Effect of Organic and Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Growth Yield and Quality of Sugarcane and Jaggery in Cauvery Command Area

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, V.C. Farm, newlineMandya on the effect of organic and integrated nutrient management practices on yield and newlinequality of sugarcane and jaggery during 2007-08 and 2008-09. The treatments consisted of newlinetwo varieties Co 62175 and Co 86032 as main plot and eight nutrient management practices. newlineThe results of the plant crop of sugarcane reveal that Co 62175 variety recorded significantly newlinehigher cane height (2.45 m), cane weight (1.79 kg), girth (3.13 cm), population of millable newlinecanes (115340 ha-1), cane volume (0.185 m3) and sugarcane yield (149.04 t ha-1)compared to newlineCo 86032 variety. The juice quality parameters like brix (20.82%), pol per cent (19.13%), CCS newline(13.61%) were significantly higher with Co 86032 variety of sugarcane. newlineAmong the nutrient management practices, significantly higher cane length (2.80 m), newlinecane weight (2.05 kg), girth (3.58 cm), millable cane number (1,30,470 ha-1), cane volume newline(0.191 m3) and sugarcane yield (170.33 t ha-1) were recorded with 50 per cent N equivalent newlinethrough pressmud and 50 per cent NPK through chemical fertilizers (N6) over all the other newlinenutrient management practices (N7) except recommended package of practices with which it newlinewas on par. Sugar yield was significantly higher with N6 over other nutrient management newlinepractices but it was on par with N7. The jaggery quality was higher with more of A1 quality newlinejaggery with organic nutrient management practices. The nutrient management practice with newline50 per cent N equivalent through pressmud and 50 per cent NPK through chemical fertilizers newlinerecorded significantly higher net income (Rs. 105543 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.28) over all the newlineother nutrient management practices. newlineThe experiment on ratoon crop produced similar results as that of plant crop. Co newline62175 variety of sugarcane produced higher yield attributing parameters and yield over Co newline86032. Among the nutrient management practices, higher yield attributing parameters and newlineyield were recorded with N6 over all others except N7.