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Copy link Growing Sugarcane Crop Nutrition Advice
Everything you need to know about Sugarcane fertilization, best practice, suitable products, field trials and more. Discover the complete guide to Sugarcane fertilization! Uncover best practices, explore top-quality products, delve into field trials, and gain comprehensive insights. Master the art of optimizing Sugarcane growth and yield with our expert guidance and comprehensive information.
Advice for growing Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)
Sugarcane cultivation is an integral industry in India, contributing significantly to the nation’s sugar and allied industries. India, with its rich historical background spanning centuries, stands prominently among the world’s top producers of sugarcane. Different states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat actively contribute to the country’s sugarcane production. Each region boasts distinct climatic conditions, soil types, and specific cultivation practices, all of which significantly impact the crop’s growth and yield.
Sugarcane is a tall perennial plant with multiple stems or culms, each with nodes separated by internodes. It consists of four parts: root system, stalk, leaves, and inflorescence. After germination, each shoot’s terminal vegetative bud forms nodes.
Sugarcane planting occurs in three seasons: Suru (January-February), Adsali (July-August), and Pre-seasonal (October-November), with ridges and furrows prepared at 100-120cm spacing. Farmers utilize stem cuttings called ‘setts’ to plant sugarcane in regions with warm, humid climates and consistent rainfall. India cultivates several sugarcane varieties meticulously chosen based on their yield, sugar content, disease resistance, and adaptability to diverse climatic conditions. Commonly cultivated varieties like Co 0238, Co 86032, Co 0118, CoS 767, and Co 0239 are preferred for their resilience and suitability to varying climates.
This water-intensive crop necessitates regular irrigation along with meticulous agricultural practices, including fertilization, pest control, and weed management, to ensure robust growth.
At maturity, sugarcane undergoes harvesting and is then crushed and processed to produce juice, sugar, molasses, and ethanol. Notably, ethanol production stands as a valuable by-product of this process.
- Sugarcane is grown in various soil types in India, including alluvial, black, and red types.
- The most suitable soil for sugarcane cultivation is deep, well-drained medium-textured soil with a pH of 6.5-7.5, with sufficient water holding capacity.
- Sugarcane is long duration crop encounters in all three seasons during its life cycle. Sugarcane, a long-term crop, experiences significant variations in climatic conditions throughout its life cycle. The optimal temperature ranges for germination and tillering are 15-300C, 20-300C for grand growth stage. Normal ripening requires bright days and cool nights.
- The crop does best in the tropical regions receiving a rainfall of 750-1200mm.
- Sugarcane requires high water requirements, requiring irrigations once in 7 days during germination, 10 days during tillering, 7 days during grand growth, and 15 days during maturity, adjusting to the area’s rainfall pattern, requiring 30-40 irrigations.
Nutrient requirements (as per Crop Advisor)
| Nutrient | N | P | K | Ca | Mg | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kg/Acre | 235 | 145 | 115 | 35 | 13 | 114 |
| Micronutrient | Fe | Zn | B | Cu | Mn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kg/Acre | 3.19 | 3.19 | 1.85 | 1.44 | 0.72 |
Role of nutrients
| Key Parameters | N | P | K | Ca | Mg | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishment and Vegetative Growth Stage | ++ | ++ | + | + | + | + |
| Development of sucrose (sugar) and fiber content | + | ++ | ++ | |||
| Brix percentage in sugarcane | ++ | + | ||||
| Yield of sugarcane | + | + | ++ | + | + | + |
Nutrient deficiencies
Nitrogen:
Nitrogen deficits in sugarcane plants cause leaf color changes, reduced development, stunted stalks, reduced tillering, and lower root mass, increasing the risk of early vegetative to generative growth, and decreasing overall plant strength and productivity.
Phosphorus:
Phosphorus deficiency in sugarcane plants can lead to stunted growth, delayed maturity, reduced root growth, and reduced photosynthesis. Symptoms include red and purple discoloration, slender leaves, and poor tillering, with older leaves showing signs of necrosis or yellowing.
Potassium:
Potassium deficiency in sugarcane plants leads to leaf symptoms like chlorosis, necrosis, and leaf curling, affecting growth, stems, sucrose content, root development, and stress resistance. This affects sugarcane yield, quality, and vulnerability to pests, diseases, and environmental conditions.
Calcium:
Calcium deficiency in sugarcane plants leads to mottling, chlorosis, necrotic spindles, rusty appearance, premature death, stunted growth, reduced yield, increased stress, and compromised quality of harvested sugarcane due to stunted root development.
Magnesium:
Magnesium deficiency in sugarcane leads to interveinal chlorosis, leaf curling, necrotic spots, stunted growth, reduced photosynthesis, and reduced sugar content, affecting the cane’s quality and yield, and potentially affecting harvest time and reducing yield.
Sulphur:
Sugarcane plants with sulphur deficiency experience reduced photosynthesis, sugar content, increased susceptibility to environmental stresses, and off-color appearance. Chlorosis stunts growth and reduces yield potential.
Zinc:
Zinc deficiency in sugarcane plants results in stunted growth, leaf symptoms, reduced tillering, poor root development, and delayed maturity, affecting yield, root development, and crop maturity, leading to reduced sugar production per hectare.
