Explore key nutrient management practices for optimizing sugarcane growth and yield. Assess your understanding of essential elements, deficiency symptoms, and fertilizer strategies in sugarcane agriculture.
Which macronutrient is most directly linked to promoting high sugarcane yield and sugar content in the stalks?
Explanation: Nitrogen is crucial for vegetative growth and sugar accumulation in sugarcane, making it key for high yields. Zinc and iron are important micronutrients but play a less direct role in yield. Calcium aids in cell wall strength but is not as strongly linked to sugar accumulation as nitrogen.
A sugarcane crop shows yellowing of older leaves, while younger leaves remain green. Which nutrient is most likely deficient?
Explanation: Nitrogen deficiency typically presents as yellowing (chlorosis) of older leaves first. Sulfur deficiency usually affects younger leaves. Manganese and boron show different symptoms unrelated to the described scenario.
What is the most recommended time to apply the majority of nitrogen fertilizer to a sugarcane crop for optimal uptake?
Explanation: Applying nitrogen at the tillering stage supports rapid vegetative growth and ensures efficient uptake. Immediately after planting risks leaching before plant demand increases. Applying at harvest or late in the grand growth phase is too late for maximum benefit.
Why is potassium fertilizer important in sugarcane cultivation?
Explanation: Potassium improves sugarcane's drought tolerance and water-use efficiency. It does not initiate germination, reduce stem borer attacks, or fix atmospheric nitrogen (legumes handle nitrogen fixation).
In areas with alkaline soils, which micronutrient deficiency is most commonly observed in sugarcane crops?
Explanation: Alkaline soils often cause iron to become unavailable to plants, leading to iron deficiency in sugarcane. Magnesium, nitrogen, and sulfur deficiencies can occur but are less directly linked to soil pH in these conditions.