EFFECT OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON SOIL CARBON POOL PARAMETERS, CANE PRODUCTIVITY AND JUICE QUALITY OF SUGARCANE IN CALCAREOUS SOIL
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Date
2021
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Dr.RPCAU, Pusa
Abstract
Sugarcane is a long duration and nutrient-exhaustive crop. The excessive and
imbalanced use of chemical fertilizer has raised problems like deterioration of soil
health. The soil organic carbon content is continuously declining due to the nonaddition
of organic matter which is a matter of great concern. Restoration of organic
matter is thus, needed for maintaining soil health and improving productivity through
the addition of organic amendments. A field experiment was therefore, conducted
during 2018-20 at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University Pusa (Bihar) to
assess the “Effect of organic amendments on soil carbon pool parameters, cane
productivity and juice quality of sugarcane in calcareous soil”. The experiment was
laid out in randomized block design with eight treatments and thrice replications. The
organic treatments comprised of FYM @ 20 t ha-1, biocompost (BC) @ 20 t ha-1,
vermicompost (VC) @ 5.0 t ha-1, green manure with moong, sugarcane trash @ 10 t
ha-1, FYM + BC+ VC (1: 1: 0.5) @ 20 t ha-1. The results revealed that the application
of organic amendments significantly increased the soil organic carbon content & stock
and different organic carbon pool parameters in post-harvest soil. The percent increase
in soil organic carbon content and stock due to the addition of the organic
amendments over control ranged from 22.75 - 47. 25 and 6.49 - 23. 50 % after
harvest of sugarcane ratoon, respectively. The significantly higher value of watersoluble
carbon (49. 89 - 56. 22), water-soluble carbohydrate (193.07 - 203.63) soil
microbial biomass carbon ( 238.80 - 243.15 mg kg-1) and CO2 evolution ( 52.56 -
65.04 mg 100 gm-1 soil day-1) was recorded in organic treated plots over control after
harvest of the ratoon crop under sugarcane plant - ratoon system. In organic
treatments, a significant decrease in bulk density (4.1 - 6.8 %) and increase in
porosity (5.1 - 8.4%) were registered over control in post- harvest soil after the ratoon
crop. The available N, P2O5 & K2O content in soil significantly increased due to the
addition of the organic amendments over control which ranged from 236.25 - 266.28,
24.41 - 34.40 & 117.24 - 124.41 and 249.48 - 272.58, 30.15 - 40.18 & 119.26 -
127.05 kg ha-1, in sugarcane plant and ratoon crops, respectively. A positive and
significant correlation was obtained between carbon pool parameters and soil quality
parameters.
The application of different organic amendments significantly increased the
number of tillers & millable cane and cane yield in sugarcane plant and ratoon crops.
However, a non-significant effect on cane germination, height, girth and single cane
weight were observed. The addition of organic amendments showed higher cane and
sugar yield which was at par with RDF. The plant and ratoon cane yield in organic
treatments varied from 43.69 - 85.86 and 35.87 - 77.27 t ha-1 and sugar yield from
4.92 -10.70 & 4.06 - 10.56 t ha-1, respectively. The N, P & K uptake by sugarcane
plant and ratoon crops varied from 200.01 - 292.7, 17.9 - 19.8 & 200.5 - 278. 9 and
152.0 - 255.6, 10.6 - 15.9 & 170.0 - 249.9 kg ha-1, respectively.
The maximum B: C ratio in sugarcane plant and the ratoon crops was registered
in the treatment receiving green manuring with moong (2.29 & 2.98) which was at par
with treatments receiving sugarcane trash @ 10 t ha-1 (2.13 & 2.71), vermicompost @
5.0 t ha-1 (1.93 & 2.37) and farmyard manure @ 20 t ha-1 (2.18 & 2.92), respectively.
Thus, the application of FYM @ 20 t ha-1 or vermicompost @ 5.0 t ha-1 or sugarcane
trash @ 10 t ha-1 or green manure with moong was beneficial for restoration of soil
carbon stocks, maintaining soil health, enhancing cane & sugar yield and getting
economic returns under sugarcane plant-ratoon system in calcareous soil of Bihar.