YIELD AND QUALITY OF TWO SUGARCANE VARIETIES AS AFFECTED BY BIO AND INORGANIC NITROGEN FERTILIZATION

Ahmed, Z. A.; El-Shafai, A. M. A.

doi:10.21608/jpp.2007.204827

YIELD AND QUALITY OF TWO SUGARCANE VARIETIES AS AFFECTED BY BIO AND INORGANIC NITROGEN FERTILIZATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sugar Crops Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center, Giza, Egypt

10.21608/jpp.2007.204827

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out at Mattana Agricultural Research Station, Qena Governorate during 2003/2004 (plant cane) and 2004/2005 (1^st ratoon) to investigate the effect of inorganic-N (120, 180 and 240 kg N/fed represented 50, 75 and 100% of the recommended rate, respectively), bio-N (without, Cerialin and Microbin) and their combinations on yield and quality of two sugarcane varieties (G.T.54-9 and Ph..8013). A split-split plot design with three replications was used in both seasons. Bio-N fertilizers were spread in the main plots; inorganic N levels were distributed in the sub plots, while the sub-sub plots were assigned for the two sugarcane varieties.
The results showed significant differences in all studied traits between sugarcane inoculated with Cerioalin and/or Microbin bio-N fertilizers and that left without bio-N. Meanwhile, except for the number of millable cane/m² where, Microbin gave higher of it, no statistical variance between the two bio-N fertilizers was found in stalk height, stalk diameter, sucrose%, sugar recovery%, cane and sugar yields.
Increasing inorganic-N levels from 120 up to 240 kg N/fed resulted in a significant increase stalk height, stalk diameter, millable cane/m², cane and sugar yields in the plant cane and 1^st ratoon canes. Applying 180 kg N/fed gave the highest sucrose% (in the plant cane), while 240 kg N/fed was required to obtain the highest value of this trait in the 1^st ratoon. The highest sugar recovery% was recorded by applying 180 kg N/fed in both cane crops.
Sugarcane variety G.T.54-9 surpassed Ph.8013 significantly in all of the studied traits except for stalk diameter, where Ph.8013 variety had thicker stalks.
Under conditions of the present work, supplying sugarcane G.T.54-9 variety grown as a plant or 1^st ratoon with 100% of the recommended N-rate (240 kg N/fed) integrated with Cerialin bio-N at the rate of 4 bags (1.6 kg)/fed resulted in the highest sugar yield/fed.