Europ. J.

Agronomy 30 (2009) 2733

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

European Journal of Agronomy

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/eja

Potassium nutrition for improving stubble bud sprouting, dry matter

partitioning, nutrient uptake and winter initiated sugarcane
(Saccharum spp. hybrid complex) ratoon yield
S.K. Shukla , R.L. Yadav, P.N. Singh, Ishwar Singh 1
Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Division of Crop Production, P.O. Dilkusha, Lucknow 226002, Uttar Pradesh, India

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 12 April 2008
Received in revised form 25 June 2008
Accepted 26 June 2008
Keywords:
Dry matter accumulation
Nutrient uptake
Reducing sugars
Potassium supply
Sugarcane ratoon
Sugar yield

a b s t r a c t
A eld experiment was conducted for two crop cycles during 20032005 and 20042006 at Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow to improve bud sprouting, dry matter accumulation (DMA), nutrient
uptake and ratoon yield by using potassium fertilizer. Potassium (K) fertigation in standing plant cane
increased the number of buds per stubble and number of stalks in ratoon cane. K content of stubble
increased by 16.7% with K fertigation. The content of reducing sugars in buds at the time of ratoon initiation improved signicantly with K fertigation. It improved dry matter accumulation, number of millable
canes, individual cane weight, ratoon cane and sugar yields. Thus, it could be concluded that application of 66 kg K ha1 with irrigation water in standing plant cane before harvest improved bud sprouting,
dry matter accumulation and nutrient uptake in ratoon crop. Irrigation in standing plant cane increased
ratoon cane (69.9 t ha1 ) and sugar yields (7.6 t ha1 ). This increase for ratoon cane and sugar yield was 8.7
and 5.55%, respectively over the control. Further, it increased ratoon cane yield by 15.21% (74.1 t ha1 ) and
sugar yields by 13.9% (8.2 t ha1 ) with K fertigation over the control. Thus, K nutrition holds great promise
for improving growth of ratoon cane and sugar yields.
2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Ratooning is a practice of growing a new crop from sprouts of
underground sugarcane stubble left in the eld after harvest of the
main crop. In sugarcane farming, ratooning is an important aspect
owing to its low cost of production as compared to plant crop by
saving in the cost of seedbed preparation, seed material and planting operations. Ratoons help in extending the crushing schedule of
sugar factories as they mature earlier than the plant crop due to
early dehydration of tissues and ushing out of N (Vasudeo Rao et
al., 1946). However, most often, ratoon crop yields are lower than
the plant crop due to soil compaction (Verma, 2002), decreased rate
of soil fertility under continuous sugarcane cropping and inefcient
use of applied fertilizers (Sundara and Tripathi, 1999).
Stubble decline, characterized by progressive reductions of yield
in successive crops, is a major constraint to productivity and
protability of the sugarcane industry. Factors associated with stubble decline include genotype, low winter temperatures including

Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 522 2480735/36; fax: +91 522 2480738.
E-mail address: sudhirshukla151@yahoo.com (S.K. Shukla).
1
Present address: Senior Scientist, Plant Physiology, DMR, IARI, Pusa, New Delhi.
110012.
1161-0301/$ see front matter 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.eja.2008.06.005

freezing, poor soil aeration and drainage, weed competition and

physiological maturity and health of the cane plant. These factors
are inuenced by growing conditions (Dissanayake and Hoy, 1999).
In subtropical India, after harvest of plant crop, most often,
fewer buds sprout due to low temperature. Unsprouted stubbles
cause gaps in stubble rows resulting in low initial shoot population and yield of cane. Several agro-techniques viz., trash mulching,
polyethylene mulching, intercropping of wheat and potato have
been used (Kanwar and Kaur, 1977, 1981; Verma and Yadav, 1988)
to enhance stubble bud sprouting in the ratoon cane but without
success. In the present investigation, an attempt has been made
to induce bud sprouting with application of potassium in standing
plant cane before harvest. Potassium is important in maintaining
water balance in the stubble thereby enhancing metabolic activities. It regulates water uptake, transport and utilization. Plants
adequately supplied with potassium (K) wilt less under water
stress because K has the major responsibility for turgor changes in
the guard cells of stomata during stomata movements (Marshner,
1995). After harvest of the plant crop, it has been observed that
stubble starts drying. Under such a situation, potassium may prove
benecial.
Gap lling is the most important operation for successful ratooning in sugarcane. Gaps in ratoons arise due to poor sprouting,
mechanical damage to stubble roots and from pests and diseases.

