Gana A. K., Shebanya J. A. Y., Ogunlela V. E., Odion E. C., Imohin E. D.
Abstract
Field trials were conducted in 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 wet and dry seasons at the upland sugarcane experimental field of National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) Badeggi, to evaluate the influence of fertility rates and chemical weed control on the stalk yield (ton/ha) and juice quality of chewing sugarcane. From the results obtained in the three trials, the application of combined fertility rates of air dried cowdung with inorganic N, P and K fertilizer produced significantly greater values of stalk yield to/ha, percent reducing sugar, percent polarity (pol) and percent nitrogen (N) in juice than at separate application of cow dung and inorganic N, P & K fertilizer. However the effect of the fertility rates on laboratory percent brix and percent purity was not significant. The percent fibre content increased as the fertility rates decreased with the highest values been obtained from the control where neither cow dung nor inorganic fertilizer was added. No yield was obtained from the weedy check through out the period of experimentation. How ever, there was no significant difference among the values of stalk yield (ton/ha) and juice quality parameters obtained from chewing sugarcane treated with herbicides, and that of the hoe - weeded plots.
Key words:
fertility rates, chemical weed control, stalk yield, sugar quality parameters.