Influence of Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Sugarcane

Sugarcane is one of the most important sugar producing crops in Bangladesh. As an exhaustive crop, sugarcane removes huge amount of plant nutrients from soil. In this context, the combined use of organic and inorganic fertilizers can be a good approach to combat nutrient depletion and promote sustainable crop production as well as improve soil health. Integrated applications of poultry litter (PL) @ 5 t ha-1 along with 95:51:87:9:10:2.5:4 kg NPKSMgZnB ha-1 followed by cow dung (CD) @ 15 t ha-1 with 36:52:60:17:10:2.5:4 kg NPKSMgZnB ha-1 proved to be the most effective combination to ensure the higher growth, yield and quality of sugarcane. PL @ 5 t ha-1 + 95:51:87:9:10:2.5:4 kg NPKSMgZnB ha-1 followed by CD @ 15 t ha-1+ 36:52:60:17:10:2.5:4 kg NPKSMgZnB ha-1 showed better productive and profitable integrated nutrient management technology for sole sugarcane cultivation without soil fertility degradation in High Ganges River Floodplain soils of Bangladesh. This integrated nutrient management practice provided an opportunity to supply raw material with good juice quality sugar industry and jaggery or gur makers.