Effects of Water Deficit on the Growth and Nutrient Uptake of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum l.) Plant and First Ratoon in Central Clay Plain of Sudan

Abstract

Field and nurse experiments were conducted during 2019/20 at Sugarcane Research Center Farm - Gunied (Sudan), to evaluate the effects of water deficit irrigation on the growth(root and shoot) and nutrient uptake of sugarcane plant and first ratoon, cultivar Co 6806. Nurse experiment used for root growth study. The experimental design was randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated three times. The treatments comprised of two levels of water supply. The first was optimal irrigation (DT0) with full Irrigation water applied when the available soil moisture in the root zone reached 60 % of the total available soil moisture (40 % depletion). The second treatment was applied when available soil moisture content (ASMC) reached 20 – 25 % in the root zone. These treatments were conducted at two growth periods; the first from day one to day fifty after germination of sugarcane and after establishment of first ratoon (DT1). The second treatment for day fifty one to day hundred after germination and after establishment of ratoon (DT2). The results showed that water deficit has a negative effect on sugarcane shoot growth parameters, stem height, stem diameter, fresh and dry weight of shoot. Root growth parameters; root length and root dry weight at first growth period showed positive effect for plant cane with no significant difference. Also root shoot ratio (RSR) for height, fresh and dry weight and plant moisture percentage has positive effect with significant difference and clear increase. Moreover, nutrient uptake (NPK) was affected by water deficit on sugarcane crop cycle. Nitrogen uptake was decreased opposite to (P) and (K) with significant difference while at first ratoon nutrient uptake under irrigation deficit has increased (K) uptake and (NP) was decreased with significant difference. Therefore it can be concluded that irrigation deficit affects negatively the growth components of sugarcane crop.