Influence of Using Various Sugarcane Leaves and Parts of the Sugarcane Leaf on Chemical Composition

Abstract

The leaf sample is a vital and critical factor in a sugarcane foliar-diagnosis program. For, no matter how accurate the chemical analyses, an accurate diagnosis of the sugarcane's fertilizer status is impossible if leaf samples are taken improperly. Variations were found in the nutrient content of the various leaves of the sugarcane plant, as well as variation within the leaf itself. Some of the variations encountered were: 1. The nitrogen and phosphorus contents of the leaf blade were higher than those of the leaf sheath; the reverse was true for potassium. 2. The nitrogen content of the leaf showed only a slight tendency to increase with increasing leaf number. Phosphorus, potassium, and sheath moisture dropped rapidly with increasing leaf number. 3. When the midrib of the leaf blade was eliminated, there was an increase in leaf-blade nitrogen and phosphorus, and a decrease in potassium content. 4. There was considerable variation in the nutrient content of the leaf as we moved from its base to tip. Nitrogen and phosphorus content increased rapidly from base to tip; the reverse was true for potassium.