28

S.K. Shukla et al. / Europ. J. Agronomy 30 (2009) 2733

Experience gained in several countries has shown that nearly

2530% of the area needs to be gap lled (Hunsigi, 1993). In
Venezuela 920 ratoons and in Taiwan 78 ratoons are common. In
Australia 23 ratoons are grown, while Hawaii adopts single ratooning (Hunsigi, 1993). In multi-ratooning system where more than
two ratoon crops are taken, gaps cause more reduction in cane
yield. Thus, if bud sprouting increases in rst ratoon, it will certainly benecial for subsequent ratoon crops. Keeping these points
in view, present research work was taken up to improve bud sprouting, growth, nutrient uptake and ratoon cane yield with potassium
fertigation in plant cane.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. The experimental site
A eld experiment was conducted for two crop cycles during 20032005 and 20042006 at Indian Institute of Sugarcane
Research, Lucknow located at 26 56 N, 80 52 E and 111 m above
MSL with semi-arid sub-tropical climate having dry hot summer
and cold winter. A crop cycle means one plant and one subsequent ratoon crop. The average monthly rainfall and maximum and
minimum temperatures received during the crop growth cycles
are depicted in Figs. 1(a and b) and 2(a and b). The soil of the
experimental eld was sandy loam (13.3% clay, 24.5% silt and
62.25% sand) of Indo-Gangetic alluvial origin, very deep (>2 m) well

Fig. 2. (a) Averaged monthly temperatures during 2005; (b): rainfall and relative
humidity (%) in 2005.

Fig. 1. (a) Averaged monthly temperatures during 2004; (b) rainfall and relative
humidity (%) during 2004.

drained, at and classied as noncalcareous mixed hyperthermic

udic ustochrept.
Before planting of the experimental crop, soil samples from 0
to 15 cm depth were collected by core sampler of 8 cm diameter from ve spots in the eld for determination of bulk density.
Initial bulk density at 015 cm and 1530 cm soil depth was
1.39 and 1.67 mg m3 . These samples were pooled together and
representative homogeneous sample drawn for determination of
organic carbon (Walkley and Black method), available N (KMnO4
method), 0.5 M sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 , pH 8.5)-extractable
P and 1N NH4 OAC-extractable K, following Jackson (1973). The
soil pH (7.4) was determined by 1:2.5 soil: water suspension
by a glass electrode pH meter before experimentation. Organic
carbon content of the soil was 0.47%, available N 179 kg ha1
available P content, 12.5 kg ha1 and available K content was
198 kg ha1 . Thus, these parameters indicated that soil was low
(<0.5%) in organic carbon and available nitrogen (<250 kg ha1 ),
medium in available phosphorus (1020 kg P ha1 ) and potassium
(145250 kg K ha1 ) contents. Available N, P and K contents were
analyzed in soil sample and calculated in kg ha1 by the following
formulae:

