Abstract
Four filed experiments were conducted to select the most productive and profitable integrated nutrient management on the aspect of morpho-physiological growth and yield of plant and ratoon sugarcane as sole or intercropped with potato-mungbean in paired row system at Regional Sugarcane Research Station (RSRS) Farm, Thakurgaon and Shyampur Sugar Mills Farm (SSMF), Rangpur during 2014-15 and 2015-16 cropping year. Cane juice quality, soil nutrient status of postharvest soil and economic analysis were also determined. The sugarcane variety Isd-37 was used as test crop while potato (cv. cardinal) and summer mungbean (cv. Binamung 5) were also used as intercrops. The experiments consisted of eleven treatments viz. T₁: Control, T₂: N₁₆₅P₅₅K₁₂₀S₃₀Zn₂.₅Mg₂₀, T₃: T₂ + Dolomite @ 1 t ha⁻¹, T₄: 75% of T₂ + PM @ 10 t ha⁻¹, T₅: 75% of T₂ + PM @ 10 t ha⁻¹ + Dolomite @ 1 t ha⁻¹, T₆: 75% of T₂ + Cowdung @ 12.5 t ha⁻¹, T₇: 75% of T₂ + CW @ 12.5 t ha⁻¹ + Dolomite @ 1 t ha⁻¹, T₈: 75% of T₂ + Pressmud @ 15 t ha⁻¹, T₉: 75% of T₂ + Pressmud @ 15 t ha⁻¹ + Dolomite @ 1 t ha⁻¹, T₁₀: 75% of T₂ + Dhaincha as green manure (GM) and T₁₁: 75% of T₂ + Dhaincha as GM + Dolomite @ 1 t ha⁻¹. The experiments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and the means were judged by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% levels of probability. Results obtained from the plant sugarcane revealed that the treatment T₅ produced more tillers in Rangpur and T₈ in Thakurgaon. Similarly, leaf area index, stalk height, cane yield at both regions were the highest in T₅ while TDM content was the highest in T₆ at those regions. However, millable cane and sugarcane diameter were maximum in T₅ at Thakurgaon and in T₇ at Rangpur region but the highest sugar yield at those regions were obtained highest in T₉. Cane juice quality i.e. brix and fibre content at both regions and pol content at Thakurgaon region were obtained the highest in T₅ while purity content was the highest in T₁ at those regions. The highest contents of N, P, S and Ca at Thakurgaon and N, S and Zn content at Rangpur were obtained in T₅ while OM content at Thakurgaon, and P and K contents at Rangpur region were obtained the highest in T₄, T₈ and T₁₀, treatments respectively. The cost of plant sugarcane production at Thakurgaon and Rangpur region were maximum with T₁₁ where T₅ showed the highest gross and net return along with highest BCR. The observation of sole sugarcane was more or less similar with ratoon sugarcane as well. Results obtained from intercropped of potato-mungbean with plant sugarcane in paired row system revealed that tillers production was the highest at Rangpur in T₈ and at Thakurgaon in T₅. However, treatment T₅ further showed the highest leaf area index, and yield of cane and intercrops at both regions, stalk height and sugarcane diameter at Rangpur region. The millable cane, stalk height and sugarcane diameter at Thakurgaon, millable cane and brix content at Rangpur were recorded the highest in T₇ while the highest TDM content at both regions were recorded in T₆. However, brix, pol and fibre contents at Thakurgaon and fibre content at Rangpur region were also the highest in T₅ but purity content was the highest in T₁ at both regions. Similarly, T₅ further showed the highest contents of P, S, Ca, Mg and Zn at Thakurgaon and N, S, Ca and Zn contents at Rangpur region while OM content at Thakurgaon, P content at Rangpur were the highest in T₄ and T₈, respectively. The highest cost of production was obtained with T₈ at both regions while the highest gross and net returns and BCR were recorded with T₅. The observation of intercrop of plant sugarcane was also more or less similar to the obtained results of intercrop of ratoon sugarcane. From the results, it is concluded that 75% of recommended fertilizer as per soil analysis including 10 t ha⁻¹ PM and 1 t ha⁻¹ dolomite would be the most productive and profitable integrated nutrient management technology while intercropping tested was found more productive and profitable over sole sugarcane cultivation where ratoon sugarcane was better than plant sugarcane.