Abstract

Soil tests are valuable guides for determining the available nutrient status of the soil so that fertilisation can be planned on a sound basis. But, as has been pointed out by Nelson et al (1953), no one method of determination of available P is satisfactory for all soils, varying in physico- chemical characteristics. Anon (1956) has emphasized the necessity of placing soils into different groups based on their E. ratios for satisfactory correla- tion of soil tests with crop responses having different values for soil tests for full availability or 100% yield in the different groups. Studies on the sugarcane plant itself as in index for fertiliser practices are fairly well developed in other countries and particularly so in Hawaji. The relative merits of various methods of foliar diagnosis in sugarcane have been discussed by Samuels (1959). Very little work has been done on sugarcane in India on the use of plant tests for P and K for commercial fertiliser practices. There is thus need for study of comparative merits of soil and plant tests for P and K for the cane crop under the conditions prevailing in Tiru Arooran Sugar Farms, Vadapathimangalam in Thanjavur District.

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