CONCEPTS AND VALUE OF THE NITROGEN GUIDELINES CONTAINED IN THE AUSTRALIAN SUGAR INDUSTRY’S ‘SIX EASY STEPS’ NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

By B.L. SCHROEDER(1), A.P. HURNEY(2), A.W. WOOD(3), P.W. MOODY(4) and P.G. ALLSOPP(5).

BSES Limited,
(1) Bundaberg,
(2) Tully,
(5) Indooroopilly
(3) CSR Sugar, Macknade
(4) Queensland DERM, Indooroopilly

bschroeder@bses.org.au

KEYWORDS: Sugarcane, Nitrogen Management Guidelines, Validation, Value.

Abstract

THE AUSTRALIAN sugar industry currently faces unprecedented scrutiny of its use of nutrients
due to initiatives to protect the Great Barrier Reef from excess nutrients and sediment from
agricultural activities along the Queensland coast. However, this quest needs to be viewed in
conjunction with the need for a sustainable sugarcane industry.

A comprehensive program for nutrient management (the SIX EASY STEPS
program) has been developed recently for the Australian sugar industry. It replaces the
previous general guidelines that did not differentiate between regions or soil types and lacked
precision. The new system supports profitable and sustainable sugarcane production,
enhances environmental awareness, and is consistent with best practice.

The paper summarises the alternative N management strategies that occur within the
Australian sugar industry. It describes best-practice nutrient management and the concepts
that underpin the SIX EASY STEPS program, and explains the principles of the N
management guidelines used within the SIX EASY STEPS program and link this to N use
efficiency. It also assesses the value of the SIX EASY STEPS N management guidelines.

Trial results presented indicate that the SIX EASY STEPS N guidelines are robust and much
more in line with the concept of sustainability than any of the other strategies considered.
Calculation of the target N-use efficiency factors across the full range of SIX EASY
STEPS N guidelines, especially when all possible sources of N within the soil/plant
environment are included, strengthens the SIX EASY STEPS as an appropriate and fully
comprehensive nutrient management package. This is confirmed by the results of the
economic analyses of data from both small plot experiments and commercially-based
replicated strip trials conducted on-farm.

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Agronomy- Proc. Int. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Vol. 27, 2010 
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USE OF VINASSE FOR SOIL RECLAMATION AND ITS IMPACT ON ELEMENTAL LOADS IN VERTISOL SOIL AND GROUNDWATER

By MARCO ANTONIO GIRON TEJADA
Imecol S.A.
magiron@yahoo.com


KEYWORDS: Vinasse, Sugarcane, Soil,
Groundwater, Soil Reclamation.

Abstract

ASTUDYwas carried out to evaluate the contamination of soils and groundwater through the
use of vinasse in the reclamation of saline soilswith trace elements such as Fe, Cu, Mn and
Zn to sugarcane soils.

The soils at the experimental site were located in the flat area of Valle del Cauca,
Colombia and consisted of the Vertisols of the Galpón series characterised with a loam clay
texture and problems of salinity and sodicity.
Vinasse containing 10% total solids was applied at the rate of 1500 m3/ha. The trace
element contents in the soil increased compared to their initial values but did not reach levels
that are considered as deleterious to the soils.
Similarly, the concentration of trace elements in groundwater was not significantly
increased and remained below the threshold values according to the Colombian
Environmental Legislation.

In conclusion, in this type of soil there were no contamination problems with heavy
elements in soil and groundwater from the application of vinasse with 10% solids on the
reclamation of saline soils.

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Agronomy - Proc. Int. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Vol. 27, 2010
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INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SEED DEPTH, THICKNESS OF TRASH BLANKET AND HERBICIDE TREATMENTS ON EMERGENCE OF VINE WEEDS IN SUGARCANE

By A. GAUNGOO, S. SEERUTTUN and C. BARBE 
Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, Réduit, Mauritius
sseeruttun@msiri.intnet.mu

Abstract

VINE weeds are appearing more frequently in sugarcane fields, particularly with the
increasing adoption of green cane trash blanketing (GCTB). Current control measures are not
effectively providing adequate control of these weeds.

A project to develop strategies for managing vine weeds has been initiated and
included three trials studying the factors influencing emergence of three Ipomoeaspecies
sown in trays. In the first trial, seeds of I. trilobaand I. obscurawere found to emerge at
depths beyond 8 cm while germination of I. nilwas reduced at seed depths greater than 4 cm.
In the second trial, emergence of the three vine species was found to be unaffected by
a trash layer of 5 cm whereas a significant reduction was observed as trash thickness was
increased to 10 cm. An interaction between depth of the vine seed and thickness of trash layer
was also noted; i.e. emergence of seeds at depths between 2 and 4 cm was reduced by more
than 75% when covered by a trash layer of 10 cm.

