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J~C/7(2&3) (2005): 44-47

Effect of Nitrogen Levels and Row S p a c i n g on Yield, CCS and Nitrogen U p t a k e in Different S u g a r c a n e Varieties
S. A S O K A N , A. N A R A Y A N A M U R T H I and M. M A H A D E V A S W A M Y

Division of Crop Production, Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore - 641 007, India

ABSTRACT
A field experiment was conducted at the Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore to study the effect of graded levels of N application (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 kg ha") under two different row spacings (75 and 90 cm) and in three promising sugarcane varieties (Co 86027, Co 86032 and Co 86038) on the nitrogen uptake, cane yield and sugar recovery percent in a sandy loam soil. Though the uptake of nitrogen increased with increased nitrogen application, cane yield did not show any significant increase with N applications above 100 kg haq. Row spacing did not influence cane yield and CCS%, but closer spacing led to an increased nitrogen uptake.

Key words: Sugarcane, nitrogen, spacing, uptake, quality

INTRODUCTION With sugarcane being a long duration and high tillering crop, row spacing assumes a greater importance. Barnes (1953) found that within certain limits, variation in row spacing did not greatly affect cane yield. Srinivasan (1987) reported that while in the sub-tropics there was an improvement in cane yield with closer spacing, in tropical regions there was very little response in the varieties Co 6304 and CoC 671. However, genotypes with high tillering potential may respond more to wider row spacing compared to genotypes producing few tillers, especially under tropical situations. Row spacing, and the amount of applied NPK, varies from region to region depending upon the variety and soil nutrient status. Achuthan et al. (1989) showed that the variety with the highest potential for nutrient uptake, showed a high yield potential also. Apart from an influence on cane yield, N also plays a major role in influencing the juice quality. An experiment was therefore undertaken to study the influence of N application and two different row spacings on yield, nutrient uptake and Commercial Cane Sugar (CCS%) in promising sugarcane varieties of mid-late maturity.

N application (0, 100, 200 and 400 kg ha l) in the sub-sub plots. The soil type was sandy loam, being low in available N (220 Kg ha-t), medium in available phosphorus (16.5 kg ha -t) and high in available potassium (450 kg hal). In the 75 cm row spacing, 89000 two budded sets ha -~were planted, while in the 90 cm, the recommended planting rate of 75000 sets ha -j was employed. 75 kg PzO5 ha -t was applied as a basal dressing to all plots. N was applied in split urea applications, at 45 and 90 days after planting; K20 as muriate of potash (120 kg ha-t) was applied with the N to all the plots. Cropping practices were as recommended for the area and the crop was harvested at 12 months. Cane yield was recorded and expressed as tonnes ha-1. Representative cane samples were taken from all the plots and separated into stem, dry leaves and green tops. Nitrogen content (Humphries, 1956), and phosphorus and potassium (Jackson, 1973) contents were estimated. The uptake of N, P and K were estimated by multiplying their tissue concentration with the respective dry matter production of stem, dry leaves and green tops at harvest. The juice samples at harvest were analysed for Brix, sucrose and purity through an automatic polarimeter (Sucromat) and Commercial Cane Sugar (CCS %) was worked out. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A statistically significant improvement in average cane yield over all varieties due to N application was obtained up to 100 kg ha -L,but additional N applications above 100 kg ha ~did not increase cane yield (Table 1). Increases in cane yield with N application up to the level of 300 kg ha ~were observed in the varieties Co 86032 and Co 86027, while in the variety Co 86038, yield decreased above 100 kg N ha -~. Higher cane yields were observed in variety Co 86032, compared to Co 86027 and

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A replicated field experiment was conducted at the Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore in a split-split plot design, with the varieties (Co 86027, Co 86032 and Co 86038) in the main plots, spacing (75 and 90 cm) in the sub-plots and

