Impact of INM Strategies on Growth, Yield, Quality and Profitability as well as Soil Fertility Status in Sugarcane

An experiment was conducted at Crop Research Centre Farm of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand during spring season for four consecutive years from 2001–05 in randomized block design with four replications to see the impact of integrated nutrient management strategies on growth, yield, quality and profitability as well as soil fertility status in sugarcane plant-ratoon cropping sequence. Cane yield of both plant cane and ratoon was increased by 27.7 and 16.2 per cent, respectively by the application of 100% NPK (inorganics) + 25% N (FYM) + biofertilizers (Azotobacter +PSB) in planted cane following 100% NPK + trash incorporation with cellulolytic culture + biofertilizers in ratoon as compared to 100% NPK alone through inorganic fertilizers. Similar practice was also found most superior in improving various growth parameters like shoot counts, shoot dry matter, which finally led to the improvement in the number of millable canes rather than rest of the package of practices. Commercial cane sugar yield was also found highest in same treatment, which was 26.5 and 14.2 per cent more in plant and ratoon cane, respectively when compared with that of 100% NPK only. Sucrose content, one of the quality parameters in cane was found in maximum quantity in T₇ (16.87) though at par with T₈ and T₉ in ratoon. However, in plant cane, the sucrose content did not vary significantly. The net return and B: C ratios were also recorded highest in same treatment. After harvest of ratoon cane in sugarcane-based cropping system, the soil pH did not differ significantly, while soil organic carbon, available N, P and K content were recorded maximum quantity in same treatment as compared to inorganics alone.