MORPHOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF AUTUMN PLANTED SUGARCANE TO PLANTING GEOMETRY AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON DIFFERENT SOILS UNDER ARID CONDITIONS

Abstract

In a field experiment morphological response of sugarcane cultivar HSF 240 to different NPK doses like F1 =0-0-0, F2 =100-100-100, F3 =150-150-100, F4 =200-200-100 and F5 =250-200-100 kg NPK ha1 and different planting patterns like G1 =60, G2 =75 cm, spaced single row Planting pattern, G3 =30/90, and G4 =30/120cm spaced paired row strip Planting pattern were studied at the research area of the Gomal University Rukh Bibi campus Dera Ismaiel Khan and Main Line Lower Land Reclamation Research Station Chak No 37 TDA (Thal Development Authority) Bhakkar during 2003- 04 and 2004-05. The experiment was laid out according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with a split plot arrangement in four replications giving more importance to planting patterns. The analysis of pooled data of D.I Khan and Bhakkar showed that all the NPK doses affected the yield, contributing parameters to a significant level. The maximum number of mill able canes m-2 , weight per stripped cane was recorded in 250-200-100 kg NPK ha-1 which were statistically non significant to those recorded in 200-200-100 kg NPK ha-1. However maximum stripped-cane yield was recorded in 250-200-100 kg NPK ha-1 during both years. Among the planting patterns significantly higher mill able canes, cane weight, and stripped-cane yield were recorded in 30/90cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern followed by 75 and 60cm spaced single row planting pattern with minimum in 30/120cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern. Significantly higher mill able canes, cane weight and stripped-cane yield were recorded in the interaction of 250–200-100 kg NPK ha-1 x 30/90 cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern which were at par with 200–200-100 kg NPK ha-1 x 30/90cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern and minimum in control x 30/120 cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern during both years. Therefore it is recommended that under arid conditions on Silt clay and sandy loam soils optimum stripped cane yield was obtained from nutrient dose of 200–200-100 kg NPK ha-1 and 30/90cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern.