SugarcaneA gronomy J our n al • Volume 10 0 , I s sue 3 • 2 0 0 8 845 ABSTRACT Improving soil organic matter and soil fertility are important factors in the sustainability of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) production. A 3-yr fi eld trial was established in 2004 on a sandy Alfi sol in Florida to compare the eff ect of organic and inorganic nutrient sources on sugarcane production. Th e three nutrient sources were (i) mill mud (fi lter cake, cachaza), (ii) local standard fertilizer, and (iii) soybean cropping system before sugarcane. Soybean green manure increased sucrose yield (TSH, t sucrose ha -1 ) 20% in plant cane, however when aboveground biomass was removed soybean rotation did not improve sugarcane yields. Fertilization did not increase yields if mill mud was added to plant cane. Soybean green manure did not improve sugarcane ratoon crop yields, and there were no signifi cant interactions in the ratoon crops. Th e application of mill mud resulted in a 49% TSH increase in fi rst ratoon and a 167% increase in second ratoon whereas inorganic fertilizer application increased TSH by 31 and 49% in fi rst and second ratoon, respectively. Over the 3-yr crop cycle, addition of mill mud alone led to an increase of 4.1 TSH compared with inorganic fertilizer alone, whereas soybean green manure alone produced 2.6 TSH less than fertilizer. However, combinations of nutrient sources with mill mud had additive eff ects in the ratoon crops. Our results indicate that mill mud was more eff ective than soybean green manure or local standard fertilizer practices in increasing sugarcane yields on sand. However, growers should fertilize ratoon crops when mill mud has been applied to achieve maximum sugarcane yields.

SUMMARYLime application recommendations for amendment of soil acidity in sugarcane were developed with a burnt cane harvesting system in mind. Sugarcane is now harvested in most areas without burning, and lime application for amendment of soil acidity in this system in which the sugarcane crop residue remains on the ground has been carried out without a scientific basis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in soil acidity and stalk and sugar yield with different rates of surface application of calcium, magnesium silicate, and gypsum in ratoon cane. The experiment was performed after the 3 rd harvest of the variety SP 81-3250 in a commercial green sugarcane plantation of the São Luiz Sugar Mill (47º 25' 33" W; 21º 59' 46" S), located in Pirassununga, São Paulo, in southeast Brazil. A factorial arrangement of four Ca-Mg silicate rates (0, 850, 1700, and 3400 kg ha -1 ) and two gypsum rates (0 and 1700 kg ha -1 ) was used in the experiment. After 12 months, the experiment was harvested and technological measurements of stalk and sugar yield were made. After harvest, soil samples were taken at the depths of 0.00-0. de 0,00-0,05, 0,05-0,10, 0,10-0,20, 0,20-0,40 e 0,40-0,60

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