Effect of Subsoiling, Deep and Differential Rate Placement of Fertilizer on Sugarcane Crop Response

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of sub-soiling, deep and differential rate placement of fertilizer on sugarcane crop at the Crop Research Centre, Pantnagar. The concept was to place fertilizers in root zone of crop, while breaking the subsoil pan, to increase the availability of nutrients to roots and improve the subsoil health. The sugarcane crop response data showed that the growth, yield and yield attributes were not significantly affected by different fertilizer doses, which indicated 20% saving of fertilizer. Subsoiling alone increased the cane weight, number of millable cane and cane yield by 4.26%, 11.40% and 15.87% compared to conventional ploughing with in-furrow fertilizer application (control). Subsoiling-cum-deep fertilizer placement method showed increase in cane weight, number of millable cane and cane yield by 17.02%, 15.78%, and 35.61%, respectively, whereas subsoiling-cum-differential rate fertilizer placement method recorded increase of 16.21%, 16.42% and 35.41% in the same order as compared to the control.