Microbial biofertilizers a source of nitrogen for sugarcane in Mauritius?
| MSI05P4163 | |
| Umrit, G Ng Kee Kwong, K F | |
| Microbial biofertilizers a source of nitrogen for sugarcane in Mauritius? | |
| Lalouette, J. A., Bheenick, K. J. and Nundalallee, C. (eds), Proceedings, Seventh Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, 4-6 May 2005, Boname Hall, MSIRI, Mauritius. (Draft) | |
| 7th Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, 4-6 May 2005, Mauritius | |
| book chapter | |
| 2005 | |
| p. 161-166 | |
| Réduit: Food and Agricultural Research Council | |
| (Proceedings available at http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/ncb/moa/farc/amas2005/pdf/MAS20051stDraft.pdf; Powerpoint presentation: http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/ncb/moa/farc/amas2005/presen/Session2005/S5.4.pdf)(Also published in Revue agric. sucr. Ile Maurice 85(1-3): 102-107) | |
| En | |
| En | |
| Sugar cane production in Mauritius is intensive with 11,000 tonnes fertilizer nitrogen (N) applied annually to maintain productivity. This represents an annual investment of more than MUR 220 million by the sugar cane farming community and with further likely increases in the price of synthetic N fertilizers research effort is focused on alternative technologies that will reduce our reliance on mineral N fertilizer. In this context field trials were conducted at four locations (Pamplemousses, Reduit, Belle Rive and Union Park) during 2002-2004 period to determine the contribution of three commercially available microbial biofertilizers (Gluconacetobacter, Azotobacter and Azospirillum) to the N nutrition of sugar cane receiving different levels of fertilizer N (70 and 140 kg N ha-1). Data obtained showed that inoculation of cane setts with the biofertilizers at planting had no significant effect (P=0.05) on N uptake and biomass produced by six month-old cane at any of the four sites. Consequently, total N uptake, cane and sugar yields at harvest did not differ significantly (P=0.05) between inoculated and uninoculated treatments. Concurrently, pot experiments carried out at Reduit did not provide any evidence of a significant (P=0.05) difference in root and shoot biomass or N uptake between inoculated and uninoculated treatments. The prospects of using the three microbial biofertilizers studied as an alternative means of harnessing N by sugar cane are therefore remote. | |
| sugarcane biofertilizers fertilizers plant nutrition nitrogen Sustainable sugarcane farming N fertilization Gluconacetobacter Azotobacter Azospirillum | |
| Mauritius | |
| Sugarcane: Soils and plant nutrition | |
| Fertilization: Nitrogen | |
| 2005-05-03 | |
| En | |
| LIST | |
| CHEM |