Yield, quality and nutrient uptake in autumn sugarcane as influenced by phosphorus levels and inoculation of phosphate solubilizing bacteria in legume based intercropping systems

A field experiment was conducted during autumn seasons of 2002 and 2003 to study the effect of application of phosphorus and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB) in sugarcane + pea intercropping systems on yield, quality and nutrient uptake in autumn sugarcane under sub-tropical climatic conditions. Experimental results revealed that application of 80 kg P₂0₅ ha⁻¹ produced more number of shoots and millable canes, and it recorded significantly higher cane yield (92.74 t ha⁻¹) than the application of 40 kg P₂0₅ ha⁻¹. Sugarcane + pea (inoculated with Rhizobium) intercropping system along with application of PSB at the rate of 6 kg ha⁻¹ shows its superiority over all other combinations of pea inoculation with Rhizobium and application of PSB with respect to cane yield (92.61 t ha⁻¹) and uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus. Cane quality was found almost similar under various phosphorus levels and intercropping systems having pea inoculation with Rhizobium and application of PSB.