Improvement of sugarcane production in volcanic ash soil around Mt. Pinatubo, Pampanga province, Philippines: Evaluation of fertilizer effect
2005
Yokoi, D.(Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Tokyo (Japan)) | Ikeda, K. | Sugimoto, A.
A fertilization experiment was conducted to improve sugarcane yield in a sugarcane field where the sugarcane yield has decreased due to volcanic ash deposition from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in Arrayat, Pampanga province, the Philippines. Chemical fertilizer (Phosphorus and Potassium added), liquid fertilizer (made from the glutamate fermentation byproduct of cane molasses), and liquid fertilizer and bagasse compost (hereafter referred to us "improved fertilizers") were used compared with urea (conventional fertilizer used in Pampanga) application. Sugarcane was cultivated over a period of 4 years (new planting and ratoons (3 times)). The values of the average sugar yield, stalk yield, number of stalks, one-stalk weight and retention of one-stalk weight in all the treatments with improved fertilizers were higher than those in the case of urea application. Average sugar yield showed a positive correlation with the stalk yield, and the stalk yield showed a positive correlation with the number of stalks, one-stalk weight retention of one-stalk weight and stalk length. Therefore, as the number of stalks increased and one-stalk weight was retained in the ratoon crops in the treatments with improved fertilizers, especially in the case of compost application, stalk yield increased. Stalk yield of the ratoon crops decreased compared with that of the new planting in all the treatments, because when germination occurred at a shallow position in the ratoons, the amounts of available soil nutrients decreased and stalk growth was inhibited. However, stalk yield in the treatments with improved fertilizers was higher than that in the case of urea application because the soil nutrient conditions were improved by each treatment and the retention of stalk yield of the ratoons was higher than that in the case of urea application.
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