Author for correspondence : S. Asokan e-mail: asokan_47 @yahoo.com

EFFECT OF NITROGEN LEVELS AND ROW SPACINGON YIELD, CCS AND NITROGEN UPTAKEIN DIFFERENT Table 1. Effect of different levels of nitrogen on cane yield, uptake of nitrogen and CCS % N levels (kg ha "1) Treatments 0 100 200 No of millable canes (xl000) Co 86027 Co 86032 Co 86038 Mean 44.8 56.7 41.7 47.7 57.3 71.5 57.8 62.2 61.8 63.7 60.4 61.9 Cane yield (t ha a) Co 86027 Co 86032 Co 86038 Mean 46.9 57.7 38.7 47.8 57.4 82.4 58.3 66.0 59.5 88.4 57.6 65.1 60.5 90.9 52.4 67.9 58.7 86.7 50.4 65.3 56.5 79.2 51.5 62.4 60.7 75.9 60.9 65.9 59.1 71.7 53.3 61.4 56.7 67.9 54.8 59.8 300 400 Mean

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Uptake of nitrogen (kg ha "1)

Co 86027 Co 86032 Co 86038 Mean 75.5 99.2 86.9 87.2 128.0 169.4 140.5 146.0 156.5 164.6 204.4 175.1 CCS% Co 86027 Co 86032 Co 86038 Mean 13.2 13.0 13.4 13.2 Cane yield SEm Nitrogen Varieties NxV 2.2 7.0 4.0 CD 8.6 NS NS 13.6 13.1 13.2 13.3 12.6 13.0 12.6 12.7 13.0 13.4 13.2 13.2 CCS % SEm 0.15 0.14 0.34 CD NS NS NS SEm 1.9 2.9 2.6 12.8 13.3 12.7 12.9 NMC CD 7.6 10.4 NS 13.0 13.2 13.0 13.0 172.6 266.9 276.5 238.6 212.4 281.4 245.9 246.5 149.0 196.3 190.8 178.7

Uptake of nitrogen SEm 3.0 1.9 5.7 CD 12.1 6.8 16.8

Co 86038. A 57.5% increase in cane yield resulted from the application of 300 kg N, compared to no applied N in Co 86032. In the varieties Co 86027 and Co 86038, there were a 26.8% and 48.8% increase in cane yield at 200 kg applied N level respectively, compared to the control (No). However the interaction effect between varieties and levels of nitrogen was not statistically significant. Achuthan et al. (1989) observed that increased nitrogen application increased the cane yield progressively up to 450 kg ha t. Asokan (1981) found that N applications above 187-kg ha ~ did not increase cane yield in Co 6304. Rao et al. (1990) also obtained responses to applied N only up to 100 kg ha ~.

The uptake of N (Tables 1&2) was influenced by nitrogen dose and row spacing. N uptake increased progressively up to 400-kg ha -~in Co 86027 and Co 86032, while in Co 86038 N uptake only increased up to 300 kg ha -t. The mean N uptake was greater in variety Co 86032 which also had the highest cane yields. The increased uptake of N with differing N applications can mainly be attributed to increased N tissue content (found in leaf and stem analyses Table,3), and to a lesser extent from increased dry matter production. Asokan (1981) and Rajasekaran (1983) also observed similar increased N uptake with out a proportionate increase in cane yield. The uptake of N was found to be significantly higher under closer row spacing (75 cm) compared to normal row spacing (90 cm),

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SUGAR TECH

Table 2. Effect of different spacing on cane yield, uptake of nitrogen and CCS % at different nitrogen levels N levels (kg ha a) Treatments 0 100 200 Cane yield (t ha a) 75 cm 90 cm Mean 50.3 45.2 47.8 71.9 60.2 66.0 66.0 64.2 65.1 68.9 67.0 67.9 69.3 61.3 65.3 65.3 59.6 62.4 300 400 Mean

Uptake of nitrogen (kg ha "1)

75 cm 90 cm Mean 77.1 97.3 87.2 170.0 121.9 146.0 167.2 183.0 175.1 CCS% 75 cm 90 cm Mean 13.0 13.4 13.2 Cane yield SEm Spacing NxS 5.7 3.2 CD NS NS 13.6 13.0 13.3 13.0 12.5 12.7 Uptake of nitrogen SEm 1.5 1.2 CD 5.5 NS SEm 0.11 0.12 13.2 13.3 13.2 12.8 13.0 12.9 CCS% CD NS NS 13.1 13.0 13.0 241.7 235.6 238.6 251.7 241.3 246.5 181.6 175.8 178.7

