Effect of Mineral and Organic Nitrogen Sources on Vegetative Development, Nutrition, and Yield of Sugarcane

Abstract

Although sugarcane yield is directly influenced by the availability of nitrogen (N), the efficiency of mineral N (MN) fertilization is considered to be low due to nitrate leaching and ammonia volatilization. Thus, the search for alternative sources of N that are cheaper and more consistent with sustainable farming practices has been stimulated. As chicken litter is an organic waste with the potential to supply N to major crops, we tested the hypothesis that the use of this litter as a source of organic N (ON) is as efficient as the application of MN (ammonium nitrate) in promoting the growth, nutrition, and yield of sugarcane plants grown during both plant cane and ratoon cane seasons. Experiments were conducted in a 5 × 5 × 2 subdivided plot scheme in the growing area of the Denusa Mill, Destilaria Nova União S/A, located in the midwest region of Brazil, with treatments consisting of five doses each of MN (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 kg ha−1) and ON (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 T ha−1), evaluated in two crop seasons (plant cane-2019/2020 and ratoon cane-2020/2021). The application of different doses of MN or ON influenced the height and number of tillers of sugar cane plants, and the application of ON, supplied by chicken litter, to this crop was as efficient as that of MN in promoting plant growth. MN and ON also increased the leaf content of N, P, and K; moreover, the absence of one source of nitrogen was compensated by the other. ON application (up to 4.8 T ha−1) also increased sugarcane yield in addition to promoting growth. Furthermore, this study highlighted the superior quality of the regrowth observed in the IACSP95-5094 cultivar, which manifested in increased tillering and stem diameter, resulting in consistently higher yields in the ratoon crop.

Keywords

• nitrogen fertilization
• chicken manure
• ammonium nitrate
• organic nitrogen
• sustainable agriculture