Yield and Extractable Sugar as Affected by Foam and Inorganic Fertilizer in Intensive Cultivation of Sugare Cane (Saccharum Officinarum L. (Linnaeus)) in a Forest-Savanna Ecosystem

For sustaining yield and extractable sugar production of sugarcane in Cote d’Ivoire in intensive cultivation, it is required an alternative organic source of nutrients vs. chemical fertilizer. Comparative trial was conducted at Zuenoula (Centre West of Cote d’Ivoire) from 2011 to 2013 including 4 rates of sugarcane foam (6, 12, 18 and 24 tha-1), 4 others (150, 300, 450 and 600 kgha-1) of chemical fertilizer [N (18.5%) P (9%) K (14%) + Mg (2%) S (2.5%)] and a control plot (no fertilizer) in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. No significant difference was observed between leave concentrations of N, P and K while increased of soil contents of N and K occurred within two-year period under foam also showing a possibility to improve soil content of P according to the rates and years of cultivation for a specific target yield. Regularly, 600 kgha-1 of NPK induced significant difference of yield between both fertilizers but the rates of extractable sugar (9.6%) were similar and characterized by more stable yield trend for the foam treatments during the three years. Increasing rate (18 – 24 tha-1) of foam induced highest yield and rate of extractable sugar contrasting with NPK fertilizer. Applying 18 tha-1 of foam for two year-periods was recommended for sustaining sugarcane production in the studied agro-ecosystem.