Author(s):

Christy Nirmala Mary P and M Jeyachandran

Abstract: Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is an important economically valuable crop of our country. It plays a significant role in the economic up-lift of the country and provides raw material for sugar industry. Sub surface drip fertigation is a highly effective method of water application, which is also ideally suited for controlling the placement and supply rate of water soluble fertilizers in sugarcane cropping system. Proper fertigation management requires the knowledge of fertigation rate and nutrient uptake by the crop to ensure maximum crop productivity. In this study the effect of fertigation and irrigation systems on sugarcane yield, quality and nutrient distribution pattern in soil were evaluated at sugarcane research station, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu in subsurface fertigation system of sugarcane planting. The experiment was laid out in spilt plot design with variety CoC (SC) 24. Three irrigation regimes viz., at 75,100 and 125% photo evaporation were allotted to main plots and six fertilizer levels were accommodated in the sub plots. Among the irrigations levels, irrigation at 125% photo evaporation registered a maximum yield of 129.46 t/ha. Among the sub plot treatments, application of 100% recommended dose of fertilizers fully as water soluble fertilizers as urea and potassium nitrate applied plots registered higher mean cane yield of 128.92 t ha^-1. Considering the interactions effects, irrigation and fertigations levels, the treatment received drip irrigation at 125% photo evaporation with 100% recommended dose of fertilizers fully as water soluble fertilizers as urea and potassium nitrate was found to be the best one for getting an economic cane yield. The results on available nutrient status of soil at four different depths at 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm depths of soil indicated that application of 100% recommended NPK as water soluble fertilizers registered the higher available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium status of soil. Among the irrigation regimes, application of water at drip irrigation at 125% photo evaporation - irrigating 4 hours once in two days increases the available nitrogen and phosphorus status of the soil at 15 cm soil layers followed by 30 cm soil layers. The soil potassium was found to be maximum at 60 cm layer followed by 45 cm soil layer.

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