Optimizing the Methods and Schedule of Fertilization Escalated Nutrient Uptake, Nutrient Use Efficiency and Dry Matter Yield of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)

A field study was performed at Regional Research Station, Uchani (Karnal) of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India during 2020-21 to ascertain the role of precision nutrient management in enhancing nutrient availability to plants by amending the schedule and method of N and K fertilization in spring planted sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) crop under wide spacing (120 cm). The experiment was devised under split plot design with three replications. The main plot treatments consisted of two methods of fertilizer placement (B1-broadcasting and B2-band placement) while sub plot treatments included four schedules of application of recommended dose of N and K (RDN+RDK) in five splits (T1), six splits (T2), seven splits (T3) and T4 (RDN in three splits, full dose of P and K at planting). All the main and sub plot treatments showed a remarkable influence on nutrient uptake (kg ha-1), partial factor (kg kg-1) productivity, dry matter accumulation (t ha-1) and plant macro-nutrient content. B1 and T1 among main and sub plot treatments respectively lead to greater nutrient uptake, partial factor productivitie of NPK and highest dry matter yield.