SOIL FERTILITY, YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTES OF RAINFED SUGARCANE DURING TRANSITION TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted consecutively for three years in the same field (2021-22 to 2023-24) at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Anakapalle to standardize the production protocols of organic farming for sugarcane under rainfed condition with a objective to study the effect of organic farming on yield attributes, yield, quality, soil fertility and nutrient uptake of sugarcane. During first two years, significantly superior cane and sugar yields were recorded in inorganic farming, however onpar cane yields (58.27 and 56.20 tha^-1 in organic and inorganic farming, respectively) were recorded during third year of study. Sugar yields also followed the same trend as higher sugar  yields were recorded in inorganic farming during first two years, whereas in third year relatively higher sugar yields was recorded in organic farming with a mean sugar yield of  7.48 & 8.03 tha^-1, respectively in organic and  inorganic farming, respectively. Significantly highest mortality of shoots was observed in inorganic farming, whereas in organic farming less mortality of shoots from formative to grand growth stage. Significantly highest macro nutrient uptake was observed in inorganic farming during first two years, whereas in third year onpar results were recorded for all the three macro nutrients might be on par cane yields. organic carbon content was increased significantly in organic farming treatment (0.56 %) compared to chemical farming (0.54 %) from its initial value of 0.53% over a period of three years. With regard to the available macronutrient status, in all the three years inorganic farming recorded relatively higher available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium status of 244, 64.50 and 286 kg ha^-1 of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Reverse trend was observed with soil beneficial microbes, as they were significantly highest in organic farming plots compare to inorganic farming in all the three years. Significantly highest macro nutrient uptake was observed in inorganic farming during first two years, whereas in third year onpar results were recorded for all the three macro nutrients might be on par cane yields in both organic and inorganic plots