International Journal of Agricultural

Science and Research (IJASR)

ISSN (P): 2250–0057; ISSN (E): 2321-0087
Vol. 9, Issue 4, Oct 2019, 307–310
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

AN IMPACT OF DRIP FERTIGATION IN AUGMENTING YIELD AND ECONOMICS

OF SUGARCANE

G. SIVAKUMAR
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu, India
ABSTRACT

Principle of drip irrigation is to make most efficient and economic usage of limited water resources to increase
water and nutrient use efficiency. The dream of green revolution has come true through proper use of water by drip
irrigation. Sugarcane is a widely spaced longer duration crop in which enormous amount of water is being lost in the
land outside root zone. If proper water management practices are available definitely it will increase the availability of
water in the root zone and increase the yield of sugarcane and ultimately the economics of cane cultivation also
increased. Field trial was conducted at Experimental farm, Department of Agronomy during January-December 2012 to
find out the impact of drip fertigation on the yield and economic outputs of sugarcane. The trial was laid out in
randomized block design with 3 Replications. There were altogether 10 nos. of treatments viz., T1-Control (no nutrient
supply), T2-Farmers practice (275:150:150kgs of N, P2O5 and K2O per hectare), T3-50% P and K as basal and 100% N,

Original Article
50%, P and 50% K as topdressing, T4-100% NPK through fertigation, T5-75% NPK as basal + 25% NPK through
fertigation, T6-50% NPK as basal + 50% NPK through fertigation, T7-25% NPK as basal + 75% NPK through
fertigation, T8-75% P and K as basal + 100% N, 25% P and K through fertigation, T9-50% P and K as basal + 100% N,
50% P and K through fertigation and T10-25% P and K as basal + 100% N, 75% P and K through fertigation. The
investigation results clearly indicated that application of 75% P and K as basal + 100% N, 25% P and K through
fertigation significantly enhanced the cane yield to the tune of 175 kg ha-1. Based on the results of the trials it can be
concluded that application of 75% P and K as basal + 100% N, 25% P and K through fertigation efficiently augmented
cane yield of 224.12 tons ha-1and boosted the economics of sugarcane cultivation by recording a benefit cost ratio of
4.09.

KEYWORDS: Fertigation, Water use Efficiency, Water Soluble Fertilizers, Polyfed & Multi-K

Received: Jun 17, 2019; Accepted: Jul 03, 2019; Published: Aug 30, 2019; Paper Id.: IJASRAUG201939

INTRODUCTION

The cane industry is the second largest agro based industry in India next to textiles and plays a pivotal role
in the rural economy through income and employment generation. In India, sugarcane is grown under diversified
agro climatic conditions covering over an area of 5.15 million ha producing 355.45 million tons of sugarcane with
an annual productivity of 69.02 t ha-1 (Jain irrigation Ltd, 2011).

Sugarcane is a heavy feeder of nutrients. Its root system is shallow and fibrous, therefore, fertigation is
recommended for higher nutrient availability and use efficiency. The aim of the fertigation program is to bridge the
gap between crop nutrient demand and supply. The nutrient requirements of drip irrigated sugarcane are relatively
high: 250 to 300 kg ha-1 N, 80 to 100 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 125 to 250 kg K2O ha-1.

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308 G. Sivakumar

Fertigation is a modern technique of application of water soluble fertilizers through the irrigation systems. Drip
irrigation combined with fertigation has been found to benefit farmers because of the very high efficiency of fertilizer use.
Sugarcane is a widely spaced long duration crop in which enormous quantity of water is being lost in the land outside root
zone. If proper water management practices are available definitely it will increase the availability of water in root zone
and increase the yield of sugarcane. Hence, the present trial was conducted to design a system based water management
practice for sugarcane cultivation using water soluble fertilizers to find out the impact of fertigation in augmenting the
yield and economics of sugarcane.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The trial was conducted in the Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai
University and Annamalai nagar. The geographical location of Annamalai Nagar is 11º24' N latitude and 79º44' E
longitude at an altitude of + 5.79 m above mean sea level. The soil of the trial field is classified as UdicChroMusterts (clay)
according to FAO / UNESCO (1974). The initial analysis of the experimental soil concluded that heavy clay with neutral
in reaction (pH = 7.5), with low soluble salts (EC = 0.33 dSm-1 medium in available nitrogen (236 kg ha -1), low in
available phosphorus (21.80 kg ha -1) and high in available potassium (285 kg ha -1).

The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 3 Replications. There were altogether 10 nos. of
treatments viz., T1 - Control (no nutrient supply), T2 – Farmers practice (275:150:150kgs of N, P2O5 and K2O per hectare),
T3 – 50% P and K as basal and 100% N, 50%, P and 50% K as topdressing, T4 - 100% NPK through fertigation, T5 - 75%
NPK as basal + 25% NPK through fertigation, T6 - 50% NPK as basal + 50% NPK through fertigation, T7-25% NPK as
basal + 75% NPK through fertigation, T8 - 75% P and K as basal + 100% N, 25% P and K through fertigation, T9 - 50% P
and K as basal + 100% N, 50% P and K through fertigation and T10 - 25% P and K as basal + 100% N , 75% P and K
through fertigation. Rice variety SI-7 obtained from M/S M. R. K co-operative sugar mills, Sethiathope was chosen as test
crop for the investigation. Water soluble fertilizers viz. Urea, Polyfeed, and Multi-K are used in the respective plots as per
the treatment schedule.

