Abstract

Field experiments were conducted on plant and its ratoon crop of sugarcane (Co.Si.96071) during 1998-99 and 1999-2000 in a clay loam marginally-saline alkaline soil. The results on cane yield and quality parameters showed that foliar spray of ferrous sulphate (1%)+zinc sulphate (0.5%) at 45 and 90 days after planting along with basal application of pressmud (5t ha) increased the cane yield and sugar yield significantly over soil application of FeSO, and ZnSO, and control treatments. Application of pressmud enriched with FeSO, and ZnSO, increased the cane yield, commercial cane sugar content and sugar yield over soil application of state micro nutrient mixture. Enriched pressmud with micro nutrients also improved the availability of DTPA extractable iron and zinc in soil.

Keywords: Iron and zinc enriched pressmud, foliar spray. cane yield and sugar yield, DTPA extractable micro nutrients