Row Spacing, Levels of Fertilizers and Genotypes Influencing Growth, Nutrient Uptake and Yield of Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) Grown under Calcareous Soil

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the crop research center of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Bihar) during 2020-21 to access the effect of row spacing, levels of fertilizers and genotypes on growth, nutrient uptake and yield parameters of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) grown under calcareous soil. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Data analysis revealed that significantly higher germination, plant population, number of millable canes, nutrient uptake and cane yield were recorded with planting at row spacing of 90 cm. Irrespective of row spacing and genotypes, application of 150% NPK of RDF exhibited higher plant population (155.2 x 103 /ha at 120 DAP and 159.0 x 103 /ha at 150 DAP), plant height (205.9 cm, 258.0 cm and 325.9 cm at 150 DAP, 180 DAP and 210 DAP, respectively), number of millable canes (123.5 x 103 /ha), length of millable canes (271.5 cm), cane diameter (2.63 cm), nutrient uptake (287.3 Kg ha-1, 28.8 Kg ha-1, 302.6 Kg ha-1 and 28.1 Kg ha-1 for N, P, K and S, respectively) and cane yield (87.4 t ha-1). Most of the growth and yield attributing characters like germination, plant population, plant height, number of millable canes, length of millable canes, cane diameter, nutrient uptake and cane yield were observed significantly higher in genotype CoP 15436. The results demonstrate that sugarcane growers may increase growth, nutrient uptake and cane yield per unit area by planting sugarcane at 90 cm spacing, applying 150% NPK of RDF (225 Kg N ha-1 : 127.5 Kg P2O5 ha-1 : 90 Kg K2O ha-1) as fertilizer input and adopting genotype CoP 15436 in cultivation practice which proved itself as an elite sugarcane genotype.