Assessment the Effect of Organic and Chemical Fortified Fertilizers on Uptake of Some Macro Nutrient by Sugarcane in Khouzestan Province
Subject Areas : Research On Crop Ecophysiology
PARVIZ
AHMADI
1
(MS Graduated of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran)
EBRAHIM
PANAHPOUR
2
(Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran)
MAHMOUD
SHOMEILI
3
(- Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran)
MOHAMMAD
BAKHSHIAN
4
(Master’s Degree in Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Kerman, Iran)
HOSSEIN
HEIDARI SHARIFABAD
5
(Assistant Professor at Department of Agriculture (Crop Physiologist), Science and Research University, Branch of Tehran, Iran)
Keywords:
Abstract :
Original Research |
Research on Crop Ecophysiology Vol.11/1 , Issue 1 (2016), Pages:44 - 50
|
Assessment the Effect of Organic and Chemical Fortified Fertilizers on Uptake of Some Macro Nutrient by Sugarcane in Khouzestan Province
Ebrahim Panahpour1*, Parviz Ahmadi2, Mahmoud Shomeili3
1,2- Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
3- Manager Agronomi Department Sugarcane Research and Training Institute Khuzestan, Iran
*Corresponding Author Email: e.panahpour@gmail.com
Received: 22 July 2015 Accepted:2 November 2015
Abstract
Plant nutrition as an affecting factor is a function of the interaction between nutrients and environmental conditions. Therefore, accurate determination of nutrient elements required for plant growth involves a scientific method based on measurements. In order to study the effects of main nutrient elements namely potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur and the nutritional uptake of sugarcane, an experiment was carried out in a complete randomized block design with 15 treatments each with three replications in Imam Khomeini Agro-industry Research Farm, Khuzestan during 2013-2014. The treatments were the applications of basic fertilizers including diammonium phosphate (DAP), nitrogen phosphate sulfate (NPS) and sulfuric nitrogen-potassium phosphate (NPSK), each in two levels of 500 and 700 kg per hectare as well as two varying amounts of topdress types of liquid organic fertilizers commercially named Sanko and APEX. A topdress urea fertilizer (350 kg) was used in all the treatments with three installments (within a 1.5-month interval). Analysis of variance showed significant differences for studied traits among all treatments. Accordingly, the treatments were significantly (p<0.05) different in the contents of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus but not in the sulfur content of the leaves. The potassium content of leaf was highest in the treatment of 500 kg/ha baseline DAP (with mean = 0.366%). The largest nitrogen content of leaves was obtained in the treatment of 700 kg/ha baseline NPS (with mean = 2.108%), and the greatest phosphorus content was observed in the treatment of 250 kg/ha baseline DAP plus 21 kg/ha of APEX organic fertilizer (with mean = 0.750%).
Keywords: Sugar cane, APEX, NPS, NPSK, DAP
Introduction
Sugar cane grows at different regions where special attention is paid to its nutrition due to different regional climatic conditions. Sugarcane yield per unit area has increased dramatically because of increased research achievements and technology developments. As a result of this boosted yield, there are more needs to compensate for the nutrients absorbed from the soil by this crop. In other words, an increase in stalk to be processed renders greater removal of nutrients out of the soil. Moreover, continued cultivations together with large amounts of water consumption at the time of irrigation accelerate the decline of accumulated soil nutrients (Shushtari et al., 2008). Sugarcane requires a high amount of nutritional elements. Per ton of cane stems harvested results in the removal of 0.45-0.9 kg of nitrogen and a similar amount of phosphorus oxide, 1.8-5.0 kg of potassium oxide, and 0.45-1.8 kg of calcium from the soil (Mirshekari, 2001). The use of biological fertilizers in agriculture has a great history, but scientific exploitation of these types of resources does not have much background. Although the use of these fertilizers has decreased in recent decades, today’s problems driven by irregular consumptions of chemical fertilizers has raised the use of biological fertilizers in agriculture. It has been attempted to use the potential of soil organisms and organic materials to maximize production while paying attention to the quality of soil and also the health and safety of the environment.
The bio-organic fertilizers as promising approaches have been considered for plant nutrition in sustainable agriculture (Yousefi et al., 2011).