In the third trial, six pre-emergence herbicide treatments namely atrazine, atrazine +
hexazinone, sulfentrazone, amicarbazone, trifloxysulfuron + ametryn, and diclosulam were
tested for their efficacy against I. trilobasown at soil depths of 2, 6 and 10 cm. At 6 weeks
after spraying (WAS), irrespective of seeddepth, all herbicide treatments provided
satisfactory control. The interaction betweenherbicide treatment and seed depth was
significant at 12 WAS; irrespective of sowing depths, only sulfentrazone provided less than
5% germination over a period of 18 WAS.

These results indicate that both thickness of the trash layer and choice of the
herbicide treatment should be taken into consideration in the development of strategies to
control vines in sugarcane under GCTB.

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Agronomy - Proc. Int. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Vol. 27, 2010
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LUMAX ® : AN ALTERNATIVE TO ATRAZINE FOR PRE- AND POST-EMERGENCE CONTROL OF WEEDS IN SUGARCANE

By S. SEERUTTUN, C. BARBE and A. GAUNGOO 
Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, Réduit, Mauritius
sseeruttun@msiri.intnet.mu

Abstract

ATRAZINEhas successfully been used for more than 40 years in various tank-mixes for both
pre- and post-emergence control of weeds in sugarcane. However, the product is banned in
the EU for environmental reasons. Lumax®, consisting of three active ingredients namely mesotrione (0.0375 kg a.i./L), terbutylazine (0.125 kg a.i./L) and s-metolachlor (0.375 kg a.i./L), has been evaluated as a
substitute for atrazine in Mauritius in 10 field trials in both plant and ratoon sugarcane. Lumax® at rates varying between 3.5 and 5.0 L/ha proved effective on a wide spectrum of broad-leaved weeds and some grasses, including Digitaria horizontalis. In general, Lumax® was superior to the standard s-metolachlor + atrazine and comparable to the tank-mixes tebuthiuron + atrazine and oxyfluorfen + diuron.
In post-emergence of weeds, although Lumax® tank-mixed with 2,4-D amine salt showed a better control of weeds than atrazine tank-mixed with s-metolachlor + 2,4-D amine salt, it was slightly inferior to the other standards containing hexazinone or tebuthiuron. In all situations, Lumax® provided a residual activity varying between 10 and 12 weeks and showed no phytotoxicity on the various sugarcane varieties tested. Lumax®
has been recommended as an alternative to atrazineat rates varying between 4.0 and 5.0 L/ha.

KEYWORDS: Mesotrione, Terbuthylazine,
S-Metolachlor.

Agronomy-  Proc. Int. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Vol. 27, 2010
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STRATEGIES FOR THE OPTIMAL USE OF NITROGEN FERTILISERS IN THE SUGARCANE CROP IN GUATEMALA

By
O. PEREZ (1), C. UFER(2), V. AZAÑON(3) and E. SOLARES(4)

1 Guatemalan Sugarcane Research and Training Centre -CENGICAÑA- Guatemala
Km. 92.5 Carretera a Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla, Guatemala
2 Pantaleon Corporation Sugar Mill
3 La Unión Sugar Mill
4 Magdalena Sugar Mill

operez@cengicana.org

Abstract

THE OBJECTIVE of this work is to present practical criteria that will help sugarcane growers to
optimise their investment in nitrogen fertilisers in the sugarcane crop in Guatemala.

The importance of this objective is in relation to the general increase of fertiliser
price and particularly of nitrogen fertiliser.

The criteria are based on knowledge of crop response to N application in the region
after 14 years of experience in research on the topic.

Crop N response is a function of cane yield, soil fertility, crop age or crop cycle and
other variables associated with agronomical practices and soil condition.

As a result, N rate used in sugar mills’fertilisation programs can be adjusted by
comparing the current relation of kg of nitrogen per tonne of cane (N:TC), with reference
ratios recommended for different soils according to organic matter content (OM) and other
factors. Besides, N rates must be adjusted to fertiliser and sugar price for different production
groups. As an alternative to reduce dependence onnitrogen fertilisers, there are practices that
must be taken into account and be optimised in the short term. These practices consist of usage of species of green manure adapted to the intercropping system, the use of co-products and, in the mid and long term, there is potential for N biological fixation in the sugarcane crop.

