Relation between early season–measured agronomic variables and sugar yield responses to nitrogen

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2016

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated the use of early-season plant response to N as a basis for determining N fertilizer requirements in cereal crops. In sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) production, the relationship of early-season growth and responses to N fertilization to sugar yield at harvest has not been pursued. The objective of this study was to evaluate and relate the early-season response to N fertilization (RI) of select agronomic variables to RI of measured sugar yield at harvest of three sugarcane varieties (HoCP 96-540, L 01-283, and L 99-226). A variety × N (0, 45, 90, and 135 kg N ha–1) trial was established at two LSU AgCenter research stations: the Sugar Research Station in St. Gabriel and the Iberia Research Station, Jeanerette, LA, from 2010 to 2012. The positive correlations between RIs of agronomic variables collected at 4 and 5 wk after nitrogen application (WKN) and RIs at harvest were considered notable with RIbiomass at 5 WKN obtaining the highest r value (RIsugar = 0.69 and RIcane = 0.68). Sugar and stalk yield increases due to N were also correlated to RIN% and RINuptake at 4 to 6 WKN. The findings of the present study demonstrated that RIs of agronomic variables measured early in the season were related with RI at harvest, suggesting the potential use of response to N early in the season as a basis for in-season determination of sugarcane N rate requirements.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Agronomy Journal

First Page

794

Last Page

804

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