Sugarcane nutritional balance related to nitrogen fertilization

Author(s)

Emidio Cantidio Almeida de Oliveira

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC)
• Defense date: 2011-04-07

Examining board members

Paulo Cesar Ocheuze Trivelin; Luis Reynaldo Ferracciú Alleoni; Glauber José de Castro Gava; José Lavres Junior; Godofredo Cesar Vitti

• Advisor: Paulo Cesar Ocheuze Trivelin

Abstract

The efficient management of fertilization in sugarcane begins with the identification of the nutritional plant requirement. Accordingly, three experiments were established in the State of Sao Paulo, the first in Typic Eutrustox, the second in a Rhodic Eutrustox and third in the Arenic Kandiustults. The treatments consisted of 0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N ha-1 in plant cane cycle (2005/2006). In first ratoon (2006/2007) the portions relating to the treatments 0 and 120 kg N ha-1 of the previous cycle had been subdivided and applied 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1. In the second ratoon (2007/2008) repeated the doses and third ratoon (2008/2009) use was made of single dose application of 100 kg N ha-1. During the growth of cane plant and first ratoon held samples of sugarcane above ground and determined the dry matter production, nutrient accumulation and nitrogen critical level as a function of nitrogen doses. At the end of the plant cane and in three subsequent ratoons held the partitioning of sugarcane, through the separation of aerial parts in the stalks, dry leaf and green tops and underground part of the roots and rhizomes. Identified and separated in compartments determined dry matter and nutrients allocation. The dry matter production and accumulation of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu and Zn in plant cane and first ratoon fitted the sigmoidal model, showing three distinct phases in which showed that absorption of these nutrients occur previously of dry matter production. The accumulation of Fe and Mn differed between the soils and obtained sigmoidal and cubic polynomial fits. The increasing effect of nitrogen fertilization on the accumulation of macronutrients, while the micronutrients, N doses had won only for B, Fe and Zn in plant cane and B, Fe and Mn in first ratoon. The nitrogen critical concentration in aerial parts of cane plant varied between 10,4 and 13,6 g kg-1 in the initial stages of growth, while that at the end of the cycle the values were 3,0 to 4.2 g kg-1. In first ratoon initial nitrogen critical concentrations ranged from 9,8 to 14,8 g kg-1 and those found at the last sampling ranged between 2,0 and 5,5 g kg-1. The order of nutrients build up in plant cane was K> N> Ca> S> Mg> Fe> P> Mn> Zn> B> Cu, and in the first ratoon the order was K> N> Ca> Mg> S> P = Fe> Mn> Zn> B> Cu. To produce 1 TCH was required extractions means of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S of 1,24, 0,15, 2,69, 0,55, 0,29 and 0,29 kg Mg-1 in the cane plant and average of 1,55, 0,21, 3,07, 0,75, 0,36 and 0,38 kg Mg-1 in the three subsequent ratoons, respectively. For B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn requirements in plant cane were, respectively, 1,91, 0,83, 260,65, 18,12, 2,81 g Mg-1 and ratoon average was 2,29, 1,02, 169,17, 20,47 and 3,90 g Mg-1. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/05491-4 - Sugarcane balance nutrition related to nitrogen and water disponibility in soils of the State of São Paulo
• Grantee: Emídio Cantídio Almeida de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate