Dr. R. R.

Verma

Scientist, Soil Science

Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research,
Lucknow, 226 002
1
 Introduction
Sugarcane is the major source for sugar production in India.

Its cultivation with efficient management of inputs and resources proves to

be a vehicle of rural prosperity and ensures livelihood for millions

Its an agro-industrial cash crop widely cultivated under both tropical and sub-
tropical states of India including Uttar Pradesh, Punajab, Haryana, Bihar and
Uttarakhand

The crop remains in the field for 12-18 months and on an average removes
about 205 kg N, 55 kg P2O5, 275 kg K2O, 30 kg S, 3.5 kg Fe. 1.2 kg Mn, 0.6 kg Zn
and 0.2 kg Cu from the soil for a cane yield of 100 t ha-1.

The Sub-tropical states registered lower cane yields (50-70 t/ha) as compared
to tropical states (90-100 t/ha).

Soil health and nutrient management along with climatic factors play major
roles in determination of sugarcane yield. 10/07/20
Area, Production and Productivity Contribution of States

Production
Area
Productivity
10/07/20
 Required Growth to achieve domestic demand by 2020
Commodity Domestic Growth rate Required growth
production 2006- during 1998-99 to rate over 2006-07
07 ( mt) 2006-07 (%) to meet the
demand (%)
Cereals 201.9 0.62 1.9
Pulses 14.2 0.47 2.1
Foodgrains 216.1 0.61 1.9
Oilseeds 23.6 1.96 6.0
Vegetable 111.8 3.68 0.9
Fruit 57.7 3.06 2.9
Sugarcane 315.5 -0.60 0.6
Milk 111.9 3.65 2.4
Fish 6.9 2.89 3.5
Egg (billion) 50.7 6.60 3.4
 Continue…
The sugarcane crop productivity enhancement is a major challenge in the current
scenario for increasing the farmer’s income.

The crop of sugarcane pass through four growth stages, that is, germination, tillering,
grand growth and maturity.

The germination takes about 45 days and followed by tillering stage (process of side
shoots emerging)

Tillering is a major yield determining process as optimal yield depends on establishment

of a sufficient tiller density.

 The tillering stage over around 120 days after planting

The use of plant growth regulators can play an important role in enhancement of
sugarcane productivity by accelerating the initial early germination and optimizing the
tiller population in per unit area
Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360
10/07/20
Sprouting Tillering Grand Growth Maturity and harvest
What is soil ?

A dynamic natural body in which plants grow,

composed of mineral and organic materials, air, water,
and living organisms

10/07/20
 What is Soil Health?
• It indicates the soil fertility and productivity in
a composite way and includes the physical,
physico-chemical, microbial and physiographic
properties of soil.

The indicators are:

Bulk density, aggregate stability, infiltration rate
Soil pH, CEC, EC
Microbial biomass nitrogen and carbon, organic carbon
Availability of essential nutrients
 PLANT NUTRIENTS

Essential Nutrients for plant growth (Arnon and Stout 1939 )

 A deficiency of the elements makes its impossible for the plant to complete
vegetative or reproductive growth stages of its lifecycle,

 The deficiency is specific to the element in question and as such can be prevented
or corrected only by supplying that particular nutrient element to the plant, and

 The nutrient must take part in metabolism as a metabolite or it must be required

for action of an essential enzyme system.

10/07/20
 Classification of Essential Plant Nutrient
Major, primary or macro-nutrients - Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium

The deficiency is corrected by application of fertilizers based on soil analysis and

crop requirement.

This group also includes C, H, O

Secondary Nutrients - Ca, Mg and S. they are required right from the beginning of

the plant growth but in relatively lesser quantities.

Micro-nutrients - Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, B, Mo and CI.

Required in very minute quantities and they mostly act to stimulate, activate or

accelerate the enzyme activities in metabolic process of plants.

