Enhancing sugarcane growth, yield and quality parameters using varying application rates of potassium

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In Punjab, India, potassium is not recommended for sugarcane cultivation which might be responsible for a lower sugar recovery than in neighbouring states. To standardize the potassium dose in the state for deficient soils, experiments were conducted at three locations: Amritsar, Kapurthala, and Gurdaspur. Different potassium treatments were tested on K1, K2, K3, and K4plots fertilized with 0, 40, 80, and 120 kg K2O ha−1. A pooled study showed that K2, K3, and K4 plots had higher germination and re-sprouting than control plots in 2019–20 and 2020–21. Cane length during plant season at these plots was significantly higher than control plots, while girth had non-significantly higher girths and higher variations. Pokkah boeng disease was considerably reduced in all areas. Sucrose improved 1.44, 5.10, and 5.00% in K2, K3, and K4plots compared to control plots. Cane yields improved from control plots to 1.23, 3.21, and 3.78% in 2019–20 and 1.08, 4.17, and 4.72% in 2020–21. Sugar yields improved by 3.62, 7.74, and 7.84% in 2019–20 and 7.98, 13.70, and 16.41% in 2020–21. The benefit-cost ratio at Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Kapurthala in K2, K3, and K4 plots was 1.35, 1.96, and 1.57; 2.05, 2.23 and 1.92 and 1.00, 1.54 and 1.00, respectively, during the plant and 0.58, 1.51 and 1.15, 1.72, 1.80 and 1.53, and 0.57, 2.18 and 1.47% during the ratoon season. Thus, both plant and ratoon sugarcane at deficient locations K3 plots fertilized with 80 kg K2O ha−1 reported higher growth, yield, quality, and benefits.