Agronomy Services Manager Zhensong Zhu says, zinc is a vital micronutrient in sugarcane production and should not be overlooked in a nutrient management plan.

Why is Zinc Important in Sugarcane Production?

Zinc is involved in enzyme activation, carbohydrate metabolism, auxin synthesis, protein synthesis and stress tolerance. Proper zinc management is critical in producing healthy growth & optimal yield this sugarcane season.

A deficiency of zinc in sugarcane can lead to reduced growth, lower sugar content in the cane, and decreased overall yield. According to the Sugarcane Nutrition Manual, zinc applications to deficient soils can increase root mass, cane yield and commercial cane sugar (CCS). Therefore, ensuring that your sugarcane crop has access to adequate zinc nutrition is important for optimizing sugarcane growth.

Soil testing and plant tissue analysis can be used to determine the zinc status in the soil and plants. Zinc is more plant available in acidic soils and as the soil becomes more alkaline its plant availability will decline.

Why is Zinc Distribution Important?

Zinc is immobile in the soil, therefore it is critical to ensure zinc is placed at the seed during sowing to ensure uptake by crop roots. Poor distribution, when applying zinc, could cause uneven nutrient uptake across your crop resulting in a variation in quality. Therefore, using a compound fertiliser or a zinc-coated fertiliser product can result in more even distribution of zinc and even nutrient uptake.

Impact Fertilisers offers the service of applied zinc oxide coated directly onto fertiliser granules.

Find out more about Zinc-Cote here.

Calcino, D. (2018) Australian Sugarcane Nutrition Manual . Available at: https://sugarresearch.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/GCM2307-Sugar-Research-Australia-Publication-Layout-F-Web.pdf (Accessed: 25 May 2023).