Materials and Methods
In order to study the effects of main nutrient elements namely potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur and nutritional uptake of sugarcane, an experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with 15 treatments each with three replications at Imam Khomeini Agro-industry Research Farm, Khuzestan in 2013-2014. The treatments were the applications of baseline fertilizers including diammonium phosphate (DAP), nitrogen phosphate sulfate (NPS) and sulfuric nitrogen-potassium phosphate, (NPSK) each in two levels of 500 and 700 kg/ha as well as varying amounts of two topdress types of liquid organic fertilizers viz. humic acid-based (Sanko) and potassium silicate-based (APEX). Prior to cultivation, the soil was sampled at a depth of 0 to 60 cm and then analyzed (Table 1).
Table 1. Some properties of soil in trial field
|
(%) | T.N.V (%) | OM (%) | SO4 2- | Na+ | Cl- | Mg 2+ | Ca2+ | Dissolved potassium | Available phosphorus (ppm) | Total nitrogen (%) | Soil texture | pH | EC (dS.m) |
Meq.l-1 | |||||||||||||
0.16 | 47.63 | 0.69 | 26.56 | 14.71 | 12.03 | 14.46 | 12.57 | 0.16 | 11.8 | 0.075 | S.C.L | 7.5 | 3.1 |
The study was carried out on CP69-1062 cultivar according to the following treatments:
T0 = as a control without no baseline
T1 = 250 kg/h of fertilizer DAP (ammonium diphosphate) as a baseline
T2 = 500 kg of DAP (ammonium diphosphate) as a baseline
T3 = 300 kg of NPS (new fertilizer combined as 3, 1, 4 based on NPS) as a baseline
T4 = 500 kg of NPS (new fertilizer combined as 1, 3, 4 based on NPS) as a baseline
T5 = 700 kg of NPS (new fertilizer combined as 1, 3, 4 based on NPS) as a baseline
T6 = 300 kg of NPKS (new fertilizer combined as 33: 6: 5: 5 based on NPKS) as a baseline
T7 = 500 kg of NPKS (new fertilizer combined as 33: 6: 5: 5 based on NPKS) as a baseline
T8 = 700 kg of NPKS (new fertilizer combined as 33: 6: 5: 5 based on NPKS) as a baseline
T9 = 250 kg of baseline DAP +30 L/ha of humic- based biological organic fertilizer
T10 = 250 kg of baseline DAP +50 L/ha of humic- based biological organic fertilizer
T11 = 250 kg of baseline DAP +70 L/ha of humic- based biological organic fertilizer
T12 = 250 kg of baseline DAP + 15 kg/ ha of potassium silicate as an organic fertilizer
T13=250 kg of baseline DAP +18 kg/ ha of potassium silicate as an organic fertilizer
T14 = 250 kg of baseline DAP +21 kg/ ha of potassium silicate as an organic fertilizer
In all of the treatments, a topdress urea fertilizer (350 kg.ha-1) was used in three installments (with a 1.5-month interval). The treatments were selected with regard to the recommendations in fertilizer use for the sugarcane nourishment. The organic fertilizers were consumed in the form of topdress dissolved in water within two growth stages: at the times of tillering and stem elongation. The following parameters were measured in the aerial sections of the cane plant: nitrogen content of the leaves with Kjeldahl (Gerhardt model, Vapodest 50), and K and P using Flame Photometer and spectrophotometry (Model Spectronic 20 Genesys), respectively. Obtained data were analyzed using SAS and Mini Tab statistical softwares. LSD test was also employed to compare the mean values.
Results and discussion
Analysis of variance showed significant differences in most traits between the treatments (Table 2). Based on the analysis of variance, there were significant differences among the treatments in potassium contents of the leaves (Table 2).
Treatment T2 (500 kg/ha of baseline DAP) showed the highest mean leaf potassium content (0.366%) and T11 (250 kg/ha of baseline DAP plus 700 L/ha of Sanko biological organic fertilizer) displayed the lowest (0.068%) mean percentage (Figure 1). The mean value estimated in the control was 0.362%. This can be due to a high level of soil potassium exceeding the amounts required by the cane with no absorption of higher amounts of this element (Misbah, 2008). Although potassium is not a structural component of chlorophyll, chlorophyll degradation is one of the symptoms of potassium deficiency. This drives the doubt that a part of potassium function is related to the formation of chlorophyll precursor or prevention of chlorophyll degradation (Fajrya and Balygvr, 1991). Cane is known as the devourer of potassium due to its excessive potassium absorption, so that the plant sometimes absorbs a high level of these elements despite supplying with sufficient provisions.
Table 2. Analysis of variance for the ionic elements uptake by sugarcane leaves (mean squares)
df K N | P | S |
|
| |
Block | 0.150 ns | 0.011 ns |
|
| |
Treatment | 14 0.107* 0.168* | 0.370* | 0.011 ns |
|
|
Error | 28 0.029 0.052 | 0.190 | 0.011 |
|
|
Coefficient of variability (%) | 9.35 9.09 | 8.11 | 6.25 |
|
*and ** : Significant at 5 % and 1% probability levels.
Figure 1 . Means contact of level content of leaf potassium in different treatments with at least a similar letter are not statistically different based on LSD test at 5% probability
According to the analysis of variance, there were significant differences between treatments for the amounts of leaf nitrogen (Table 2); the highest leaf nitrogen content was related to T5 (700 kg/ha of baseline NPS) with an average of 2.108 percent and the lowest amount was found in T9 (250 kg/ha baseline plus 30 L of Sanko bio-organic fertilizer) with a mean of 1.599 percent. The mean value of the control was measured as 2.008 (Figure 2). Astkandy et al. (2001) reported higher N utilization efficiency (NUE) with the lowest amount of N consumed. Malakouti (2004) stated that the lack of proper management in the nitrogen utilization accounts for the main reason in NUE deficit. Hatfield and Peruger (2004) found that NUE decreases with increasing nitrogen content. Gan et al., 2008 also conform the results of this research.
Figure 2. Means percentage of leaf nitrogen in different treatments with at least a similar letter are not statistically different based on LSD test at 5% probability level
Analysis of variance revealed significant differences between the treatments in the amounts of leaf phosphorus (Table 2), the highest leaf phosphorus content was detected in T14 (250 kg/ha of baseline DAP plus 21 kg/ha of APEX bio-organic fertilizer) with an average of 0.750 percent and the lowest was measured in T4 (500 kg/ha of NPS) with a mean of 0.396 percent. The average value in the control was estimated as 0.396 (Figure 3). Increased sugarcane yield caused by the effect of phosphorus consumption is attributed to the number of tillers in each shoot and also to the height of harvestable stalk. The increasing effects of phosphorus on the cane yield, sugar yield, and number of stalks are very clear. Phosphorus will increase the quality of cane and additionally plays an important role in the synthesis of sugar in the photosynthesis process and the formation of sucrose from glucose and fructose as well as in their transfer (Hansygy, 2001). Soils containing organic matter maintain only a small part of adsorbed phosphorus helping a little in phosphorus absorption by the plant (Salehi, 2011).
Based on the analysis of variance, significant differences were observed between the treatments in the amounts of leaf sulfur (Table 2); the highest leaf sulfur content was detected in T2 (500 kg/ha of baseline DAP) with an average of 0.258 percent and the lowest was recorded in T5 (700 kg/ha of baseline NPS) with a mean of 0.191 percent. The mean sulfur value in the control was estimated as 0.255 (Figure 4). According to Gosh et al. (1990), the amount of sulfur in the soil is directly related to nitrogen usage because it can improve NUE through increased activity of nitrate reductase enzyme. Sulfur deficiency symptoms in sugarcane are similar to those of nitrogen deficit so that under conditions of sulfur deficiency, except in older leaves retaining their green color, the young leaves show yellow symptoms related to a lesser mobility of sulfur than the nitrogen. One of the symptoms of sulfur deficiency is the appearance of general chlorosis in the leaves of plant while the main nervure remains green. Reduced sulfur results in narrow and shortened leaves, diminished stalk diameter, and decreased tillering. Such plants will augment the production of anthocyanin pigment. Sugarcane needs around 0.91 kg of sulfur per ton of harvested stem or 1.81 per ton of dry matter. Fox (1986) determined that the apparent and real needs of sugarcane to sulfur are, respectively, 40 and 10 kg/ha based on SO4-S. There is a significant positive interaction between nitrogen and sulfur, and leaf sheaths of 3 to 6 are considered a better indicator than the blade to determine sulfur status in the plant. The critical concentrations of sulfur in sugarcane leaf sheaths and blades of 3-6 are 0.8, 0.5, and 0.15 percent, respectively. Because the critical amount of available soil sulfur for sugarcane is 20 ppm, the plant responses to sulfur will appear below this threshold limit (Tandn,1991).
Figure 4. Means percentage of leaf sulfur in different treatments with at least a similar letter are not statistically different based on LSD test at 5% probability level.
It, therefore, seems that a relatively high sulfur content in the soils and waters of the region and its adequate use by the plant resulted in the nonsignificant effects of experimental treatments on the plant sulfur content.
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