S.K. Shukla et al. / Europ. J. Agronomy 30 (2009) 2733

Available N (kg ha1 ) = 31.36 actual volume of H2 SO4 used in

titration.
Available P (kg ha1 ) = ppm 2.24.
Available K (kg ha1 ) = C 100/5 2.24.
2.2. Cultivation of main (plant) crop
The crop was planted using 38,000 three-bud cane setts ha1
on 10th March, 2003 and again on 12th March, 2004. These seed
setts were placed horizontally, end to end, in 10 cm deep furrow opened 75 cm apart with tractor drawn furrow opener. Before
placing setts in the furrows, half the dose of required nitrogen,
i.e. 150 kg N ha1 and 26 kg P and 50 kg K ha1 were applied in furrows beneath the cane setts using urea (46.4% N), single super
phosphate (6.98% P) and potassium chloride (KCl, 49.8% K). Chlorpyriphos 20% EC was sprayed over cane setts before covering them
to guard against termite and early shoot borer. The eld was irrigated 45 days after planting with 7.5 cm irrigation water. The crop
received three pre-monsoon irrigations, i.e. up to the month of
June. When soil moisture attained a workable stage, inter-row
spaces cultivated manually using hand hoe. In the last week of
June, remaining dose of 75 kg N ha1 through urea was top-dressed
uniformly.
2.3. Cultivation of ratoon crop
The crop was harvested on 11th March, 2004 and 14th March,
2005 close to the ground level by specially designed steel chopper. After harvest, dry cane leaves were stripped and left in the
eld while green top leaves were separated. Soon after harvest of
plant crop, dry cane leaves left in the eld were burnt and eld irrigated to facilitate stubble sprouting for ratoon cropping. When soil
moisture attained a workable condition, bullock operated country
plough was run close to stubble rows on both sides to cut old roots,
in the furrows opened on both sides along the stubble rows. In the
ratoon crop, 200 kg N ha1 was applied. Half amount of nitrogen
(N) was applied in inter-row spaces at the time of ratoon initiation. Remaining half N was applied in second week of April along
the rows. Inter-row spaces were also ploughed up. The ratoon crop
received three pre-monsoon irrigations up to the end of June. After
each irrigation, intercultural operations were done in the ratoon
crop also. Harvesting of ratoon crop was done on 15th December,
2004 and 18th December, 2005, respectively during both the cropping seasons leaving border rows and net plot yield was recorded
and presented in t ha1 .
2.4. Treatments
In a eld experiment, three treatments of potassium were
applied with irrigation water in standing sugarcane plant crop
(variety, CoSe 92423). These treatments were, K1 : no irrigation and
no K fertilization 1 month prior to harvesting, K2 : irrigation 1 month
prior to harvesting but no K fertilization in standing sugarcane plant
crop, K3 : application of 66 kg K ha1 with irrigation water (fertigation) in plant cane 1 month prior to harvesting. Treatments were
compared under randomized block design (RBD) with eight replications. A solution of KCl was prepared with water for application of K
with irrigation water. An amount of 16.6 kg KCl was dissolved in 50 l
of water. Plastic tank with KCl solution was placed over the irrigation channel (brick channel). Tap of tank was opened and ow was
calibrated according to discharge rate and ow of water in irrigation channel. Thus, 132.8 kg KCl in 400 l of water would be required
to supply 66 kg K ha1 Solution was stirred with a wooden stick
during irrigation to avoid settling of particles.

29

2.5. Studies
Sprouting of buds was recorded at 0 day after harvest of plant
crop. Sprouted buds were sampled from stools at ratooning (0
day after harvest of plant crop) and after 21 days for determining
the content of reducing sugars (Nelson, 1944). Stubble K content was also determined at ratoon initiation. The observations
on soil organic carbon (OC), available nitrogen (N), phosphorus
(P) and potassium (K) content were recorded at ratoon initiation.
These samples were pooled together and representative homogeneous sample was drawn for determination of available nutrients
as described earlier. Ten shoots were excised from sample rows
and dry matter accumulation in leaf and stem was determined.
Periodic shoot population density was counted in every plot leaving border rows and presented in thousands per ha1 . At harvest,
ve plants having intact leaves (both dry and green) were selected
randomly from whole plot harvest lot. The plants were chopped
(2 mm size) and homogenized. From this chopped material, 500 g
representative sample was collected and kept for drying at 70 C
in oven for 72 h. The dried samples were ground in a stainless
steel Wiley mill. Ground plant sample of 1 g each was taken and
wet-digested in concentrated H2 SO4 for determination of total N
and in di acid mixture (HNO3 and HClO4 mixed in 4:1 ratio) for
determination of total P and K. Nitrogen content was determined
by Kjeldahl method using Kjeltec auto-analyzer (Blakemore et al.,
1972). Phosphorus content of digested samples in nitric and perchloric acids was determined by vanadomolybdate yellow color
method (Piper, 1966) using a UV-spectrometer. Total potassium
content of the digested plant sample was determined ame photo
metrically using lter for potassium. At harvest, ve canes were
selected from each plot and crushed through power-operated vertical roller crusher. Thus, sugarcane juice was extracted and brix,
pol% juice and purity determined.
Juice purity and commercial cane sugar were calculated by the
following formulae.
Sucrose percent in juice
100
corrected brix
CCS (%) = {S (B S) 0.4} 0.73

Juice purity (%) =

where S = sucrose percent in juice; B = corrected brix.

