NEEM AND SULFUR-COATED UREA ENHANCE GROWTH AND SUGAR YIELD OF SUGARCANE BY INCREASING NITROGEN USE EFFICINECY

The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers is important for improving agricultural productivity, especially in the cultivation of sugarcane. Traditional urea, generally used as N source, has several limitations, including high nutrient losses and environmental pollution. Alternative urea forms, such as NCU (neem coated urea) and SCU (sulfur coated urea) have been investigated by researchers to overcome these issues. The purpose of this field experiment is to evaluate how SCU and NCU affect sugarcane production and N agronomic efficiency. Field trial was conducted during the year 2020 to 2022 at sugarcane farm area to compare the performance of this coated urea with traditional urea in sugarcane farming. In SCU treated field 12% and 10% higher sugarcane yield noted in plant and ratoon crop, correspondingly over traditional urea treatments. Similarly 15% higher sugar yield was recorded in SCU treatments as compared to traditional urea. The results indicated that SCU exhibited 25% in plant and 16% in ratoon crop higher N agronomic efficiency than traditional urea. These results suggest that the use of SCU can be a viable strategy to enhance sugarcane yield and improve the economic sustainability of the sugar industry while minimizing environmental impacts.