Abstract
Dry matter production and productivity of stem currently are being widely studied in sugarcane, reinforcing the study in question, which aims to assess the accumulation of dry matter of the aerial segment and the productivity of stems of sugarcane crops within the first cycle, at different levels of water replacement (WR) with and without nitrogen fertilization, through a subsurface drip irrigation system. The assay was conducted in the experimental area of the Federal Institut Goiano, Campus Rio Verde, GO, Brazil, in a dystroferric Rhodic Hapludox soil, cerrado phase (savannah), and comprised experimental splits of three furrows with an 8-meter long double row. Experimental design consisted of randomized blocks in a 5 × 2 factorial array, with four replications. Evaluated factors comprised five levels of WR (100%, 75%, 50%, 25% and 0% of field capacity), with and without the application of nitrogen (0 and 100 kg·ha-1 urea). Harvest occurred in May 2013 and stem productivity (SP), productivity of pointers (PP), productivity of straw (PS), harvest index (HI), dry matter of stem (DMS), dry matter of pointers (DMP), the relationship between dry matter of pointer and dry matter of stem (DMP/DMS) and total dry matter of the aerial segment (TDM) were determined. The variables SP, PP, DMS and DMP had a linear growth in proportion to WR increase, whereas HI and DMP/DMS adjusted to a quadratic model. Nitrogen fertilization affected positively the variables SP, HI, DMS and DMP/DMS and occurred interaction to TDM; also increasing the productivity stem and the harvest index.
Highlights
Sugarcane is one of the most important crops in Brazil due to its great socio-economic relevance in the production of several products, mainly biofuel used worldwide
There was an increase of 17.85 t∙ha−1 for stem productivity (SP) as a response for the application of N-fertilizer when compared to N-less treatments, where a 2.5% increase occurred for harvest index (HI)
Increase in water replacements significantly raised the productivity of dry matter in stems and pointers by the sugarcane
Summary
Sugarcane is one of the most important crops in Brazil due to its great socio-economic relevance in the production of several products, mainly biofuel used worldwide. Brazil is currently the biggest world producer of sugarcane with a total production of crushed sugarcane for the 2014-15 harvest estimated at 642.1 millions of tons, cultivated in approximately 9004.5 thousands of hectares in the producing states [1]. Useful information may be found in the literature on responses and benefits of nitrogen in sugarcane plants. Several authors report that responses to the nutrient are generally more frequent in sugarcane ratoon than in the sugar plant and that the crop absorbs between 50% and 60% of the N amount applied to the soil [3]-[5]. For higher productivity, the interaction of the plant’s genetic factors, climate, soil and management must be taken into account [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
