Indian Journal of Agronomy

A field experiment was conducted from 2011–12 to 2013–14 at Agricultural Research Station, Kota, Rajasthan, to find out suitable nutrient-management practices for sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). The experiment was consisted of 13 nutrient management practices, viz. control, N₂₀₀, N₂₀₀P₆₀, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀ (RDF), N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+S₄₀, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+Zn₅, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+Fe₁, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+ Mn₁, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+S₄₀+Zn₅, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+S₄₀+Zn₅+Fe₁, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+S₄₀+ Zn₅+Fe₁Mn₁ N₁₅₀P₅₀ + S₂₅+Zn₄ kg/ha as soil-test recommendation (STR) and FYM @ 20 t/ha were laid out in ran-domized block design with 3 replications. Balanced fertilization of N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀ along with S₄₀+Zn₅ kg/ha had signifi-cant influenced on tillers, number of millable canes (126, 060/ha), single cane weight (880 g), cane yield (91.70 t/ha), commercial cane sugar yield (11.96 t/ha) and net profit (90, 974/ha) over rest of the treatments being on a par with treatments of N₂₀₀P₆₀ K₄₀+S₄₀, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+Zn₅, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+Fe₁, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+Mn₁, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+S₄₀+Zn₅+Fe₁, N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+S₄₀+Zn₅+Fe₁+Mn₁, N₁₅₀P₅₀+S₂₅+Zn₄ kg/ha. Maximum nutrient uptake of N, P and K (265.3, 21.3 and 260 kg/ha) was recorded with application of N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+S₄₀+Zn₅ kg/ha over rest of the treatments and it was observed higher positive net gain of N, P, K and S (8.5, 3.4, 16 and 3.7 kg/ha) was recorded over initial status of soil. The result showed that balanced application of N₂₀₀P₆₀K₄₀+S₄₀+Zn₅ kg/ha may be recommended for obtaining higher millable cane yield, net return and sustained soil health in spring planted in clay loam soils of Rajasthan.