Journal of Crops Improvement

Journal of Crops Improvement

Foliar Application of Amino-Chelated Potassium and Silicon on Quantitative and Qualitative Attributes of Sugarcane in Plant and Ratoon Fields of Southern Khuzestan

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.
2 Khuzestan Sugarcane Research and Training Institue, Ahvaz, Iran.
Abstract
Objective: The application of amino-chelated potassium and silicon enhances the quantitative and qualitative traits of sugarcane. This study investigated the effects of different concentrations of silica and amino-chelated potassium on the quantitative and qualitative traits of the sugarcane variety IRC69-1062 across plant and ratoon crops in Khuzestan.
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during the 2024–2025 growing season at the Dabal Khazaei Sugarcane Cultivation and Industry complex to investigate the effects of foliar application of silica and amino-chelated potassium on the quantitative and qualitative traits of sugarcane. The experiment used a split-plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plots consisted of plant and ratoon crops (plant crop, Ratoon 1, and Ratoon 2), and subplots consisted of four levels of silica and amino-chelated potassium: a control (no application) and three application rates of 2, 4, and 6 L ha-1. The experiment was carried out on plant and ratoon crops of the IRC69-1062 variety.
Results: Plant age and foliar application of silica and amino-chelated potassium had a significant effect on sugarcane yield components. The highest values for stalk number (165,000 stalks ha-1), single stalk weight (0.82 kg), stalk height (269 cm), cane yield (88 t ha-1), and sugar yield (1.9 t ha-1) were observed in the plant crop, whereas the greatest reductions were recorded in the second ratoon crop, with decreases of 20%, 35%, 17%, 38%, and 37%, respectively. With increasing plant age, recoverable sugar increased from 10.3% in the plant crop to 10.6% in Ratoon 2, and juice purity rose from 82% to 86%, indicating that older plants allocate more resources toward sugar synthesis and storage. Foliar application of silica and amino-chelated potassium at 6 L ha-1 significantly increased single stalk weight (0.76 kg), stalk height (252 cm), cane yield (71 t ha-1), sugar yield (5.7 t ha-1), and juice sucrose content (17.5%). This treatment also increased stalk weight (29%), stalk height (10%), cane yield (15%), sugar yield (19%), and juice sucrose content (4%) compared with the untreated control. The interaction between plant age and foliar application showed that ratoon plants benefited most from the combined application of amino-chelated silicon and potassium, such that recoverable sugar in Ratoon 2 increased from 9.8% to 11% with foliar spraying at 4 L ha⁻¹.
Conclusion: These findings highlight that nutrient management with amino-chelated compounds, tailored to plant age, can simultaneously enhance both the quantitative yield and sugar quality of sugarcane without the need to alter planting time or substantially increase soil fertilizer inputs.
Keywords

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