Organomineral Fertilizer as Source of P and K for Sugarcane

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp) crop has high social, economic and environmental importance for several regions throughout the world. However, the increasing demand for efficiency and optimization of agricultural resources generates uncertainties regarding high mineral fertilizer consumption. Thereby, organomineral fertilizers are to reduce the conventional sources consumption. Thus, this study was carried out to evaluate the agronomic and economic sugarcane performancies and the residual effect of P and K under mineral and organomineral fertilization. Growth and technological parameters, leaf and soil nutrients concentration in surface and subsurface layers were analyzed from sugarcane planting (plant cane) until the first ratoon. Agronomic and economic sugarcane efficiency were evaluated. At the first ratoon, resin-extractable P provided by mineral and organomineral fertilizers were, respectively, 15 and 11 mg kg⁻¹ in the 0.0–0.2 m, and 28 and 31 mg kg⁻¹ in 0.2–0.4 m layer. However, exchangeable K in the 0.0–0.2 m layer was 1.88 and 1.58 mmol_c kg⁻¹ for mineral and organomineral fertilizers, respectively. The yield gains over the control reached with mineral and organomineral fertilizers were, respectively, 10.99 and 17 Mg ha⁻¹ at the lowest fertilizer rate; and 29.25 and 61.3 Mg ha⁻¹ at the highest fertilizer rate. Agronomic and economic organomineral fertilizer efficiencies are more pronounced in plant cane. Summing two harvests, the organomineral is 7% more profitable than mineral fertilizer.