Nutrient Contents in Sugarcane Biomass in the First Regrowth Cycle

Sugarcane extracts and accumulates high amounts of soil nutrients, because it produces large amounts of biomass. Nutrient contents for varieties widely used in the past can be found in the literature, but there is little information on current cultivars. In view of these considerations, the study aimed to determine the nutrient concentration in the shoot biomass of sugarcane varieties in the first regrowth cycle. The study was conducted at a Latossolo Amarelo in Fazenda Jequiá, located in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. The experiment was a randomized block design with five replicates, consisting of four sugarcane varieties: SP813250, RB867515, RB92579 and VAT90212. At maturity of the first regrowth sugarcane, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), Ca (calcium), Mg (magnesium), S (sulfur), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and Boron (B) contents were determined. Varietal differences were found in nutrient contents. However, no variety showed higher concentration for all the elements. The varieties showed the following order of macronutrient concentrations: K > N > Ca > Mg > S > P. The average values were 0.47, 0.08, 0.66, 0.15, 0.13 and 0.11 dag kg-1 of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S, respectively. Concentrations of 9.9, 98.7, 29.2, 1.9 and 4.4 mg kg-1 of Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and B were found for the micronutrients, respectively.