Authors : Sachin Kumar Shukla; Anoop Kumar

Volume/Issue : Volume 9 - 2024, Issue 2 - February

Google Scholar : http://tinyurl.com/4567ep36

Scribd : http://tinyurl.com/5xkpj3fr

DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10673053

Abstract : Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is the most important commercial crop cultivated worldwide in tropical and sub-tropical areas. It requires heavy amount of nutrients which must be applied through fertilizers to obtain high yield with sustainability. Micronutrient deficiency is one of the main factors significantly restricting yield of sugarcane crop. Although, micronutrients are required in very small amount but their constant supply to the crop has to be maintained. Because of adverse soil conditions such as high pH, lime or heavy texture, fixation and microbial infestation etc. crops root do not get proper micronutrient supply. Such hurdles can be avoided by adopting foliar application technique to increase the availability of macro as well as micronutrients. Foliar application is a wonderful technique to supply nutrients in the form of aqueous solution applied directly to the foliage in the form of sprays. This does not increase labour cost as pesticides are generally sprayed routinely. Keeping all these into account a pot (each containing 25kg in a polythene bag) experiment using Completely Randomized Design (CRD) under factorial design was performed during 2018-2019 (spring planting) at G.F. College, Agriculture Farm, Shahjahanpur, U.P. (India) to assess the effect of foliar sprays of following treatments T1 = 2 % NPK + Fe, T2 = 2 % NPK + Fe + Zn + more local brand, T3 = 2 % NPK + Zn, T4 = 2 % NPK, T5 = 2 % NPK + Fe + Zn + Lime, T6 2 % NPK + Fe + Zn, T7 = water spray only (control) on ten sugarcane verities Cos 95255 (V1), CoS 96268 (V2), CoS 98231 (V3), CoS 8436 (V4), CoS 01235 (V5), CoS 94257 (V6), CoS 767 (V7), CoS 97261 (V8), CoS 97264 (V9) and CoS 99269 (V10) for leaf nutrient content (NPK), fresh weight cane (gm) and leaf amylase activity at harvest. The soil was sandy loam, pH 7.20, EC 0.62 mm hos/cm, organic carbon 0.3%, calcium carbonate = nil, low in available P and K. the micronutrients Zn (1.18 mg / kg), Fe (12.00 mg/kg), Mn (6.20 mg/kg) and Cu (1.52 mg / kg). Each treatment replicated thrice, single budded sett were used. Three foliar sprays of each treatment were done at an interval of 15 days in the month of May and June. Standard agronomic practices were managed and maintained according to crop need througout the investigation. A uniform basal dose of (150 Kg N, 60 KgP and 80 kg / ha) fertilizer was applied to each pot (taking into account 1 ha = 2 million Kg soil). It was observed that fresh weight / cane was maximum (39.4 %) in 2 % NPK + Fe Zn + lime (T5) followed by 2 % NPK + Fe (T1) and 2 % NPK + Fe + Zn + local more brand (T2) as compared to control sprayed with water only (T7). The response of Cos 97261 (V8) was best in general. It was interesting to note that Cos 97261 (V8) also showed high leaf nutrient (NPK content) and better in leaf alpha–amylase activity. The impact of 2 % NPK + Fe + Zn + lime (T5) also correlated with high alpha amylase activity in leaves at harvest.

Keywords : Macro and Micronutrient Sprays, Lime, Leaf Nutrient Content (NPK) and Sugarcane.