The nutrient content of Polyfeed and Multi-Kare N-13.0% and 13%, P-40% and 0% and K-13% and 45%
respectively. The recommended package of practices was adopted and the crop was harvested. For the estimation of dry
matter production, six plants were removed randomly at harvest stage. These samples were air dried first in shade and then
at 80 ± 5°Coven dried till a constant weight was obtained and the weight was recorded. The mean dry weight was
-1
expressed in kg ha . The yields and economic analysis of each treatment were recorded separately and analyzed
statistically with Analysis of Variance.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Cane Yield (T Ha-1)

NPK application through fertigation significantly influenced the cane yield. The highest cane yield of 224.12 was
recorded in the treatment T8 (75% Phosphorus and Potassium as basal + 100% Nitrogen, 25% Phosphorus and Potassium
through fertigation). The increase in sugarcane yield might be due to better proportion of air-soil water and the timely
availability of nutrients during the crop period which was made available throughout the life period of crop in drip
fertigation as reported by Gurusamy et al., (2010).

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An Impact of Drip Fertigation in Augmenting Yield and Economics of Sugarcane 309

These favourable and congenial environments resulted in foster the plant growth earlier and faster, increase the
number of efficient tillers, increased number of stalks, number of millable canes and dry matter accumulation due to
uninterrupted supply of essential nutrients and resulted in higher cane yield as reported by Deshmukh et al., (2010).

Table 1: Effect of Fertigation on Sugarcane and Sugar Yield (t ha-1)

Sugarcane Sugar
Treatments
Yield Yield
T1 - Control (no nutrient supply) 82.5 8.51
T2 - Farmers practice (275:62.5:112.5kgs of N, P2O5 and K2O per hectare) 164.23 17.54
T3 - 50% P and K as basal and 100% N, 50%, P and 50% K as top dressing 198.38 23.84
T4 - 100% NPK through fertigation 171.49 18.94
T5 - 75% NPK as basal + 25% NPK through fertigation 191.15 21.96
T6 - 50% NPK as basal + 50% NPK through fertigation 183.89 20.43
T7 - 25% NPK as basal + 75% NPK through fertigation 176.64 19.03
T8 - 75% P and K as basal + 100% N, 25% P and K through fertigation 224.12 28.35
T9-50% P and K as basal + 100% N, 50% P and K through fertigation 215.16 26.64
T10-25% P and K as basal + 100% N, 75% P and K through fertigation 205.27 25.23
S. Ed 3.61 0.70
CD (p = 0.05) 7.22 1.40

Sugar Yield

Fertigation with a level of 75% Phosphorus and Potassium as basal + 100% 100% Nitrogen, 25% Phosphorus and
Potassium through fertigation (T8) recorded highest sugar yield of 28.35t ha-1. Higher cane yield coupled with the highest
POCS per cent at different levels of fertigation applied plots might have contributed for the higher sugar yield.

The increased level of sugar yield under sub-surface drip fertigation was mainly due to the continuous availability
of better soil moisture with best aeration coupled with water soluble nutrients in all the stages of cane growth and water
supplied based on the demand of the crop. The sugar yield increase was mainly due to improvised juice quality parameters
coupled with the result of uniform millable cane production as reported by Arunkaushal et al., (2012).

Economics

The highest gross income, net income as well as the highest benefit: cost ratio of Rs. 4.09 ha-1were recorded with
T8 (75% P and K as basal + 100% N, 25% P and K through fertigation) which was followed by T9 (50% P and K as basal +
100% N, 50% P and K through fertigation). Drip fertigation is one of the important innovative technologies for higher
efficiency and cost saving sugarcane production technology in upland area and its application could make significant
economic benefits (Gui-Fen Chen et al., 2012). The above results are in consonance with the findings of Shanthy and
Kumar (2010).

Table 2: Effect of Fertigation on Economics of Sugarcane

Total cost of Gross Net Benefit:
Treatments
Cultivation Income Income Cost Ratio
T1-Control (no nutrient supply) 82000 185625 103625 2.26
T2-Farmers practice (275:62.5:112.5kgs of N, P2O5 and
100000 369518 251518 3.70
K2O per hectare)
T3-50% P and K as basal and 100% N, 50%, P and
120000 446355 335355 3.72
50% K as top dressing
T4-100% NPK through fertigation 128000 385835 254853 3.01
T5 - 75% NPK as basal + 25% NPK through fertigation 116000 430088 314088 3.71
T6 - 50% NPK as basal + 50% NPK through fertigation 110000 413753 303753 3.76

Impact Factor (JCC): 6.1964 NAAS Rating: 4.13

310 G. Sivakumar

Table 2: Contd.,
T7 - 25% NPK as basal + 75% NPK through fertigation 125000 397440 272440 3.17
T8 -75% P and K as basal + 100% N, 25% P and K
123000 504270 381270 4.09
through fertigation
T9-50% P and K as basal + 100% N, 50% P and K
129000 484110 355110 3.75
through fertigation
T10-25% P and K as basal + 100% N, 75% P and K
138000 461858 323858 3.35
through fertigation

CONCLUSIONS

Drip fertigation is one of the vital measures in obtaining higher efficiency and cost effective sugarcane production
technology in the upland area and its application could make significant major economic benefits. Based on the results of
the present investigation, it could be concluded that Fertigation with a level of 75% P and K as basal + 100% N, 25% P and
K through fertigation in sugarcane results in better quality crop and higher economic yield. Adoption of a drip fertigation
system in sugarcane cultivation is technically feasible and economically viable and needs to be vigorously followed.

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