Source, Rate, and Time of Nitrogen Fertilization for Sugarcane
The requirement for worldwide abundant food, feed, fiber, and more recently biofuel, leads to higher amounts of fertilizer utilized in agriculture in diverse parts of the globe. Nitrogen (N) is, most generally, the first nutrient in terms of plant demand. Nitrogen promotes rapid growth, increases leaf size and quality, hastens crop maturity, and promotes fruit and seed development. Because nitrogen is a constituent of amino acids, which are required to synthesize proteins and other related compounds, it plays a role in almost all plant metabolic processes. Nitrogen is an integral part of chlorophyll manufacture through photosynthesis. Carbohydrates (sugars) provide energy required for growth and development Nitrogen application may be interfered by chemical reactions generating losses by leaching or volatilization, therefore the use of distinct sources is strategic to overcome such problems. In many areas farmers are testing different sources to increase N use efficiency.The main objective of the study will be to evaluate the agronomic effectiveness of different N sources for sugar cane. Also, it will be possible to study other important factors which affect the N fertilizer effectiveness in tropical soils.
IPNI-2013-BRA-62
2015 Annual Interpretive Summary
The requirement for abundant food, feed, fiber, and more recently biofuel, leads to higher amounts of fertilizer utilized in agriculture in diverse parts of the globe. Nitrogen is generally the primary nutrient in terms of plant demand. In many areas, farmers are testing different N sources to increase fertilizer use efficiency. The main objective of the study is to evaluate the agronomic effectiveness of different N sources for sugarcane applied to different localities. This project was located at the São Pedro farm in Iracemápolis, São Paulo, Brazil. The trial was installed in a factorial 3x3x2 design with four controls as follows: three N sources (UAN, urea, or ammonium nitrate), three N application rates (60, 120, and 180 kg N/ha), and two placement of fertilizer application (in furrow or topdressing). The controls are: no N application (in furrow and surface) and 120 kg N/ha via ammonium sulfate (in furrow and surface).
Results of the 2015 season showed that N fertilization may be placed on the soil surface with no damage to sugarcane yield and thereby speed the process of fertilizer application. The N application rate for best agronomic performance of sugarcane is in the range of 60 to 120 kg N/ha. UAN and AN represent better sources of N for sugarcane production compared to urea. This project will continue in 2016.