KEYWORDS: Nitrogen, Optimisation, Green Manure, N Biological Fixation.
Proc. Int. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Vol. 27, 2010
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__________________________________________________________________________

DIVERSIFICATION OF SUGARCANE VARIETIES FOR CATTLE FEED AND SUSTAINABILITY

By H. JORGE, O. SUÁREZ, H. GARCÍA, I. JORGE and L. BENITEZ
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones dela Caña de Azúcar, Habana. Cuba
hector@inica.minaz.cu

Abstract 

THE PAPER reports results of a study of 44 sugarcane genotypes, evaluated as cattle feed, at
13 months of age, in the first ratoon crop, at Villa Clara–Cienfuegos Territorial Sugar Cane
Research Station and the Sancti Spiritus National Breeding Center in Cuba.
Fourteen traits were evaluated by means of multivariate analyses (Principal
Components and Discriminant Function), and also a simulation was conducted of agroecological regionalisation for the allocation of the sugarcane varieties according to the main
limiting factors (drought and poor drainage) on a cattle producing farm.
Results showed that the variables, percentageof stalk fresh weight (% of stalks) and
of tops (% of tops), had high influence in the first principal component, whereas the genetic
disease (smut and rust) resistance had high influence in the second component. It should be
pointed out that the percentage of digestibility of the dry matter showed very little variability,
which indicates a high stability of this trait.
The Discriminant Function Analysis allowed classification of cultivars into three
groups: varieties of low forage value (below 40% digestibility of the dry matter), varieties of
intermediate forage value (between 40–50%) and varieties of high forage value (above 50%
digestibility).

Results allowed the recommendation of 21 new genotypes, characterised by their
resistance to main diseases and their high foragevalue, and nine were superior to the control
My5514, four suitable for waterlogging stress and three for drought stress.
The simulation of the agro-ecological regionalisation enabled spatial location and
modelling for the appropriate establishment of individuals, in agreement to their digestibility,
tolerance to the two environmental stresses (waterlogging and drought) and their disease
resistance.

KEYWORDS: Cattle Feed, Digestibility,
Dry Matter, Soils, Abiotic Stress.

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Agronomy - Proc. Int. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Vol. 27, 2010

A SUSTAINABLE FERTILISATION PROGRAM FOR A SUGAR FACTORY IN MEXICO: A PRINCIPLE FOR PRECISION AGRICULTURE

By S. SALGADO GARCÍA, D.J. PALMA-LÓPEZ, J. ZAVALA-CRUZ,
L.C. LAGUNES-ESPINOZA, M. CASTELÁN-ESTRADA,
C.F. ORTIZ-GARCÍA, J.F. JUÁREZ-LÓPEZ, O. RUIZ-ROSADO,
L. ARMIDA-ALCUDIA and J.A. RINCÓN-RAMÍREZ

Colegio de Postgraduados – Campus Tabasco 
Apdo.Postal 24. 86500 Cárdenas, Tabasco, México 
salgados@colpos.mx

Abstract

THIS WORK was carried out to determine site-specific fertiliser application rates for the
different types of soil in which sugarcane is cultivated in the sugar factory ‘Presidente Benito
Juárez’ in Mexico.
Cartographic soil subunits were identified through interpretation of aerial
photographs, field observations, and soil sampling toa depth of 1.2 m. In each subunit, the
agrologic profiles were described, and physical and chemical analyses were done to classify
the soil according to the World Soil Map. Fertilisation rates (FR) of N, P2O5, and K2O for
each soil subunit were estimated using a conceptual model. This model is based on the
balance of nutrient demand of the crop, nutrients supplied by the soil, and fertiliser
efficiency. To estimate demand, dry matter production and N, P, and K accumulation of the
sugarcane aerial biomass were determined. P and K supply was calculated from the results of
soil chemical analysis, plus the N contributions from crop residues and their management.
Three major soil groups were found and classified as subunits. The FR for each soil
subunit were (N, P2O5, K2O kg/ha): 120–60–80 for Cambisol Fluvic (Eutric Clayic),
Cambisol Endogleyic (Clayic Eutric) and Cambisol Stanic (Clayic Eutric); 120–70–80 for
Cambisol Endogleyic Stanic (Eutric Ferric) and Gleysol Haplic (Eutric Clayic); 160–80–80
for Vertisol Gleyic Stanic (Eutric); and 120–80–80 for Vertisol Stanic (Eutric).
Fertiliser rates were adjusted based on the expected sugarcane yields for each soil
subunits and soil fertility maintenance. We alsogenerated a map of FR for each sugarcane
field to allow producers to locate the relevant rate.

KEYWORDS: Saccharum officinarum, Fertiliser Recommendation,
Precision Agriculture, Conceptual Model.

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Agronomy Proc. Int. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Vol. 27, 2010