PHOTOSYNTHETIC RESPONSE TO NITROGEN FERTILIZATION IN SUGARCANE UNDER RAINFED AND HIGH-TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS

Sergio Castro-Nava,Jose Manuel García-Girón,Marcos Rolando Herrera-Sepúlveda

doi:10.1590/1983-21252020v33n429rc

Sergio Castro-Nava, Jose Manuel García-Girón + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-21252020v33n429rc

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Journal: Revista Caatinga	Publication Date: Oct 1, 2020
License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Autonomous University of Tamaulipas

Abstract

ABSTRACT Nitrogen is the most important element required for plant growth and development and is the primary nutrient limiting sugarcane production. Field experiments under rainfed condition and some periods with high temperature (above 35 °C) were carried out during 2014-2015 at the municipality of Ocampo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of varying doses of nitrogen fertilizer on leaf photosynthesis, plant growth, total chlorophyll, and juice quality of sugarcane commercial variety Mex 79-431 in the second ratoon crop. Six nitrogen doses (0, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 kg N ha-1) were tested and applied as urea 60 days after harvest, at the beginning of the rainy season. The results of the experiment indicated that the application of nitrogen in ratoon crop had a positive effect on growth and development. It is important to note that further studies are required on the subject, including timing of nitrogen application, application method, soil types, other doses, and other genotypes in the region. The maximum photosynthetic rate (27.68 pmol CO2 m-2 s-1) was attained at PAR 1500 pmol m-2 s-1 with 90 kg N ha-1. The highest yield was recorded in ratoon crop with a dose of 120 kg N ha-1. At harvest, the juice quality did not show significant variations among the treatments imposed.

Highlights

The important economic and social impact of the Mexican sugar agroindustry is such that it generates more than 500 thousand direct jobs and indirect benefits to more than 2.2 million people (FIRA, 2015)
Numerous studies have documented the need for N fertilization (NAGA MADHURI et al, 2011; SHEKINAH; SUNDARA; RAKKIYAPPAN, 2012; IZQUIERDO-HERNANDEZ et al, 2016) in sugarcane
Differ from the results reported by (SHEKINAH; SUNDARA; RAKKIYAPPAN, 2012, NAGA MADHURI et al, 2011, NAGA MADHURI; HEMANTH; SARALA, 2011) in relation to plant height, stem diameter, internode length, and °Brix with non-significant differences between treatments (Table 2) as influenced by nitrogen levels towards the end of the experiment (261 days after treatment application)

Summary

Introduction

The important economic and social impact of the Mexican sugar agroindustry is such that it generates more than 500 thousand direct jobs and indirect benefits to more than 2.2 million people (FIRA, 2015). Sugarcane growth cycle in Mexico is approximately 12 to 14 months This long cycle, coupled with a high productive potential, requires large quantities of nutrients to sustain annual profitable yields and balance soil nutrient depletion (ZHAO; GLAZ; COMSTOCK, 2014). Nitrogen is the primary nutrient limiting sugarcane production (WIEDENFELD; ENCISO, 2008; NAGA MADHURI et al, 2011). It is a key component in many biological compounds and plays a major role in photosynthetic activity and crop yield (TAIZ; ZEIGER, 2006). Variation in nitrogen availability due to factors such as variety, crop cycle, agronomic management, soil type, and climate (ISA; HOFMAN; VAN CLEEMPUT, 2006) affects plant development and sugarcane production (ZHAO; GLAZ; COMSTOCK, 2014; SHEKINAH; SUNDARA; RAKKIYAPPAN, 2012; DINH et al, 2019). N requirements by sugarcane is very low in the plant cane but increase to a maximum of 160 to 180 kg N ha-1 in the second and subsequent ratoons (ROZEFF; WIEDENFELD, 1998)

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