which may be due to higher dry matter production at closer spacing, compared to an increase in N content. The CCS% (Table l&2) was not significantly influenced either by nitrogen application or row spacing, even though the CCS% was found to decrease slightly at 400 kg N ha 1 in the varieties Co 86027 and Co 86032 (under closer row spacing). Prasad et al (1983) observed significant differences in juice quality under different levels of nitrogen. CONCLUSION The sugarcane varieties tested did not yield more with N applications above 100 kg N ha -l, even though the uptake of N increased progressively with the increasing N applications. The varieties Co86207 and Co 86032 showed an increase in cane yield up to 300 kg N ha -l, with a decline in yield at 400 kg N ha-l; the variety Co 86038 showed a decline in yield beyond 100 kg N ha'k However, there was no adverse effect of increased N application on the CCS percent. The adverse effect of N on CCS% may be expected only under very high and late application of N especially in soils poor in P and K status. The soils of the present experiment were medium in available

phosphorus and high in available potassium. Row spacing did not influence significantly the cane yield or CCS% in this experiment; but closer spacing resulted in higher uptake of nitrogen. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors thank the Director, Dr. N. Balasundaram, and Dr. B. Sundara, Head, Division of Crop Production of the Institute for the facilities provided in carrying out this study. We also acknowledge the help rendered by Dr. C.Kailasam and Dr.K.Sivaraman, Principal Scientists (Agronomy), in critically reviewing the manuscript.

REFERENCES Achuthan, M., Charimakkani, A and Rajasekaran, S. (1989). Studies on the effect of different levels of nitrogen and time of application on yield and quality of the early maturing sugarcane varieties. Bharatiya Sug., 14 (4) : 61-68.
Asokan. S. (1981). Influence of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on growth, yield, and nutrient content and juice quality in sugarcane

EFFECT OF NITROGENLEVELSAND ROW SPACINGON YIELD, CCS AND NITROGENUPTAKEIN DIFFERENT Table 3. Effect Of Levels Of Nitrogen On Nitrogen Content In Different Parts Of Sugarcane (In Percent) N levels (kg ha a) Treatments 0 100 200 Dry leaves Co 86027 Co 86032 Co 86038 Mean 0.12 0.11 0.12 0.11 0.17 0.16 0.15 0.16 0.21 0.23 0.22 0.22 0.26 0.32 0.31 0.29 0.33 0.36 0.34 0.34 0.22 0.23 0.23 0.23 300 400 Mean

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Green tops
Co 86027 Co 86032 Co 86038 Mean 0.40 0.39 0.37 0.39 0.47 0.46 0.45 0.46 0.51 0.53 0.52 0.52 0.56 0.62 0.59 0.59 0.63 0.66 0.64 0.64 0.51 0.53 0.52 0.52

Stem
Co 86027 Co 86032 Co 86038 Mean 0.17 0.16 0.19 0.17 Dry leaves SEm Nitrogen Varieties NxV 0.01 0.01 0.01 CD 0.03 NS 0.03 0.22 0.21 0.22 0.22 Green tops SEm 0.07 0.01 0.01 CD 0.03 NS 0.03 SEm 0.07 0.05 0.08 0.27 0.29 0.29 0.28 0.30 0.38 0.39 0.36 Stem CD 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.37 0.41 0.41 0.40 0.27 0.29 0.30 0.29

variety Co 6304, Ph.D. Thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.p291 Barnes, S. (1953). Agriculture of Sugarcane. Leonard Hills Ltd., London, p225. Humphries, E.C. (1956). Modern methods of plant analysis. Springer-verlag, Berlin.p65 Jackson, M.L. (1973). Soil chemical analysis. Prentice hall of India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.p82

Journal 9: 12-14.
Rajasekaran, G. (1983). Effect of nitrogen application on yield, juice quality and uptake of major nutrients in certain early and late maturing sugarcane varieties. M. Sc. (Ag) Thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, p125. Rao, K.L., Chitkaladevi, T., Raju, D.V.N. and Raju, J.S.N. (1990). Studies on the effect of different levels of nitrogen and time of nitrogen application to sugarcane. Bharatiya Sug., 15(7): 75-79. Srinivasan, T.R. (1987). Varietal response to climate, population dynamics, nutrition and other inputs. In: Sugarcane varietal improvement, Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore.

Prasad, C.R.,Milka, G.K., Singh, K.D.N., Singh, B.S. and Verma,

S.N.P. (1983). Utilization of nitrogenous fertilizer by some promising varieties of sugarcane in Bihar. Indian Sug. Crops