Journal article
Polymer coated urea does not improve nitrogen use efficiency above urea in ratoon sugarcane crops in the wet subtropics
Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems, Vol.130, pp.255-267
21/11/2024
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Abstract
Sugarcane (Saccharum sp. hybrids) crops typically grow for 16–24 months in the subtropics, with nitrogen (N) fertiliser generally applied as a single dose between 150 and 250 kg N ha−1 early in the season. High N fertiliser application coupled with intense rainfall in the subtropics can lead to nitrate leaching and denitrification events that result in low N fertiliser use efficiency and damage to the environment. We investigated whether the use of a slow-release N fertiliser, polymer coated urea (PCU), may be more agronomically effective than urea as an N fertiliser source, by better matching soil N supply to sugarcane N demand. Multi-rate N fertiliser trials comparing biomass production and N accumulation responses of ratoon sugarcane crops to urea and PCU products were conducted across four commercial sugarcane farms in the Australian subtropics, with N fertiliser applied in a band 100–150 mm below the soil surface 2–12 weeks after the previous cane crop was harvested. At two sites, buried mesh bags containing 90 d and 270 d PCU products were destructively sampled over 12–15 months to assess the N release rate under field conditions. Sugarcane biomass yields were responsive to applied N at two of the four sites (P<0.05) and crop N accumulation was responsive to N fertiliser application at all four sites (P<0.1). While the mesh bag study clearly indicated a delayed release of N from the PCU products over time, there was no significant effect of N fertiliser source (urea vs PCU) on crop biomass or N accumulation at any site. The lack of any improvement in agronomic N efficiency with the PCU products is attributed to the presence of active roots in ratoon crops combined with the absence of large rainfall events in the months following N fertiliser application in the seasons of study. Modelling, coupled with an understanding of the N release dynamics of PCU products across a different soils and climatic conditions, is required to develop recommendations for PCU products for sugarcane growers in the region, although further trials across a wider range of seasons may be warranted to verify any modelling predictions.
Details
- Title
- Polymer coated urea does not improve nitrogen use efficiency above urea in ratoon sugarcane crops in the wet subtropics
- Creators
- Terry J. Rose - Southern Cross UniversityJosh Rust - New South Wales Department of Primary IndustriesLukas Van Zwieten - Southern Cross UniversityMichael T. Rose - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems, Vol.130, pp.255-267
- Publisher
- Springer Nature B.V.
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit programme.
- Identifiers
- 991013237913302368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s)
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article