Improving sugarcane growth and yield through Fe, Mn and S nutrition in subtropical India

A field experiment was conducted during spring season 2007–2009 at Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow to assess the effect of iron, manganese and sulphur nutrition on growth, yield, quality, nutrient uptake and soil health in sugarcane plant-ratoon system. Eight treatments comprised of iron, manganese and sulphur in different propositions were applied in sugarcane plant as well as ratoon crops subsequently. Among various treatments, the highest sugarcane and sugar yields were obtained as 78.51 and 9.25 tonnes ha⁻¹ with three foliar sprays of 1% MnSO₄ in sugarcane plant crop. However, sugarcane ratoon crop showed the highest ratoon cane and sugar yields as 102.1 and 10.73 tonnes ha⁻¹ with three foliar sprays of 1% FeSO₄ during tillering phase. Mean iron removal from sugarcane ratoon crop was higher (7.69 kg ha⁻¹) than plant crop (4.75 kg ha⁻¹). Sugarcane plant crop removed 1.25 kg ha⁻¹ Mn in one year crop cycle as compared to 2.596 kg ha⁻¹ removal by ratoon crop in subsequent year. However, the highest removal (3.67 kg ha⁻¹) of Mn from ratoon cane was observed under foliar application of 1% MnSO₄. It was observed that all the treatments comprised of Fe, Mn or S increased the soil fertility status after completion of plant-ratoon crop cycle as compared to control fertilized with NPK. Thus, it was concluded that sugarcane and sugar yield could be increased with three foliar applications of 1% FeSO₄/1% MnSO₄ during peak tillering phase (May) or through 60 kg S ha⁻¹ (basal application).