The use of sugarcane in rotation with horticultural crops for removal of residual nitrogen

Purpose

The objective of the study was to establish whether runoff of nitrogen from sugarcane farms could be reduced by taking advantage of the residual nitrogen present in the soil profile following harvesting of a horticultural crop.

Method

Rotation of sugarcane with horticultural crops such as tomatoes or capsicums.

Two experimental sites were selected on farms that had previously grown tomatoes and capsicums. Each area was divided into two blocks with each block having three strata. Sugarcane was then planted in both areas and urea applied a month later at rates of 0, 16 and 80 kg N/ha on the tomato farm and 0, 75, 150kg N/ha on the capsicum farm.

Key Findings

The yield of fresh sugarcane at both farms did not increase where fertiliser nitrogen was applied at rates between 75 and 160kg N/ha. However, without the addition of nitrogen fertiliser 97 t/ha and 47 t/ha of fresh sugarcane was produced after the tomato and capsicum crops respectively.

Location

Bundaberg district

Key references and sources of this data synthesis

These data summaries have been extracted from:

1. Weier KL, and Haines MG. (1998). The use of sugarcane in rotation with horticultural crops for removal of residual nitrogen. Proc. Aust. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Poster Papers 20: 550-568.