F. Abbasi; A.; N. Salamati
Abstract
Introduction: Application of simultaneous nitrogen fertilizer and water as fertigation in surface irrigation systems is developing. In fertigation is possible to increase water and fertilizer use efficiency and it allows growers to apply nutrients in split and small amounts throughout the season in response ...
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Introduction: Application of simultaneous nitrogen fertilizer and water as fertigation in surface irrigation systems is developing. In fertigation is possible to increase water and fertilizer use efficiency and it allows growers to apply nutrients in split and small amounts throughout the season in response to crop needs. In this study, sugarcane furrow fertigation experiments is carried out in Dehkhoda agro-industry company to improve fertilizer management, water and nitrogen use efficiency, and reduce urea fertilizer consumption.
Materials and Methods: Large scale furrow experiments were conducted on a plant field. Field experiments were carried out as split plot with a complete randomized block design. Experimental treatments consisted of three fertilizer splits (2, 3, and 4 splits) in main plots and three levels of urea fertilizer (60, 80 and 100% of required urea fertilizer) in subplots and compared with the common method (control) used in the agro-industry fields. Experiments were conducted on a 25 hectare field in 250 meter long and blocked end furrows. Irrigation water during the crop season was applied the same for different fertigation treatments and measured using the WSC flumes in each irrigation events. Irrigation interval varied from 8 to 15 days during the crop season. Qualitative and quantitative traits (e.i., stalk height, cane yield, purity, brix, white sugar yield, and water, fertilizer, and sugar use efficiency) at harvest were measured and analyzed using the MSTATC software.
Results and Discussions: A total of 21 irrigation events during the growing season were measured. Average water consumption in each irrigation event was 865 cubic meters per hectare. Total applied irrigation water during the growing season was 18,155 cubic meters per hectare. Results showed that fertilizer split factor significantly affected the qualitative and quantitative traits at a 5% level of significance. So that, all qualitative and quantitative traits in four split treatments were significantly (P