Sucrose (%) in juice was determined by as per the method
described by Meady and Chen (1997). Sugar yield was calculated
after multiplying CCS (%) and ratoon yield.

2.6. Statistical analysis of data

The data of each crop season were statistically analyzed separately. Then the homogeneity of error variance was tested
using Bartletts 2 -test. As the error variance was homogeneous, pooled analysis was done according to Cochran and
Cox (1957). Since the variation between the two seasons was
not signicant, the mean data of two crop seasons are presented here for discussion. Various treatments were compared
under randomized block design. The critical difference (CD
was computed to determine statistically signicant treatment
differences

C.D. = ( 2 VE r 1 ) t5%
where VE is the error variance, r is number of replications, t5%
the table value of t at 5% level of signicance at error degree of
freedom.

30

S.K. Shukla et al. / Europ. J. Agronomy 30 (2009) 2733

Table 1
Effect of K fertigation on growth, juice quality and sugarcane (plant crop) yield
Treatments

Millable canes (in

thousands per ha)

Cane length
(cm)

Cane diameter
(cm)

Cane weight (g)

Pol% juice

Purity (%)

Sugarcane yield (t ha1 )

Sugar yield (t ha1 )

K1
K2
K3

88.5
90.5
91.7

196.4
192.7
201.5

2.23
2.27
2.26

850.5
915.3
935.4

20.80
19.60
20.20

17.80
17.25
17.60

86.4
88.0
87.1

71.6
76.8
78.2

9.06
9.14
9.45

S.E.M.

1.60

3.60

0.017

17.10

0.52

0.26

1.20

1.58

0.22

CD (P < 0.05)

NS

NS

NS

48.60

NS

NS

NS

4.80

NS

Brix

K1 : no irrigation and no K fertilization; K2 : irrigation with no K application; K3 : 66 kg K ha1 in plant cane with irrigation water.
Table 2
Growth parameters and chemical composition of stubble as inuenced by K fertilization
Treatments

Number of stalks
per stubble

Number of buds
per stubble

Stubble moisture
content at the time of
initiation (%)

K content of
stubble (%)

Reducing sugars content of stubble bud (mg g1 fresh weight)

At initiation (0 day)

21 day stage

K1
K2
K3

5.95
6.03
6.36

11.05
11.45
11.62

48.18
50.47
52.15

0.38
0.42
0.49

3.23
4.19
4.52

6.53
8.21
10.24

S.E.M.

0.11

0.17

1.30

0.13

0.12

0.29

CD (P < 0.05)

0.32

0.52

3.81

0.04

0.35

0.86

K1 : no irrigation and no K fertilization; K2 : irrigation with no K application; K3 : 66 kg K ha1 in plant cane with irrigation water.

3. Results
3.1. K fertigation and plant cane
3.1.1. Growth attributes, juice quality, cane and sugar yields
K fertigation in plant cane did not inuence number of millable
cane and individual cane length signicantly (Table 1). However,
individual cane weight increased by 9.98% over no irrigation and no
K (850.5 g). Juice quality parameters ( brix, pol% juice and purity %)
did not show tangible differences due to K fertigation. Plant cane
yield (76.8 t ha1 ) signicantly increased due to irrigation prior to
1 month of harvesting. Further, K fertigation could not produce signicant increase in cane yield over irrigation with no K application.
3.2. K fertigation and ratoon cane
3.2.1. Buds sprouting, chemical composition and shoot population
density
Potassium fertigation in standing plant cane increased number of sprouted buds in ratoon cane stubble (Table 2). This also
increased number of initial stalks. K fertilization increased sprouting and survival of stubble. Increased moisture content of stubble
favoured various metabolic processes during sprouting. Potassium
content of stubble increased by 16.7% (Table 2) with K fertigation
(0.49%) over the control (no fertigation). Irrigation water triggered metabolic processes and synergistic effect was observed at
K3 . Reducing sugars content in bud analyzed at ratoon initiation
improved signicantly with K fertigation. Further, higher values
were obtained at 21-day stage. K application in irrigation water
maintained its superiority and showed highest reducing sugars
(10.24 mg g1 fresh weight).
Periodic shoot population density increased up to May (Table 3).
After that tiller number decreased due to their mortality. Application of K with irrigation water (K fertigation) in standing plant
cane improved shoot population density in ratoon. Higher temperature along with low humidity during April and May favoured
tillering in sugarcane. Irrigation provided favourable microclimate
that improved reducing sugars content of stubble and increased
shoot population density. It facilitated crop establishment with production of greater number of both primary and higher order shoots.

