Use of Potash to Improve Sugar Cane Quality Under Various Water Stress Levels.

Abstract

Pakistan is projected to face an increasing water shortage in the future due to climate change, which will significantly impact sugarcane yields. To assess the effects of various potash levels on sugarcane crops in response to water scarcity, an experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications at Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan. The number of irrigations were selected as 10, 12 and 14 times. Potash was applied through soil (33%), foliar (33%) and fertigation (33%). The results indicated that water shortage adversely affected all observed parameters. Optimal irrigation improved the number of tillers, stem girth, number of millable canes, brix percentage, sugar recovery percentage, and overall sugarcane production. Application of potash at different levels increased the sugar recovery approximately 0.2-0.3%. Furthermore, increased potash application positively influenced tiller growth, stem girth, brix percentage, sugar recovery percentage, and overall production, achieving about an 85% improvement compared to conditions of water scarcity. Thus, integrating potash application with effective irrigation strategies can help mitigate the negative effects of water shortage on sugarcane yields and promote more cost-effective sugarcane production and recovery.