Normally the requirement met with the soil except few likes Zn and S which need to

be supplied separately.
10/07/20
 NUTRIENT RATINGS FOR SOIL TEST RESULT INTERPRETATION

S. No. Parameters Low Medium High

1 pH Acidic (< 6.0) Normal (6.0 - 8.4) Alkaline (> 8.5)
2 EC (dS/m) Normal (< 0.8) Critical (0.8 - 2.5) Injurious (> 2.5)
3 Organic Carbon (%) < 0.5 0.5 - 0.75 > 0.75
4 Available Nitrogen (Kg/ha) < 280 280 - 560 > 560
5 Available P2O5 (Kg/ha) < 22.5 22.5 - 56 > 56
6 Available K2O (Kg/ha) < 120 120 - 280 > 280
7 Zinc (ppm) < 0.6 0.6-1.2 >1.2
8 Copper (ppm) < 0.2 0.2-0.4 >0.4
9 Iron (ppm) < 4.0 4.0-8.0 >8.0
10 Manganese (ppm) < 2.0 2.0-4.0 >4.0
Recommendations 125% of RDF 100% of RDF 75% of RDF
10/07/20
 Fertilizers recommendation Based on STCR
State Yield target (t/ha) Targeted yield equation
Andhra Pradesh 125-150 FN = 3.43 TY – 1.45 SN – 0.55 ON
FP = 1.30 TY – 4.38 SP –0.43 OP
FK = 1.93 TY – 0.56 SK – 0.03 OK
Bihar 75-100 FN = 0.236 TY – 1.25 SN
FP = 1.8 TY – 4.73 SP
FK = 1.70 TY – 0.33 SK
Tamil Nadu 125 FN = 4.17 TY – 1.09 SN – 1.10 ON
FP = 1.01 TY – 2.56 SP –1.01 OP
FK = 3.44 TY – 0.84 SK – 1.04 OK
Maharashtra 100-120 FN = 4.76 TY – 1.34 SN
FP = 1.24 TY – 1.55 SP
FK = 2.73 TY – 0.21 SK
Uttar Pradesh* 100 FN = 5.78 TY – 1.47 SN – 0.55 ON
FP = 0.97 TY – 1.86 SP –0.08 OP
FK = 2.13 TY – 0.54 SK – 0.19 OK
10/07/20
 Ek`nk esa miyC/k iks’kd rRo Qly mit y{; izkIr djus gsrq moZjdks dh vko”;drk ¼fdxzk0@gS0½
¼fdxzk0@gS0½ 75 Vu@gS0 100 Vu@gS0

Uk=tu QkLQksjl iksVkl Uk=tu QkLQksjl iksVkl Uk=tu QkLQksjl iksVkl

120 4 60 145 78 61 204 107 86
130 6 70 142 75 58 201 103 84
140 8 80 139 72 56 198 100 81
150 10 90 137 69 53 196 97 79
160 12 100 134 66 51 193 94 76
170 14 110 131 62 48 190 91 74
180 16 120 128 59 46 187 88 71
190 18 130 126 56 43 185 84 69
200 20 140 123 53 41 182 81 66
210 22 150 120 50 38 179 78 64
220 24 160 118 47 36 177 75 61
230 26 170 115 43 33 174 72 59
240 28 180 112 40 31 171 68 56
250 30 190 110 37 30 169 65 54
260 32 200 107 34 30 166 62 51
270 34 210 104 31 30 163 59 49
280 36 220 101 28 30 160 56 46
290 38 230 99 24 30 158 53 44
300 40 240 96 21 30 155 49 41
 Effect of treatments on yield attributes, cane yield and juice
quality of sugarcane
Treatments Cane Cane Cane NMC Cane
Brix Sucrose Purity CCS
length diameter weight (000/ha) Yield
  (%) (%) (%)
(cm) (cm) (g) (t/ha)
       
T1
211.3b 2.06a 786.0b 117.8c 74.11d 19.52a 17.08a 87.49a 11.75a
T2
212.7ab 2.08a 789.3b 121.4bc 76.52cd 19.55a 16.91a 86.52a 11.58a
T3
219.3ab 2.09a 832.0ab 132.2bc 81.41bc 19.61a 17.11a 87.24a 11.76a
T4
221.3ab 2.14a 844.7ab 135.7abc 84.37bc 19.31a 16.97a 87.92a 11.71a
T5
226.7ab 2.10a 858.7ab 125.3abc 85.78bc 19.67a 17.19a 87.41a 11.82a
T6
232.3ab 2.14a 869.7ab 129.7abc 88.41ab 19.56a 17.09a 87.39a 11.76a
T7
239.3ab 2.15a 895.3a 141.2ab 91.00ab 19.45a 17.24a 88.70a 11.94a
T8
243.3a 2.16a 909.7a 146.8a 96.67a 19.45a 17.12a 87.52a 11.82a
SEm± 6.62 0.04 13.27 3.35 1.36 0.22 0.28a 0.93 0.24a
CD (P <0.5)
20.07 NS 40.27 10.17 4.12 NS NS NS NS
 Strategies to improve sugarcane productivity