Boron:
Boron deficiency in sugarcane leads to stunted growth, thickened leaves, poor root development, corky stem tissues, internal damage, and reduced sugar content. It affects overall yield potential, structural integrity, and sugarcane growth, development, and sugar content.
Iron:
Iron deficiency in plants causes symptoms like interveinal chlorosis, reduced growth, leaf distortion, and premature leaf drop. It hinders chlorophyll production, affects photosynthesis, and can lead to premature leaf drop and reduced sugarcane yield.
Copper:
Copper deficiency in sugarcane crops can cause stunted growth, leaf discoloration, reduced tiller production, and poor root development, impacting plant absorption of nutrients and yield.
Manganese:
Manganese deficiency in sugarcane plants leads to yellowing leaves, necrotic spots, stunted growth, reduced root development, reduced carbohydrate production and photosynthesis, impacting growth and productivity.
Molybdenum:
Molybdenum deficiency in sugarcane, causing symptoms like chlorosis, reduced nitrogen fixation, stunted growth, reduced sugar content, and impaired reproduction, potentially reducing seed set and overall yield.
Crop Nutrition in Sugarcane
| Stages of Crop | Basal Application | Foliar Application | Fertigation Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| At the time of Planting | Polysulphate : 100 Kg | ||
| Establishment Stage | 12:32:16/10:26:26 : 150 Kg Urea : 100 Kg | Nutrivant Starter: 5 gm/L Select Zn: 0.5 to 1 gm/L | Fertiflow 7:50:7+2Zn/ Fertiflow Grow 12:36:6+3MgO+4S : 5 Kg (3 Dose) |
| Vegetative Growth Stage | Nutrivant Starter: 5 gm/L Nutrivant Booster: 5 gm/L Select B: 0.5 gm/L | Fertiflow 12:6:22+12CaO: / Fertiflow Grow 12:36:6+3MgO+4S : 5 Kg (3 Dose) |
|
| Grand Growth Stage | Polysulphate : 100 Kg Urea : 100 Kg | Nutrivant Fruit: 5 gm/L Select B: 0.5 gm/L | Magphos 0:55:18+7MgO : 5 Kg (3 Dose) and FertiFlow Potassium+ 8:0:47+7S : 5 Kg (2 Dose) / FertiFlow Bloom 8:24:24+4MgO+6S : 5 Kg (3 Dose) and Hi Peak 0:44:44 : 5 Kg (2 Dose) |
| Ripening Stage | Nutrivant Fruit: 5 gm/L Nutrivant Peakvant: 5 gm/L | Pekacid 0:60:20 : 5 Kg (2 Dose) Or Hi Peak 0:44:44 : 5 Kg (2 Dose) and FertiFlow Potassium+ 8:0:47+7S : 5 Kg (3 Dose) |
|
| Maturity Stage | Nutrivant Peakvant: 5 gm/L | Pekacid 0:60:20 : 5 Kg (1 Dose) Or Hi Peak 0:44:44 : 5 Kg (1 Dose) and FertiFlow Potassium+ 8:0:47+7S : 5 Kg (3 Dose) |
Q&A
Here are some frequently asked questions we received from farmers regarding Sugarcane.
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Proper nutrition is important for maximizing sugarcane yield, improving produce quality, and ensuring overall plant health. Adequate nutrition supports robust growth, enhances stress tolerance, and serves as a preventive measure against diseases and pest infestations, leading to superior yields and better-quality sugarcane.
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Yes, during early growth stages, nitrogen plays a crucial role in establishing a healthy root and shoot system. Potassium becomes increasingly important during the later stages of growth, especially during flowering and sugar accumulation in the stalks.
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Nitrogen is important nutrient for tillering, growth, and development of sugarcane and the second most extracted nutrient by the crop.
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Phosphorus is important for root development, early shoot growth, tillering, maximizing productivity, and increasing internode length in sugarcane plants.
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Potassium plays important role in the movement of sugars from leaves to stalks. Adequate potassium fertilization not only boosts biomass production but also enhances sugar yield, leading to increased returns.
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Calcium is important in sugarcane’s growth and development, enhancing cell wall structure, regulating enzymatic activities, and promoting proper root development.
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Sulphur helps in regulating soil pH, improving soil health, enhancing chlorophyll content, promoting efficient photosynthesis, and improves Starch, Sugars, Fats & Vitamins content in sugarcane.
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Boron is essential for the synthesis of nucleic acids and the metabolism of carbohydrates, both are important processes in increasing sugar cane production.
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Nitrogen is important for crop growth, development, and tillering, while phosphorus helps in root formation, early shoot growth, boosting production and internode length. Potassium is vital for sugar transport, enhancing biomass production and sugar content.
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Phosphorus deficiency in sugarcane causes reddish to brown discoloration on the main leaf vein and edges, and small whitish spots with a brown seam along the midrib, varying among different varieties.
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Micronutrient deficiencies such as zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), boron (B), and molybdenum (Mo) can cause delayed maturity, reduced sugar content, and poor overall quality of sugarcane.
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Potassium is required for sugar accumulation in sugarcane stalks, which improves photosynthesis and water uptake. It also helps in sugar translocation, resulting in increased sucrose content. Sulphur is required for amino acid and protein synthesis, whereas nitrogen balances growth and sugar accumulation. Calcium and magnesium promote leaf development.