Higher number of millable cane in ratoon was counted with fertigation (Table 6). It was due to vigorous tillers formed in ratoon cane
that contributed larger share in millable cane formation compared
to no irrigation and no K in plant crop.
3.2.2. Dry matter accumulation and nutrient uptake
Partitioning of dry matter was determined in sugarcane ratoon
and contribution of stem and leaf determined periodically (Table 4).
During April and May, higher contribution of leaf as compared to
stem was recorded. In June, stem superseded leaf that continued
till harvest. At all the growth stages, maximum dry matter accumulation was observed with K fertigation (K3 ). Irrigation in plant
cane a month prior to harvesting (K2 ) produced higher dry matter
in ratoon cane compared to no irrigation and no K fertigation.
Mean (average of three treatments) dry matter production during May increased by 233.6% over April (1.04 t ha1 ). The periodic
mean dry matter accumulation showed contribution of 4.3, 9.99,
35.33, 47.3, 67.91, 80.29 and 87.33% during April, May, June, July,
August, September, and October, respectively of the total dry matter
accumulated at harvest (24.31 t ha1 ). Ratoon crop showed additional 45% dry matter accumulation (DMA) during JulySeptember.
Thus, DMA up to end of September reached approximately 80% of
total DMA at harvest. K fertigation increased DMA as compared
to no irrigation and no K application at all the growth stages. It
showed signicantly higher contribution of early emergence of
tillers in total DMA throughout the growth period. K application
Table 3
Periodic shoot population density (in thousands per ha) as inuenced by different
treatments in ratoon cane
Treatments

K1
K2
K3

Periodic shoot population density (in thousands per ha)

April

May

June

July

August

September

142.8
144.8
152.7

206.2
208.9
214.9

174.0
192.8
205.8

152.9
157.8
168.2

114.4
115.5
123.6

90.22
91.89
97.92

S.E.M.

2.55

4.65

CD (P < 0.05)

7.60

NS

3.82

2.85

2.32

1.55

11.40

8.49

6.80

4.50

K1 : no irrigation and no K fertilization; K2 : irrigation with no K application; K3 :

66 kg K ha1 in plant cane with irrigation water.

S.K. Shukla et al. / Europ. J. Agronomy 30 (2009) 2733

31

Table 4
Dry matter accumulation in different plant parts (t ha1 ) in ratoon cane
Treatments

April

May

June

July

Stem

Leaf

Total

Stem

Leaf

Total

Stem

Leaf

Total

Stem

Leaf

Total

K1
K2
K3

0.31
0.36
0.45

0.61
0.68
0.72

0.92
1.04
1.17

0.89
1.01
1.06

1.39
1.38
1.56

2.28
2.39
2.62

4.10
4.35
5.42

3.80
3.85
4.26

7.90
8.20
9.68

6.93
7.17
8.06

3.57
4.03
4.74

10.50
11.20
12.80

S.E.M.

0.007

0.0013

0.024

0.018

0.022

0.051

0.11

0.10

0.22

0.17

0.11

0.21

CD (P < 0.05)

0.020

0.041

0.059

0.055

0.060

0.15

0.32

0.29

0.60

0.52

0.32

0.62

Treatments

August

September

October

At harvest

Stem

Leaf

Total

Stem

Leaf

Total

Stem

Leaf

Total

Stem

Leaf

Total

11.25
12.61
13.85

3.95
3.99
3.90

15.20
16.60
17.75

13.38
14.26
17.31

5.00
4.26
5.34

17.38
18.52
22.65

16.35
16.48
19.80

3.35
3.62
4.09

19.70
20.10
23.89

18.85
20.14
23.48

3.30
3.01
4.16

22.15
23.15
27.64

S.E.M.

