Growth and yield of sugarcane as a function of phosphorus doses and forms of application

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate sugarcane growth and its agricultural and industrial yield influenced by phosphorus (P) sources and forms of application. The experiment was carried out at the Paisa Sugar Mill, in Penedo-AL, Brazil, from February 2012 to February 2013. The adopted experimental design was a randomized block in a factorial arrangement, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of five doses of triple superphosphate applied in the planting furrow (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha-1 of P2O5), and three doses of Bayóvar reactive phosphate rock (0, 100 and 200 kg ha-1 of P2O5) applied in the total area. Phosphorus applied in the planting furrow improved sugarcane quality through the reduction of fiber and increases in purity, corrected pol, total recoverable sugar, ton of pol per hectare (TPH) and ton of sugarcane per hectare (TSH). The Bayóvar reactive phosphate rock promoted increases in stem diameter at 120 days after planting (DAP), TPH and TSH. For the interaction triple superphosphate applied in the planting furrow x Bayóvar reactive phosphate rock applied in the total area, there were significant differences in the number of tillers at 30 DAP, stem diameter at 120 DAP and TSH.