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IPI-Bulletin No. 14 Sugarcane.
IIP-Boletim No. 14 Cana de Açúcar. Adubação para altas colheitas

Translated by E.Malavolta, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.

The International Potash Institute, announces the translation of the IPI-Bulletin No. 14 on Sugarcane into Portuguese (IIP-Boletim No. 14)

Cana de Açúcar - Adubação para altas colheitas by E. Malavolta, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Bulletin No. 14 "Fertilizing for High Yield - Sugarcane", published in 1994, has been thoroughly revised and is now available in Portuguese as IIP Boletim 14 "Adubação para altas colheitas: Cana - de - açúcar" by E. Malavolta. This new edition recognises the particular importance of this crop to Brazil, by far the biggest grower of cane in the world. Not only is sugar an essential source of energy in the human diet but it has assumed great importance as a renewable energy source for industry, notably as fuel for the motor car.

Almost 71% of the world's supply of sugar is extracted from sugarcane, the remainder from sugar beet. Unlike the latter crop, the area of cane planted and yield per hectare are still growing. In contrast to annual crops, sugarcane has a very long vegetation period and produces a vast yield of biomass, features which have great significance in relation to the management of nutrient supply to the crop. A good cane crop will take up 130 kg/ha N, 90 kg/ha P2O5 and as much as 340 kg/ha K2O in the year, most of which is removed from the field at harvest. Due to its role in the conversion of atmospheric CO2 to sugar and translocation of sugar from the leaves into the stem for storage, potassium is a key nutrient for sugarcane. This has been demonstrated in numberless trials all over the world and by practical experience.

This book will serve as a guide to farmers and advisers how best to arrange their fertilizer policy to achieve maximum yield and top quality of the cane crop; it will also be helpful in planning further research. The subject matter is arranged in eight chapters covering botany and physiology, desirable soil and climatic conditions, nutrition of the crop by making full use of mineral and organic nutrient sources. Symptoms of nutrient deficiency are described with accompanying illustrations.

The Bulletin, comprising 110 pages with 10 colour plates, is available for US$ 12.- from the International Potash Institute.

110 pages, E. Malavolta