0.40

0.19

0.42

0.40

0.18

0.60

0.58

0.14

0.53

0.52

0.15

0.73

CD (P < 0.05)

1.15

0.54

1.29

1.21

0.54

1.82

1.76

0.43

1.61

1.55

0.46

2.20

K1
K2
K3

K1 : no irrigation and no K fertilization; K2 : irrigation with no K application; K3 : 66 kg K ha1 in plant cane with irrigation water.
Table 5
Inuence of different treatments on nutrient uptake pattern (kg ha1 ) at different growth stages in ratoon cane
Treatments

K1
K2
K3

Grand growth stage (September)

At harvest (December)

Tillering stage (June)

P

65.6
72.9
84.2

14.8
15.3
18.2

93.2
98.4
125.8

122.9
135.2
154

18.3
20.8
21.9

138.2
149.6
176.7

156.2
163.6
186.9

21.6
22.4
24.1

198
210
228

S.E.M.

1.95

0.45

2.80

2.60

0.28

3.10

3.50

0.61

CD (P < 0.05)

5.80

1.30

8.50

7.8

0.85

9.20

10.25

1.80

5.45
16.7

K1 : no irrigation and no K fertilization; K2 : irrigation with no K application; K3 : 66 kg K ha1 in plant cane with irrigation water.

with irrigation water in plant cane improved ratoon cane production efciency. At harvest, maximum DMA (27.64 t ha1 ) in ratoon
cane was observed with K fertigation in plant crop followed by
irrigation 1 month prior to harvesting (23.15 t ha1 ). This was signicantly superior to no irrigation and no K fertilization. Potassium
fertigation in standing plant cane improved 19.4% DMA over no K
fertilization at the harvest.
At tillering stage, mean N, P and K uptake was recorded as 44,
71 and 50%, respectively of total uptake at harvest (Table 5). Corresponding values for the grand growth phase were 82, 89 and
73%. K fertigation increased nutrient uptake throughout the growth
period. At tillering stage, K fertigation enhanced 28.3% N, 23% P and
35% K over the control (no irrigation and no K application). The
increase at grand growth phase reduced to 25.3, 19.7 and 27.8 for
N, P and K, respectively. The crop removed the greatest amount of N
(186.9 kg ha1 ) in the plots receiving K fertigation followed by irrigation only and lowest in the plots receiving no irrigation and no K
at harvest. Phosphorus and potassium uptake of the crop was also
greatest in the same treatment. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake increased by 19.7, 11.6 and 15.2%, respectively in the

plots receiving K fertigation over the control. K application favoured

early N accumulation by the crop with higher early biomass production.
Higher dry matter accumulation with K fertigation also
enhanced nutrient uptake. Nutrient uptake was the function of
concentration of nutrients and total bio mass production. Higher
DMA showed a slight dilution in nutrient concentration. However,
increased nutrient uptake was observed in treatments with higher
DMA.
3.2.3. Yield attributes, ratoon cane and sugar yields
Higher number of millable cane in ratoon was recorded with K
fertigation (Table 6). It was due to vigorous tillers formed in ratoon
cane with K fertigation that contributed to the millable cane formation as compared to no irrigation and no K in main (plant) crop.
Improved number of millable canes, individual cane length, diameter and cane weight enhanced ratoon cane yield with K fertigation
(Table 6). Application of K in plant cane could not produce signicant differences among juice quality parameters. However, the
signicantly highest sugar yield was obtained with K fertigation. It

Table 6
Inuence of different treatments on growth parameters, ratoon cane, sugar yields and economics
Treatments

Millable cane (in

thousands per ha)

Cane
length (cm)

Cane diameter
(cm)

Cane weight (g)

Ratoon cane
yield (t ha1 )

Sugar yield
(t ha1 )

B:C ratio

K1
K2
K3

80.6
84.6
94.70

171.4
185.6
194.5

2.06
2.12
2.19

680.0
762.2
796.7

64.3
69.9
74.1

7.2
7.6
8.2

2.66
2.83
2.91

S.E.M.

1.45

3.20

0.019

17.50

1.42

0.19

CD (P < 0.05)

4.30

9.20

0.060

50.60

4.30

0.55

K1 : no irrigation and no K fertilization; K2 : irrigation with no K application; K3 : 66 kg K ha1 in plant cane with irrigation water.

