Abstract
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.
Highlights
Sugarcane (Saccharum spp) crop has high social, economic and environmental importance for several regions throughout the world
The sugarcane (Saccharum spp) crop is recognized worldwide for its high biomass production capacity, sequestering thousands of tons of atmospheric CO2 during its development, and it has a sustainable and very attractive balance related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during its entire industrial process[1]
The increasing demand for efficiency and optimization of resources used during the agricultural production process generates uncertainties regarding the high mineral fertilizer consumption produced with imported raw material, substantially increasing the agricultural budget[5]
Summary
Sugarcane (Saccharum spp) crop has high social, economic and environmental importance for several regions throughout the world. The increasing demand for efficiency and optimization of resources used during the agricultural production process generates uncertainties regarding the high mineral fertilizer consumption produced with imported raw material, substantially increasing the agricultural budget[5] In this sense, the recycling of agroindustrial organic waste appears as an alternative for substitution or supplementation of mineral fertilization for the sugarcane crop. The agricultural use of organic waste constitutes an economically and environmentally viable practice mainly because it allows for the recovery of several chemical elements, such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and trace elements It contributes through the addition of organic matter (OM) to the soil, improving the physical structure, water uptake capacity and nutrient supply to plants, increasing crop production[8]
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have