Lime Rate in Clayey Soils Influences Chemical Fertility and Sugarcane Yield.

Liming contributes to the alleviation of acidity in highly weathered soils. For sugarcane, the use of green harvest methods and new soil tillage systems requires an adjustment of lime application rates. In the present study, the effects of different lime rates and tillage systems on sugarcane performance and soil chemical fertility parameters were assessed. Three experiments were conducted in two locations between April 2015 and October 2019. The study design was a randomized block field study with four replicates. Four lime rates were applied once at sugarcane establishments in each soil tillage system and location: no liming (control); lime recommended rate (LRR); two times LRR (2× LRR); and three times LRR (3× LRR). The three soil tillage systems were conventional (CT), deep-strip (DT), and modified deep-strip tillage (MDT). Soil chemical fertility, leaf nutrient concentrations, and sugarcane yield components were analyzed, and correlations were identified by principal component analysis (PCA). The soil acidity was adequately alleviated in all tillage systems. Increasing the lime rate improved the lime distribution and soil fertility parameters. Applying lime at rates higher than LRR improved stalk and sugar yields, longevity, agronomic efficiency index (AEI), and correlated with a longer residual effect of liming, mainly in the last ratoon.

Carbohydrate Partitioning and Antioxidant Substances Synthesis Clarify the Differences Between Sugarcane Varieties on Facing Low Phosphorus Availability.

Phosphorus (P) availability is important for metabolic process, tillering and formation of a vigorous root system in sugarcane, but sugarcane varieties differ in P uptake efficiency. This study evaluated the enzymatic, nutritional, and biometric parameters of two sugarcane varieties under two conditions of P availability by monitoring the initial development of plants grown in nutrient solution. The experiment was performed using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replicates and included two varieties, RB966928 (high nutritional requirements) and RB867515 (low nutritional requirements), and two concentrations of P in the nutrient solution: low (2 mg L-1) and suitable (16 mg L-1). Carbohydrate concentrations and partitioning, leaf nutrient concentrations, enzymatic activity, and shoot and root biometric parameters were analyzed. Regardless of sugarcane variety and the part of the plant, reducing sugar were approximately 32.5% higher in RB867515 and 38.5% higher in RB966928 under suitable P compared with low P. Sucrose concentrations were significantly higher in both varieties under suitable P than in low P. According to PCA, the relationship between reducing sugars and sucrose was closer in RB966928 than in RB867515. Under low P, soluble protein content decreased, and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The variety RB966928 under suitable P appears to have a high capacity for proline (120%) upregulation under abiotic stress compared with RB867515 (54%), and thus higher biomass accumulation of this RB966928 variety; however, RB867515 had superior results compared to RB966928 under low P. Suitable P increased leaf concentrations of N, P, Mg, B, and Mg and decreased leaf Zn content. Root and shoot dry matter, root length, plant height, and root and stalk diameter increased by suitable P. Regardless of variety, both nutritional and biometric parameters were directly influenced by P levels, including sugarcane yield. In relation of sugarcane dry matter, RB966928 was less sensitive to low P levels and more responsive to P supply than RB867515 and thus may be more suitable for environments in which P is limiting.

Organomineral Fertilizer as Source of P and K for Sugarcane.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp) crop has high social, economic and environmental importance for several regions throughout the world. However, the increasing demand for efficiency and optimization of agricultural resources generates uncertainties regarding high mineral fertilizer consumption. Thereby, organomineral fertilizers are to reduce the conventional sources consumption. Thus, this study was carried out to evaluate the agronomic and economic sugarcane performancies and the residual effect of P and K under mineral and organomineral fertilization. Growth and technological parameters, leaf and soil nutrients concentration in surface and subsurface layers were analyzed from sugarcane planting (plant cane) until the first ratoon. Agronomic and economic sugarcane efficiency were evaluated. At the first ratoon, resin-extractable P provided by mineral and organomineral fertilizers were, respectively, 15 and 11 mg kg-1 in the 0.0-0.2 m, and 28 and 31 mg kg-1 in 0.2-0.4 m layer. However, exchangeable K in the 0.0-0.2 m layer was 1.88 and 1.58 mmolc kg-1 for mineral and organomineral fertilizers, respectively. The yield gains over the control reached with mineral and organomineral fertilizers were, respectively, 10.99 and 17 Mg ha-1 at the lowest fertilizer rate; and 29.25 and 61.3 Mg ha-1 at the highest fertilizer rate. Agronomic and economic organomineral fertilizer efficiencies are more pronounced in plant cane. Summing two harvests, the organomineral is 7% more profitable than mineral fertilizer.

Soil fertility, ratoon sugarcane yield, and post-harvest residues as affected by surface application of lime and gypsum in southeastern Brazil / Fertilidade do solo, produtividade de cana soca e residuos pós-colheita afetados pela aplicação superficial de calcário e gesso na região sudeste do Brasil

The aim of this study was to evaluate soil fertility amendment, stalk yield, sugar, bagasse, and trash yield as affected by surface application of dolomitic limestone and gypsum in green sugarcane ratoon. A factorial arrangement of four dolomitic limestone rates (0, 900, 1800, and 3600 kg ha­1) and two gypsum rates (0 and 1700 kg ha­1) was used in the experiment. The experiment was performed from October 2006 to October 2007, starting in the rainy season after the 2nd ratoon harvest of the variety SP813250 in a commercial green sugarcane plantation of the São Luiz Sugar Mill (47º25'33" W; 21º59'46", 627 m of altitude), located in Pirassununga, state of São Paulo, in southeast Brazil. After 12 months, the experiment was harvested, technological measurements of stalk yield were made, and soil samples were taken and analyzed. Gypsum acts as a subsurface conditioner thus contributing so the benefits of surface limestone application, on soil acidity correction, to reach deeper layers, allowing the development of the root system of plants in greater depth. However, application of gypsum may lead to leaching of Mg and K from the topsoil layers. The higher rates of lime in surface application provided acidity amendment and, consequently, increased soil fertility in the soil profile, and increased sugarcane stalk, sugar, bagasse, and trash yield.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a correção da fertilidade do solo e produtividade de colmos, açúcar, bagaço e palhiço a partir da aplicação superficial de calcário dolomítico e gesso em cana soca. O arranjo fatorial foi composto por 4 doses de calcário dolomítico (0, 900, 1800 e 3600 kg ha­1) e duas doses de gesso (0 e 1700 kg ha­1). O experimento foi realizado no período de outubro de 2006 a outubro de 2007, iniciando-se na estação chuvosa após a colheita da segunda soqueira. A variedade utilizada foi a SP813250 em plantio comercial de cana crua da Usina de São Luiz (47º25'33 "W; 21º59'46", 627 M de altitude), localizado em Pirassununga, estado de São Paulo, no sudeste do Brasil. Após 12 meses, o experimento foi colhido, determinado os parâmetros tecnológicos e amostras de solo foram coletadas e analisadas. O gesso atua como um condicionador subsuperficial contribuindo assim, para que os benefícios da aplicação superficial de calcário na correção da acidez do solo, alcancem camadas mais profundas e, portanto, permitindo o desenvolvimento do sistema radicular das plantas em maior profundidade. No entanto, a aplicação de gesso pode proporcionar lixiviação de Mg e K das camadas superficiais. As maiores doses de calcário aplicadas superficialmente propiciaram correção da acidez do solo e consequente incremento na fertilidade do solo, produtividade de colmos, açúcar, bagaço e palhiço da cana.