Antagonism within two components generally make us to apply these fertilizers at slightly different stages, or one as soil application and the other through foliar
Experts please guide on this for appropriate products design/adoption for higher yields as well acceptability by the farmers
regards
The deficiencies of Iron and Manganese are seldom due to the absence of sufficient quantities in the soil but rather soil pH.
Chlorosis can be found when soil pH exceeds 7.3 and it can be confirmed by foliar analysis of 20 leaflets and comparing your ppm concentration to optimum values in the literature. A short term solution would be the application chelated forms that are deficient in a foliar spray.
A longer term solution is targeting a soil pH of 6.7 to 7.3 in alkaline soils by using of acidifying Sulfur and or Ammonium Sulfate. If your cane is showing deficiency I would add the foliar spray check the soil pH from about 12 sample areas in your field. If alkaline I would focus on side dressing Ammonium Sulfate 100 to 150 Kg N/hectare and monitor the results in the foliage and in the soil.
It would good to check for Zinc and other nutrient deficiencies and excesses in your program for optimizing the plant nutrition.
Dear Dr Paul
thanks for nice and appropriate suggestions. In our region, Indo-Gngetic alluvial plains, for sugarcane Fe and Mn fertilizers give response, so mode of application as well differential stage of application become important, pl comment on this aspect too
regards,
In the Indo alluvial plains Fe, Mn, and Zn could well be a problem under a alkaline soil pH regardless of the amounts in the soil per se. When Iron is heavily soluble as under soil acid conditions it will lead to fixation of Phosphorus by iron. If pH is high the Carbonate content with insolubilize the micronutrients. When there is slight acidity 6.0 to 7.0 Phosphorus will be more available as well as micronutrients. This is a major reason to be concerned about the pH and Phosphorus provision together and to ensure the condition for the micronutrients. While major nutrients N and K are mobile and show the symptoms at the base or older plant tissue in Iron, Zinc and Manganese the mobility with the plant is less and the symptoms can show in the tips as interveinal chlorosis. Characteristic of Zinc deficiency is shortened internodes. I include some graphic representation indicating nutrients as function of pH.
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