32

S.K. Shukla et al. / Europ. J. Agronomy 30 (2009) 2733

was mainly due to higher ratoon yield with application of K over

no K fertilization.
Economics of sugarcane ratoon crop was worked out and averaged for both the cropping seasons. Cost of production varied due to
variation in cost of fertiliser and irrigation in different treatments.
B: C ratio with K fertigation was higher (2.91) as compared to irrigation with no K application (2.83) and control (2.66). It indicated
protability of growing sugarcane ratoon with K fertigation.
4. Discussion
Indian soils are not being replenished by potassium fertilizer.
This primarily has been due to misunderstanding that these alluvial
soils are rich in K and need no extraneous application of K fertilizer (Tewari, 2006). If total soil K content is adequate, the release
rate in most cases has not been enough to meet crop requirement
(Hunsigi, 2001). In the present day intensive and high yield oriented
agriculture, there is negative K balance and consequently, the soils
are mined of the essential nutrient (Roy, 2000). The response to K
application is site and crop specic and, in many cases, economic
as well (Stauffer et al., 1995). However, increased tonnage following K application is reported in South Africa, Jamaica, Australia,
Philippines, West Indian Islands, Cuba and tropical India (Hunsigi,
1993).
Irrigation 1 month prior to harvesting of plant cane could not
increase number of millable cane and individual cane diameter.
However, increase in individual cane weight was due to absorption of water and K through roots. Thus, higher plant cane yield
was obtained. It was clear that juice quality of plant cane was not
adversely affected. Thus, sprouting of stubble buds in ratoon cane
did not occur at the cost of quality of plant cane. Potassium fertigation in standing plant cane increased number of sprouted buds
in ratoon stubble that increased number of initial stalks. K fertigation maintained its superiority and showed highest reducing
sugars (Kramer et al., 1980). Role of potassium in increasing synthesis of protein, lipid and cell wall in growing regions is established
(Haeder and Mengel, 1972; Mengel and Haeder, 1977). Increase sink
region may speed the conversion of sucrose to synthetic metabolites and this promotes translocation in to those sinks enriched in
K+ (Kramer et al., 1980). The role of K+ nutrition as a cofactor in
synthetic metabolism is recognized (Rains, 1976).
Role of K in water relations is well recognized and a late dressing
is advocated against moisture stress (Hunsigi, 1993). Availability of
nutrients to the crop increased in the rhizosphere with K fertigation.
Irrigation to the crop provided congenial atmospheric conditions
in vicinity of root stubble that improved emergence and growth of
tillers (Wideneld, 1995; Berding et al., 2005; Bonnett et al., 2005).
K application also decreased aggregate stability. The decrease was
attributed to an increase in the proportion of exchangeable cations
present in monovalent form (Graham et al., 2002). K application
might have imparted resistance against biotic stress (Krauss, 2001)
and increased organic acids and nitrate reductase activity. This facilitated development of vigorous stubble, which increased number
of stalks per stubble.
K fertigation improved shoot population density due to higher
availability of nutrients to crop (Aide and Picker, 1996). Potassium is
fundamental to sugarcane for the synthesis, translocation of carbohydrates and for accumulation of sucrose. It has been conclusively
proved that there is decrease translocation of labeled photosynthate in sugarcane under conditions of K deciency (Hartt, 1969).
Irrigation provided favourable microclimate and activated several
enzymes that improved reducing sugars content of stubble and
increased shoot population density. It facilitated crop establishment with production of greater number of both primary and
higher order shoots (Bell and Garside, 2005). Potassium applica-

