Abstract
Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) yield in response to corrective and maintenance phosphorus fertilization in Oxisols. Two experiments were carried out in randomized complete blocks with four replicates. In the corrective fertilization treatments, 150 kg ha-1 P2O5 were broadcast and incorporated before planting. In the maintenance fertilization treatments, 40 kg ha-1 P2O5 per year were applied over the trash blanket. All treatments, except the control, were fertilized with 170 kg ha-1 P2O5 in the planting furrow. The first experiment was carried out in a sugarcane expansion area and the second, in a replanting area, in Oxisols with a low and high phosphorus availability, respectively. In the first experiment, corrective fertilization increased cane yield in 13.4 Mg ha-1 for plant cane and in 14.6 Mg ha-1 for the average of four ratoon crops, whereas maintenance fertilization increased yield in 17.7 and 8.1 Mg ha-1 for the average of four ratoon crops for the treatments without and with corrective fertilization, respectively. In the second experiment, there were no significant differences between treatments regarding yield. Corrective and maintenance phosphorus fertilization should be considered for sugarcane in areas where soil phosphorus availability is limiting.
Highlights
A great expansion has been observed in the sugar and ethanol sector in Brazil during the past two decades
Except the control, were fertilized with 170 kg ha-1 P2O5 in the planting furrow
The plant cane yield with 170 kg ha-1 P2O5 in the planting furrow was 13.2 Mg ha-1 higher than that of the control
Summary
A great expansion has been observed in the sugar and ethanol sector in Brazil during the past two decades. The expansion of sugarcane in the Cerrado biome occurred mainly in areas of pastures and grain crops, and, to a lesser extent, in areas of native vegetation (Ribeiro et al, 2016). Most of the pastures in the region are not fertilized and retain the inherited low soil fertility in the case of areas originally under cerrado vegetation (Franco et al, 2015). The soils of these areas are acid and with generalized nutrient deficiencies, among which that of phosphorus stands out as the main limiting factor for agricultural production (Sousa et al, 2004)
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