.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is important for cell division, stimulates root growth and tillering​. It influences length, girth, cane numbers, and yield of millable cane​. Phosphorus content in juice eliminate colloids during processing (300 ppm P₂O₅ concentration in juice has been rated as a critical limit for better crystallization and colour of the finished “sugar” product).

Potassium

Potassium has a positive effect on tillering ratio, primary index, cane yield, and sugar accumulation.​ It helps sugarcane to develop resistance to pest, diseases, and lodging and maintains cell turgidity under moisture stress conditions.

Sulfur

Sulfur is essential for synthesis of amino acids, protein, and vitamins in sugarcane, while increasing the juice quality, cane yield​, and providing protection against stresses such as salinity, drought, metal toxicity, and extreme temperatures.​

Magnesium

Magnesium is both an enzyme activator and a constituent of many enzymes and is the central element of the chlorophyll molecule.​ It’s deficiency is first evident on older leaves. Red necrotic lesions result in a “rusty” appearance.

Manganese​

Manganese sparks the photosynthesis process by splitting water molecules, fixes light to initiate the conversion of CO₂ and water into carbohydrates. ​It act as catalyst in oxidation-reduction reactions and is an activator of many enzymes in sugarcane plant. Manganese helps in iron and nitrogen metabolism, as well as chlorophyll formation​.
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