Impact of Potassium Fertilization and Cultivation Methods on Productivity and Water Use Efficiency of Sugarcane

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Soils, Water and Environ. Res. Inst., Agric. Res., Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Shandaweel Agricultural Research Station, Sohag Governorate, Egypt (latitude 26° 34' N and longitude 31° 42' E and Elevation 61 meters from the sea level) for the two successive seasons of 2014/ 2015 (plant cane) and 2015/ 2016 (first ratoon), to examine the effect of potassium fertilization (0, 24 and 48 kg K2O fed-1) on sugarcane grown in clay loam soil under two cultivation methods, i.e. rows or on raised beds (water limited conditions). The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with four replicates. Results indicated that decreasing amount of irrigation water by growing sugarcane on raised beds caused significantly reduction in stalk height and milleable cane yield of the plant cane and 1st ratoon, while stalk diameter was significantly increased. N concentration in leaves and sugar yield were not significantly affected by cultivation methods in plant cane and first ratoon. The highest value of K % was obtained with growing on rows having normal water quantity in the 1st ratoon. Averageof CU (actual evapotranspiration) values were 5233 and 4721.5 m3 fed-1 in plant cane and 1st ratoon, respectively under growing on rows which were reduced by 25.66 and 29.77 % growing under raised beds conditions. Water use efficiency (WUE) was increased with decreasing irrigation water quantity under growing on raised beds conditions. On the other hand, applying 24 kg K2O fed-1 significantly increased stalk height and milleable cane yield compared with control (without K) and 48 kg K2O fed-1. However, using 48 kg K2O fed-1 gave the highest values of N and K% in leaves as well as stalk diameter and sugar recovery (SR %) in plant cane and 1st ratoon, except, purity (%) and sugar yieldwhich were significantly increased by thisrateinthe 1st ratoon only. Generally, the highest significant values of stalk height and milleable cane yield were recorded with application of 24 kg K2O fed-1 under normal irrigation water amount growing on rows. Whereas, a high rate of potassium (48 kg K2O fed-1) under growing on raised beds gave higher values of sugar recovery (%), sugar yield, purity (%) and WUE in the1st ratoon.

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