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Copy link Polysulphate Sweetens Sugarcane Production
Research reveals how using Polysulphate fertilizer boosts sugarcane generating taller, thicker, and sweeter plants.
The Importance of Sugarcane for Rural Economies
Sugarcane is a significant crop for the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. In India, the second-largest sugarcane producer after Brazil, 74% of production is concentrated in just three states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. The sugar industry in these regions contributes significantly to the rural economy, providing large-scale employment in many rural areas.
Nutritional Needs of Sugarcane
While India is the second-largest producer globally, it struggles to match other countries’ productivity. Sugarcane is a high-performance perennial plant that produces multiple tall stems each year, reaching up to 6 meters. Achieving this growth requires warmth, water, and a balanced supply of nutrients. Not only the plant size, but also the sugar content is critical, as potassium plays a vital role in sugar production and accumulation within the plant.
Delivering the Correct Nutrition
Armed with this knowledge, growers might think to apply a potassium fertilizer. A recent paper in Research on Crops (volume 24) explores how different sources of potassium, including Polysulphate instead of muriate of potash (MOP), impact yield in sugarcane.
Polysulphate as a Fertilizer
Polyhalite, mined by ICL in the UK and sold as Polysulphate, supplies sulfur, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, with a prolonged release pattern to deliver nutrients throughout the growing season.
Testing Research
The study, conducted in Tamil Nadu, India, used a randomized block design to test ten treatments, each with nitrogen and phosphorus at the recommended dose and varying levels of potassium from MOP, Polysulphate, or a combination.
| Nitrogen N | Phosphorus P2O5 | Potassium (K2O) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOP | Polysulphate | Total K | |||
| kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | |
| T1 Control | 275 | 62.5 | - | - | 0 |
| T2 50% K | 275 | 62.5 | 56.5 | - | 56.5 |
| T3 100% K | 275 | 62.5 | 113 | - | 113 |
| T4 100% K | 275 | 62.5 | - | 113 | 113 |
| T5 100% K | 275 | 62.5 | 56.5 | 56.5 | 113 |
| T6 100% K | 275 | 62.5 | 84.75 | 28.25 | 113 |
| T7 150% K | 275 | 62.5 | 169.5 | - | 169.5 |
| T8 150% K | 275 | 62.5 | - | 169.5 | 169.5 |
| T9 150% K | 275 | 62.5 | 84.75 | 84.75 | 169.5 |
| T10 150% K | 275 | 62.5 | 127.125 | 42.375 | 169.5 |
Clear Results
The researchers examined 13 criteria to compare sugarcane growth between treatments, including plant height, leaf chlorophyll content, number of tillers, cane yield, and sugar yield. Across these metrics, the control treatment with no potassium had the lowest performance. Higher potassium doses improved results, and at each dose level, plants receiving potassium from Polysulphate performed better.
Influence of Polysulphate on cane yield of sugarcane (% shows increase compared to T3).
Maximizing Sugarcane Yield
This research demonstrates that maximum values for growth parameters and yield were achieved with higher potassium doses, specifically where 100% of the potassium came from Polysulphate. Sugarcane growers can significantly improve yields by incorporating Polysulphate into their fertilizer strategies.
