Effect of fertilizer application and the main nutrient limiting factors for yield and quality of sugarcane production in Guangxi red soil

• Published in: Tropics Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 383 - 392
• Main Authors: TAN, Hongwei, ZHOU, Liuqing, XIE, Rulin, HUANG, Meifu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: JAPAN SOCIETY OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2005
• Subjects: nutrient limitation factors; quality; sugarcane production; yield
• ISSN: 0917-415X; 1882-5729
• DOI: 10.3759/tropics.14.383

The two tested soils were poor in nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium and sulphur. Application of potassium, magnesium and sulphur, increased the sugarcane yield significantly. Treatments with potassium, magnesium and sulphur fertilizer increased sucrose content markedly. Increased use of potassium, magnesium and sulphur fertilizer increased sugarcane’s fiber content. The biomass production is 80-140 tons per hectare. Sugarcane growth is divided into four stages: seedling, tiller, stretching, and mature. Sugarcane grows quickly during tillering and stretching periods, also during these stages sugarcane biomass production is greater and more minerals are absorbed, especially potassium, than at other stages. In every development stage of sugarcane, the potassium content of a sugarcane plant is higher than other nutrient elements, except for nitrogen. Generally, sugarcane yield is 45000-60000 kg per hectare. The absorbable potassium (K2O) amount of sugarcane was 109.1-315.28 kg per hectare. According to the statistical results of 82 field experiments in Nanning and Laibin, sugarcane yield and the amount of potassium sugarcane absorbed was significantly and positively correlated. The correlation coefficient was r = 0.979**. The function of the sugarcane yield (y) with the amount of potassium sugarcane absorbs (x) was y = 31687.1 + 246.0x.