How to grow sugarcane with Haifa Fertilizers

Using the right fertilizers in order to provide the sugarcane necessities

By using Haifa's fertilizers, the nutrients uptake curve can show great improvement

Plant population: Stalk density at harvest 90,000-150,000 Stalk/Ha. (achieved by planting 10,000-15,000 cuttings or setts of 2-3 eyes or bud per Ha).
Soil type: Medium to heavy; optimal pH 5.0 - 8.5.
Expected yield: 200-300 MT/ha.

Nitrogen - The recommended amount of nitrogen is based on 1 Kg N per ton of expected plant cane, and 1.25 - 1.50 Kg of N per ton of cane expected for ratoon crops. Nitrogen must be applied at an early stage of growth. For a 12 months crop, the entire amount should be applied within 3-4 months after planting. It is essential to complete N application at least 5 months before intended date of harvest.

Phosphate - All applied at planting according to soil analysis.

Potassium - In heavy soils, all the recommended amount of K is applied as base dressing. In lighter soils, it is preferable to apply one half of the total amount as base dressing and the rest 6 months later.

Recommended rates of nutrients for sugarcane

	N	P₂O₅	K₂O
Conditions	-------- Kg/Ha --------
Brazil (Sao Paulo)	45-90	60-120	60-120
India (tropics)	200-300	60-120	80-150

Base-Dressing

Nutrient demand			Recommended fertilizers
N	P₂O₅	K₂O	SOP*	MAP	AN
-------- Kg/Ha --------			-------- Kg/Ha --------
12-24	60-120	50-100	100-200	100-200	-

Side dressing

Nutrient demand			Recommended fertilizers
N	P₂O₅	K₂O	Multi-K™*	MAP*	AN*
-------- Kg/Ha --------			-------- Kg/Ha --------
188-276	-	50-100	110-220	-	500-730

The nitrogen should be divided to 3-4 applications within 3-4 months after planting.
*
SOP = Potassium Sulphate (50% K₂O).
Haifa Multi-K™ = Potassium Nitrate (13-0-46)
AN = Ammonium Nitrate (34% N)
MAP = Mono-Ammonium Phosphate (12% N and 61% P₂O₅)

Foliar feeding

Physiological stage	Haifa Bonus™ concentration (%)
Physiological stage	Ground Application	By airplane
Young foliage (1^st & 2^nd year)	2%	10%
Mature foliage (1^st & 2^nd year)	4%	12-15%

This treatment should be applied as a series of 3-4 applications, 3-4 weeks apart.

Do not wait with the application of Haifa Bonus™ until you need to apply Glyphosate because the Glyphosate application is about 35 – 40 days before harvesting while the demand for K at this stage is very low.

Highest demand for K in sugar cane is between 4 – 2,5 months before harvest.
Haifa Bonus application should be done at the best phenological stage, by 1-2 applications with 10% concentration (3Kg/30liters/hectare) by plane. Aerial

Nutrients uptake curve of sugarcane

The common practice in Colombia is to desiccate the sugarcane foliage prior to harvesting, by spraying glyphosate, one month before the scheduled harvesting, at a rate of 1.4 lit./Ha.

In an experiment that was carried out in Colombia, glyphosate was applied by helicopter at the recommended rate, in comparison to 0.7 lit. glyphosate / Ha (half the regular rate) combined with 10% Multi-K™.
This treatment with Multi-K™ increased the sugar level in the cane and reduced the application cost.

Macro elements removed by 1 ton marketable product

N	P	K₂O	CaO	MgO	S
-------------------------------------- Kg/ton ------------------------------------------
1.4	0.3	2.6		0.75	0.35

Plant analysis guide

Nutrient sufficiency ranges (source: A & L, Agronomy Handbook, Ankerman & Large Eds.)

Sugarcane	N	S	P	K	Mg	Ca	Na	B	Zn	Mn	Fe	Cu	Al
Sugarcane	------------------------ % -------------------------							--------------- p.p.m ---------------
From	2.00	0.15	0.20	1.00	0.10	0.20	0.01	5	15	15	40	5	20
To	3.00	0.50	0.35	2.20	0.45	0.60	0.10	40	100	200	200	50	200

Sugarcane – Mineral analysis values

	Leaves
Nutrient	Average value	Critical level
	(%)
N	2.40
S	0.18	0.18
P	0.26
K	2.10
Mg	0.15	0.07
Ca	0.30	0.12
Na	0.01
	(ppm)
Fe	85	25
Al	25
Mn	45	17
B	7	3
Cu	8
Zn	20	7
Mo	0.9