Zinc is an essential micronutrient for sugarcane and may limit growth when deficient, therefore it should be considered as part of 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.** According to the Sugarcane Nutrition Manual, zinc applications to deficient soils have been shown to support improvements in root mass, cane yield and commercial cane sugar (CCS).* Therefore, ensuring that your sugarcane crop has access to adequate zinc nutrition is important for optimising your crop potential this season.

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

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 support uptake by crop roots. Poor distribution may lead to uneven nutrient uptake across the crop, potentially resulting in variation in quality. Coated and compound fertilisers generally offer more consistent granule distribution than dry blended zinc, which can have poor spatial availability as granules are too far apart.^** Therefore, using products such as Zinc-Cote can result in a more even distribution and uptake of zinc. Zinc-Cote® is a liquid zinc treatment that can be applied to any requested straight or blend at rates between 0.25% to 1%.

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).