U.P. Council of Sugarcane Research, Shahjahanpur-242 001 (Uttar Pradesh), India
A field experiment, comprised of eight different doses of nitrogen application was conducted with an early variety of sugarcane i.e. ‘UP 05125’ during the spring season of 2014-15 to 2017-18. The treatment included, T1 = conventional farmer practice (150 kg ha–1 basal in three splits), T2 = recommended dose of nitrogen (180 kg ha–1 basal in three splits), 50% of the recommended dose of nitrogen (90 kg ha–1, two basal and one foliar spray i.e.; in three splits) with three different concentration of foliar sprays i.e.; T3 = 2%, T4 = 3% and T5 = 4% of urea, 50% of the recommended dose of nitrogen (90 kg ha–1) applied through one basal and one top dressing along with a foliar spray of T6 = 2%, T7 = 3%, and T 8= 4% of urea + 0.5% Cu+ Zn. The number of shoots was found to be highest in T7 and T8 (175 thousand h–1a), however, it was at par in all the other treatments excluding the conventional practice where it was found to be low (161 thousand ha–1). The number of millable cane (NMC) was recorded maximum in T7 which was at par the treatment T8 and T6. The yield of the canes was found to be highest in T7 (99.48 t ha–1) which was at par T8 (99.46 t ha–1). Sucrose percent was recorded highest in T7 after both 10 th (17.82) and 12 th (18.44) months of planting, however, it was lowest in T1 (17.06 and 17.76%). The study reveals that 50% of the recommended dose of nitrogen through different modes viz., basal, top dressing and foliar along with 0.5% of micronutrient (Zn and Cu) was better as compared to 100% recommended dose through basal and top dressing for yield and quality attributes. The concentration of foliar application did not significantly affect the number of shoots and NMC. It is suggested that the judicious application of even a 50% dose of recommended nitrogen is potential enough to fulfill the requirement of the crop.
Basal, Foliar spray, Nitrogen dose, Sugarcane, Urea
