SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE
Phosphorus fertilization and lime application and its effect on sugarcane growth, yield and borer attack in sugarcane
Fertilización fosfatada y encalado y su efecto sobre el desarrollo, productividad y ataque del barrenador en caña de azúcar
Jimmy Walter Rasche Alvarez1, Claudia Carolina Cabral Antunez1, Eduardo Augusto Muller2, Gerson Laerson Drescher2, Leandro Souza da Silva2
1 Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias (FCA), Universidad Nacional de Asunción (UNA), Ruta 1, Km 10, San Lorenzo, Paraguay. CP 2160.
2 Departamento de Solos, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), 97105-900, Santa Maria,RS, Brasil. CP 97001.
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ABSTRACT
Both soil phosphorus (P) and soil acidity are the key factors in soil fertility management and of - ten limits crop production in subtropical agriculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of lime and different P rates on sugarcane variety and their interactive effect on the sugar cane borer attack. A three factorial experiment containing, two sugarcane varieties i. e., (SP81-3250 and RB-956911); with and without application of agricultural lime (3.5 t ha-1) and four P rates i. e., (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1) was ca - rried out at the research field area of Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil during 2011-12. It assessed a) sugarcane stalk length, b) stem diameter; c) number of internodes, d) number of stalk ha-1, e) stalk yield, f) °Brix and g) Intensity of infestation Index. Results indicated that, the stalk yields of RB-956911 and SP81-3250 was 106.6 and 139.8 Mg ha-1, respectively. The °Brix was between 18.60 % and 18.00 %, respectively. The Intensity of infestation Index was 2.76 % for the RB-956911 and 3.65 % for the SP81-3250. The lime application showed significant results only on the borer attack. Phosphorus application increased the sugarcane yield from 105.9 Mg ha-1 to 136.5 Mg ha-1 with 60 kg of P2O5 ha-1. The application of phosphorus increased sugarcane productivity but it does not contribute which increase the borer attack.
