Nitrogen fertigation schedule and irrigation effects on productivity and economics of spring sugarcane

The field experiment was conducted to find the appropriate irrigation method, fertilization schedule and its influence on growth, yield and quality of sugarcane. The soil of the experimental site was sandy clay loam, neutral in reaction (pH 7.7), low in organic carbon (0.41%) and available nitrogen (167.0 kg ha⁻¹), medium in available phosphorus (19.1 kg ha⁻¹) and potassium (208.0 kg ha⁻¹). Experiment was laid out in split plot design with four replications. The treatments consisted of three irrigation methods in main plot viz., flood, furrow and drip; five nitrogen scheduling in sub plot viz., farmers practice, 4 splits, 6 splits, 8 splits and 10 splits. In flood method of irrigation all growth and quality parameter were recorded lowest. Thus, it may be concluded that to achieve highest millable cane and quality parameters, drip irrigation is a better option. The number of tillers (177.2 thousand ha⁻¹), number of millable canes (123.3 thousand ha⁻¹), cane length (367.98 cm), cane yield (168.51 t ha⁻¹), commercial cane (CCS) yield (25.05 t ha⁻¹) and economic return were found significantly higher under drip irrigation during first year. Similar trends were recorded during second year of experimentation. The highest dry matter accumulation and crop growth rate were also recorded under drip irrigation during both the years. Similarly, water use efficiency and water productivity were found maximum under treatment of drip irrigation. Significantly highest number of tillers (165.6 thousand ha⁻¹), millable canes (116.3 thousand ha⁻¹), cane yield (154.72 t ha⁻¹), dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate, CCS yield (23.39 t ha⁻¹) and economic return were recorded with 6 splits of nitrogen application. The overall effect of nitrogen scheduling was in the order of 6 splits > 8 splits > 10 splits > 4 splits > farmer's practice.