tion increased availability of nitrogen and phosphorus to sugarcane

crop. Reduced water stress and fertilization near the time of maximum shoot formation increased tiller survival. Higher number of
millable cane in ratoon with K fertigation was due to vigorous tillers
formed in ratoon cane with application of K that contributed larger
share in millable cane formation.
Application of K further improved rate of emergence and vigour
of tillers that culminated into higher dry matter accumulation (Cruz
and Guillaume, 1999). The increased accumulation of dry matter in
various plant parts resulted due to adequate supply of K+ to the
crop during the season. K+ stimulates the formation of high storage
(sink) capacity through higher photosynthesis and better supply
of assimilates to the sink (Michael and Beringer, 1980). The reason
is that increase dry matter yield resulted because of higher concentration of nitrogen in leaf tissues through sustained supply of
K+ content in the presence of sufcient K+ availability in soilplant
continuum. An application of K at higher rates increased nitrogen
and potassium uptake (Mengel et al., 1976).
The greater shifting of dry matter from leaf to stem is dependent upon sustained supply of K+ throughout the season. This is
the reason why sustained supply of K+ enhanced the activity of
translocation of more assimilates from source to sink. Plant roots
take up K+ from a wide range of soil concentrations, utilizing at
least two distinct plasma membrane, uptake systems with high and
low afnities for K+ , respectively (Kochian and Lucas, 1998). Potassium is absorbed by plants in larger amount than any other mineral
element except nitrogen (Daliparthy et al., 1994).
Nutrient uptake might have been facilitated by decrease in
aggregate stability and enlargement of total root surface area following K fertigation (Fuentes-Ramirez et al., 1999; Graham et al.,
2002) that enabled the roots to explore larger mass of soil and
increasing access to more phosphorus and other mineral nutrients in the soil. Phosphorus uptake improved due to vigorous
root growth, higher photosynthetic rate and better carbohydrate
translocation in sugarcane. Several research workers recorded
response of K and irrigation in increasing dry matter production
and ratoon cane yield (Mishra and Singh, 1991; Wideneld, 1995).
Interaction of N and K is often encountered under eld conditions
and adequate fertilization is essential for improved cane and sugar
yield. K application results in drop in leaf N and sheath moisture.
Thus, adequate K is required to utilize the assimilated N in cane
(Hunsigi, 1993).
Proper K nutrition increases N and P uptake, disease resistance,
root elongation and thickness (Aide and Picker, 1996). Various
studies provided evidence of K+ in promoting the translocation of
products (Mengel and Viro, 1974; Mengel and Haeder, 1977). This
promotion will occur if a higher level of K+ nutrition causes one
or more of the following to increase net carbon exchange, phloem
loading, transport sinks and metabolic conversion of sucrose in sink
tissues. A number of studies have shown that net carbon exchange
increases as a result of increased K+ fertilization of plants. Low K+
appears to reduce net carbon exchange through an increase in both
stomatal and mesophyll resistance. As a cation, K accompanies the
NO3 anion as it is transported from the roots to the shoot where
nitrate is reduced to NH3 to be incorporated in to amino acids the
precursors of protein. So it might have increased activity of NO3
reductase enzyme (Marshner, 1995), which increased N uptake.
Higher number of millable canes with K application was
recorded due to synchronous tillering and greater contribution of
primary and secondary tillers to millable canes. Primary and secondary tillers in sugarcane get larger duration for growth and food
from stubble. Thus, they turn into millable canes of higher length,
diameter and weight (Verma et al., 1996). Sugarcane yield and
sucrose content in stalks improved with increasing soil K content
and uptake by crop plants (Holford, 1968; Krauss, 1991). Higher

S.K. Shukla et al. / Europ. J. Agronomy 30 (2009) 2733

benet: cost obtained with fertigation indicated protability of K

application. Increase in ratoon cane yield (15.4%) and sugar yield
(13.9%) over the no irrigation and no K application had signicant
advantage for sugarcane growers. Thus, K fertigation can boost sugarcane and sugar production at higher extent in multi-ratooning
system.
5. Conclusion
Indian soils are not being replenished by potassium fertilizer.
This primarily has been due to misunderstanding that these alluvial
soils are rich in K and need no extraneous application of K fertilizer.
If total soil K content is adequate, the release rate in most cases has
not been enough to meet crop requirement. Thus, response to K
application is site and crop specic and, in many cases, economic as
well. In multi-ratooning system where more than two ratoon crops
are taken, gaps cause more reduction in cane yield. Application of
potassium (K) 66 kg ha1 with irrigation water (K fertigation) in
standing cane 1 month prior to harvesting improved bud sprouting
in ratoon crop. It increased dry matter accumulation in ratoon cane
and contributes larger share of total dry matter in stem compared
to leaf. K fertigation increased ratoon cane (74.1 t ha1 ) and sugar
yields (8.2 t ha1 ) by 15.2 and 13.9%, respectively, compared with
no irrigation and no K application. Thus, K fertilization holds great
promise for increasing growth, dry matter partitioning, ratoon cane
and sugar yields.
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