Soil health

 Integrated nutrient management through companion cropping,

bio-manures, residue recycling

 Enhanced carbon sequestration in soil

 Assessment of organic carbon and micro-nutrients in sugarcane

soils

 Site specific precision nutrient management

Projected plant nutrients (NPK) removal and
addition in India (mt)

Item 2000 2020

Addition through 18.07 29.60
fertilizers

Crop removal 28.00 37.46

Balance - 10.00 - 7.86
Nutrients Removal from soil by one tonne of cane yield

 Nitrogen 2.05 kg

 Phosphorus 0.51 kg

 Potash 2.8 kg

 Sulphur 0.3 kg

 Fe 0.03 kg

 Mn 0.012 kg

 Zn 0.006 kg

 Cu 0.002 kg
 NUTRIENT MINING FROM SUGARCANE SOILS
State Area Yield (t/ha) Fert. Req. Fert. Rem Fert. Con.
(mha) (000 t) (000 t) (000 t)
UP 2.16 59.6 561.6 589.96 325.15
Maharashtra 1.02 80.1 523.2 328.12 123.93
Karnataka 0.43 90.3 144.2 126.2 41.24
Tamil Nadu 0.38 102.3 125.5 177.45 67.13
Bihar 0.23 51.5 32.45 26.83 19.69
AP 0.20 83 66.4 83.21 47.90
Gujarat 0.20 70.2 110 83.91 30.96
UK 0.10 61.1 26.4 30.24 13.55
Haryana 0.09 73.3 27 27.75 18.14
Punjab 0.08 58.4 29.7 25.26 24.28
All India 5.08 70.3 1713.5 1542.01 568.8
 Historical change in SOC as a
result of agricultural
development, showing soil
carbon sequestration
potential
 Trends for nitrogen use efficiency
Country Year NUE (kg/kg) Change (%) Rate of
change (%
per year)

USA 1980 42 - -
2000 57 + 36 1.6
UK 1981-85 36 - -
2001-02 44 + 23 1.1
Japan 1985 57 - -
2001 75 + 32 1.8
India 1970 60 - -
2004 20 - 60 -1.7
 Estimates of the crop residue yield and realizable plant nutrient
potential from the residues of principal crops in India
Crop Residue Nutrient concentration (%) Total N, P, K
yield N P K potential
(‘000 tonnes) (tonnes)

Rice 80744 0.61 0.09 1.15 1493.8

Wheat 44987 0.48 0.07 0.98 688.3
Sorghum 11563 0.52 0.12 1.21 216.2
Maize 6219 0.58 0.09 1.25 119.4
Pearl millet 8283 0.45 0.07 0.95 121.6
Barley 3180 0.52 0.08 1.25 58.8
Sugarcane 15645 0.45 0.08 1.20 270.7
Potato 5062 0.52 0.09 0.85 73.9
Groundnut 9580 1.65 0.12 1.25 277.3
 Emission factors and fuel loading factors for open burning of
agricultural materials

Source: US Environmental Protection Agency

Refuse EF (kg/ton) FLF

category Particulate CO Hydro (t/ha)
carbon

Rice 4 41 5 6.7
Wheat 11 64 9 4.3
Sugarcane 4 35 5 24
Cotton 4 88 3 3.4
 Major role of nutrients in plant
Nitrogen (N) :
• Nitrogen is a part of all living cells and is a necessary part of all proteins, enzymes and metabolic processes involved in
the synthesis and transfer of energy.
• Nitrogen is a part of chlorophyll, the green pigment of the plant that is responsible for photosynthesis. 

• Helps plants with rapid growth, increasing seed and fruit production and improving the quality of leaf and forage crops. 

Phosphorus (P)
• Like nitrogen, phosphorus (P) is an essential part of the process of photosynthesis. 

