Achieving Higher Returns through Split Application of Nutrients Doses in Widely Spaced Sugarcane Plant-Ratoon Cropping System

The sugarcane economic produce, i.e., cane yield, depending on the allowanced state advisory price by government, was used to determine total return under different inputs and management practices. Higher returns from crops are important because they increase farmer income, enhance food security, and boost overall economic development of farmer. Split nutrients doses strategies seek to optimize nutrient use efficiency while minimizing environmental losses of nutrients. Traditional methods of nutrient application often involve applying the entire nutrient requirement at the beginning of the growth cycle. A Field experiment was conducted from 2020-21 to 2023-24 i.e., two plantratoon crops cycle at the research farm of Genda Singh Sugarcane Breeding and Research Institute, Seorahi, Uttar Pradesh, under the ICAR-AICRP. The experiment consisted of two factors, the first factor is the method of fertilizer application i.e. B₁-Broadcasting and B₂-Band placement in the main plot and the second factor is a schedule of fertilizer application in the sub-plot i.e. S₁- Recommnded dose of nitrogen (RDN) + a recommended dose of potassium (RDK) in five splits (Basal 10, percent remaining at 45, 75, 90 and 120 days after planting in equal splits), S₂-RDN + RDK in six splits (Basal 10 percent, remaining at 45, 75, 90,120 and 150 days after planting in equal splits), S₃-RDN + RDK in seven splits (Basal 10 percent, remaining at 45, 75, 90,120,150 and 180 days after planting in equal splits), and S₄- Recommended dose and schedule of nutrient applications as half of total N and a full dose of P & K at planting rest of N at 45 and 90 DAP in equal quantity. The procedure of band application fertilizer is three inches away from the cane clump and three inches below the soil surface. An experiment was designed in 120 cm wide row spacing and tested in a split-plot design with three replications. The recommended dose of N-P-K was 180-80-60 kilograms per hectare and applied as per treatment requirements. The experimental field was medium in organic carbon (0.50 percent), medium in available phosphorus (14.43 kg/ha), and low in potash (83.90 kg/ha) with pH 8.11. on the basis of two cycle data of plant and ratoon crop revealed that band placement method of application noted significantly higher net income (₹ 219452 and ₹ 222569 /ha) and benefit cost ratio (1.25 and 1.85) against broadcasting method of fertilizer application i.e. net income (₹ 155273 and ₹ 192163 /ha) and Benefit cost ratio (0.93 and 1.67) in plant and ratoon crops, respectively. Cost of cultivation was increased only 6.42 per cent in seven split of RDN and RDK scheduling application however gross income increased 23.76 and 19.22 percent, net profit 42.88 and 27.28 and benefit cost ratio 35.12 and 19.50 percent in plant and ratoon crops, respectively than RDF in split scheduling of nutrients traditionally.