2024, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part E

author(s)
Patil PR, Solanke AV, Surve US, Patil VS and Patil MR

abstract
An field experiment was conducted to test effect of various potassium sources on growth, and yield of suru sugarcane ratoon under different irrigation regimes in inceptisols of MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra. Application of water as per crop evapotranspiration demand can help to precisely apply water to sugarcane. However, there was need to evaluate on how sugarcane reacts to decreased water quantity through drip irrigation. So different irrigation regimes viz., 60%, 80% and 100% ETc level were experimented. Nutrient use efficiency of conventional potassic fertilizer MOP is also a low due to fixation of potassium in soil and losses with water percolation. India meets most of its potassium fertilizer demands through exports causing heavy burden on government. Polyhalite as a source of potassium is naturally occurring mineral which contains four major nutrients viz., Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Sulphur has been gaining recognition in recent years worldwide due to its multi-nutrient, slow-release nature and better results in many crops when compared with MOP. So different combinations viz., 100:0, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0 levels of Potassium through Polyhalite and MOP respectively were tried as source of potassium to supply recommended dose of fertilizer to suru sugarcane ratoon. Results indicate that significantly higher growth and yield attributes sugarcane ratoons were obtained with drip irrigation at 100% ETc (Crop evapotranspiration) regime, however results were at par with irrigation at 80% ETc regime. Thus, water saving to the tune of 20 percent can be achieved by applying drip irrigation on alternate day at 80% ETc demand under shortage of water availability. Among the potassium sources, application of potassium through Polyhalite alone or in combination with MOP at 75:25 percent respectively, resulted in higher growth and yield of sugarcane ratoon.