• Involved in the formation of all oils, sugars, starches, etc.

• Helps with the transformation of solar energy into chemical energy; proper plant maturation; withstanding stress.

• Effects rapid growth.

• Encourages blooming and root growth.

Potassium (K)
• Potassium is absorbed by plants in larger amounts than any other mineral element except nitrogen and, in some cases,
calcium. 

• Helps in the building of protein, photosynthesis, fruit quality and reduction of diseases.
 Calcium (Ca)
• Calcium, an essential part of plant cell wall structure, provides for
normal transport and retention of other elements as well as strength in
the plant.
Magnesium (Mg)
• Magnesium is part of the chlorophyll in all green plants and essential
for photosynthesis. It also helps activate many plant enzymes needed
for growth.
Sulfur (S)
• Essential plant food for production of protein.
• Promotes activity and development of enzymes and vitamins.
• Helps in chlorophyll formation.
• Improves root growth and seed production.
• Helps with vigorous plant growth and resistance to cold.
 Micronutrients
Boron (B)
• Helps in the use of nutrients and regulates other nutrients. 
• Aids production of sugar and carbohydrates. 
• Essential for seed and fruit development. 
Copper (Cu)
• Important for reproductive growth.
• Aids in root metabolism and helps in the utilization of
proteins. 
Chloride (Cl)
• Aids plant metabolism. 
• Chloride is found in the soil. 
Iron (Fe) 
• Essential for formation of chlorophyll.
Manganese (Mn) 
• Functions with enzyme systems involved in
breakdown of carbohydrates, and nitrogen
metabolism. 
Molybdenum (Mo) 
• Helps in the use of nitrogen
Zinc (Zn) 
• Essential for the transformation of
carbohydrates.
• Regulates consumption of sugars.
• Part of the enzyme systems which regulate plant
growth. 
 Soil and crop nutrition management in sugarcane

 Sugarcane like other plants needs all 17 essential elements required

for growth and development

 While C, H and oxygen is made available from soil and atmosphere

other 13 elements need to be given from outside

 Primary elements N,P and K play major role in crop growth and
profitable yield hence are required in large quantities

 Secondary elements Ca, Mg and S are equally essential but made

available only deficiency appears

 Among micro-nutrients Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, B, Mo and Cl only first three
have been found crucial in certain situations
 Nitrogen management in sugarcane

 Sugarcane loves both nitrate as well as ammonical forms of the

nutrients, however initially ammonical form is preferred a little
 Highest uptake of nutrient is reported during formative phase
(tilllering) from soil
 During elongation phase role of endophytes have not been ruled out
 Higher nitrogen availability at ripening hampers with sugar
accumulation
 It is better to stop nitrogen application by the end of June in sub-
tropics; for tropical region it may be carried little longer
 Integrated supply involving various sources have been found more
remunerative
 Nutrition aspects of ratoon crop

 Requires more of nitrogen due to various reasons

 Phosphorus management be done carefully in ratoon

 Potassium availability is crucial for good ratoon yield

 Zinc and sulfur have started showing response in ratoon

 Micro-nutrients play major role as root system is not that efficient

SUGARCANE GROWING SOILS FERTILITY STATUS OF SUB-
TROPICAL STATES

10/07/20
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¼gtkj gsSDVj ¼gtkj Vu ¼Vu@gsS0½
esa½ esa½
gfj;k.kk 113 8418 74-5
iatkc 95 7200 75-8
mRrj izns”k 2228 134689 60-5
fcgkj 260 13239 50-9
mRrjk[k.M 102 6135 60-1
lEiw.kZ Hkkjr 5069 354952 70-0
Implementation of Soil Health card Scheme at
IISR, Lucknow

10/07/20
 Advancement in soil analysis, and
recommendation of nutrients

•USE of GPS

•GIS Software

•SOIL Nutrient Management on the basis of STCR Approach

•Soil Nutrient management Unit can be a sugar mill command

area

•Use of advanced Information technology in implementation

of Soil Heal Card Scheme

10/07/20
 Apply only those nutrients which are actually needed by the
crop.

 Fertilizer application should always be based on soil test.

 Deficiency states may sometimes be corrected, not just by
applying the missing nutrient, but by changing soil conditions
to enhance availability.
Thank You