Effect of Lime and Phosphate-bearing Materials on Sugarcane Yields

Data are reported here from a field experiment with sugarcane on acid Lares clay located in the humid area of Puerto Rico, at the Corozal Agricultural Experiment Substation. The effect of lime and of two sources of phosphorus fertilizers was tested. The experiment included superphosphate and hyperphosphate, each with or without lime, at four rates: 0, 50, 125, and 200 pounds P2O5 to the acre. Lime was used at the rate of 4 tons to the acre. Yield data are reported for a plant crop of sugarcane and for two succeeding ratoon crops. No significant differences were obtained attributable to either type or rate of phosphorus fertilizer when added to the acid soil. Liming caused significant increases in sugarcane yields in both ratoon crops and in the total of the three crops, amounting to 11.3 tons of sugarcane per acre. The highest significant increase of 24.3 tons of sugarcane per acre was obtained when lime was added with 200 pounds P2O5 per acre as superphosphate.

Download Full-text

Sugarcane Variety Trials in Puerto Rico, 1951-55

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v41i3.12613 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 147-160

Author(s):

Ferdinand Méndez-Roig ◽

George Samuels

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Puerto Rican ◽

Sugarcane Variety ◽

Commercial Variety ◽

University Of Puerto Rico ◽

Agricultural Experiment Station ◽

North Central ◽

Variety Trials ◽

Agricultural Experiment ◽

Entire Island

Sugarcane variety trials performed by the Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, P. R., During the period 1951-55, involved 19 separate experiments and 33 crops. The following results are significant: 1. In the production of available 96° sugar per acre B. 37161 was the outstanding variety of East and North Central cane areas of the Island. P.R. 980 was the leading variety in the Northwest, West, South, and Interior of Puerto Rico. 2. B. 40105, B. 37172, B. 41227, H. 328560, and P.R. 975 all were among the leading producers in tons of sugar per acre. 3. The check varieties M. 336, P.O.J. 2878, and P.R. 902, ranked poorly in the trials as compared with the leading varieties in tons of sugar produced per acre. 4. In terms of tons of cane per acre B. 37161 and P.R. 980 were the two leading varieties for the entire Island, with H. 328560, B. 41227, and B. 37172 also showing favorable cane-tonnage figures. All check varieties did poorly in tons of cane per acre as compared to the leading variety. 5. The varieties were also ranked according to their production of sucrose-percent- cane. P.R. 975 and B. 4362 were first and second, respectively. These two varieties also produced higher cane tonnage than the favored commercial variety M. 336, which ranked third. 6. Finally, the varieties were ranked according to the tons of sugar per acre produced per month, and P.R. 980 ranked first. The first eight experimental varieties produced over 0.60 ton of sugar per acre per month as compared with all commercial varieties, except B. 37161, which produced below 0.50 ton of sugar per acre per month. 7. The reluctance of Puerto Rican farmers to adopt the new cane varieties tested and proven superior to the old commercial varieties is very unprofitable to them. Yields are cited which show that if the land now used to grow the older cane varieties were planted to the new leading experimentally tested varieties discussed in this article, the present sugar crop in Puerto Rico could be produced on about two-thirds of the present acreage. This would release over 100,000 acres for other agricultural uses.

Download Full-text

Susceptibility of Some Sugarcane Varieties to the Heat Treatment Used in the Control of Chlorotic Streak

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v40i1.12662 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 67-69

Author(s):

José Adsuar

Keyword(s):

Heat Treatment ◽

Puerto Rico ◽

Water Treatment ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Germination Percentage ◽

Hot Water ◽

Hot Water Treatment ◽

Agricultural Experiment Station ◽

Sugarcane Varieties ◽

Agricultural Experiment

Chlorotic streak, a virus disease of sugarcane, is known to occur in Puerto Rico and to cause a reduction in germination, tillering, and yield of sugarcane per acre. Immersion of the infected cane in hot water at 52° C. for 20 minutes inactivated the virus and increased the yield of cane and sugar. It is also known that the hot-water treatment may adversely affect the germination of the different varieties. Thirteen of the best sugarcane varieties as recommended by this Agricultural Experiment Station were tested for susceptibility to the hot-water treatment. The treatment adversely affected the germination percentage of M. 336, B. 41227, and Co. 281. It stimulated the germination of varieties H. 328560, P.R. 1000, B. 37161, B. 40105, B. 37172, B. 371933, P.R. 907, and P.R. 902. It had no significant effect on the germination of P.R. 905 and P.R. 980.

Download Full-text

Correlation of soil phosphorus tests with the response of irrigated perennial pasture to phosphorus fertilizer

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9780243 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 18 (91) ◽

pp. 243 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

AJ Montgomery ◽

G Rubenis

Keyword(s):

Soil Phosphorus ◽

Maximum Yield ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Response Functions ◽

Phosphorus Fertilizer ◽

Soil Tests ◽

Yield Data ◽

P Values ◽

Olsen P ◽

Pasture Yield

The level of soil phosphorus and the response of irrigated perennial pasture to phosphorus fertilizer were measured on 33 sites in the Goulburn Valley of northern Victoria. Eleven of the 33 sites were found to have Olsen P values above 10 p.p.m. and Colwell P values above 30 p.p.m. Of these 11, 9 did not give a pasture response to superphosphate and 2 gave a relatively small response. Functions of the form Y = a - be-CX (where Y = total pasture yield over 12 months (t ha-1), X = rate of superphosphate application (t ha-1), and a, b and c are constants respectively denoting maximum yield, maximum response, and the rate at which maximum yield is approached) were fitted to the yield data from those sites at which a response did occur. b was found to be correlated with a number of soil tests, the highest correlation coefficient being -0.74 for Colwell P. a was significantly correlated with some tests (P < 0.01) but was generally less predictable, and c gave very low correlation coefficients with all soil tests.

Download Full-text

Yield Performance of Six Lychee Cultivars Grown at Two Locations in Puerto Rico

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech03488-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 26 (6) ◽

pp. 748-753

Author(s):

Ricardo Goenaga ◽

David Jenkins ◽

Angel Marrero

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Ethnic Diversity ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

University Of Puerto Rico ◽

Yield Performance ◽

Agricultural Experiment ◽

Marketable Fruit ◽

The University ◽

Lower Production

The globalization of the economy, increased ethnic diversity, and a greater demand for healthy and more diverse food production has increased the demand for tropical fruits. There is a lack of formal experimentation to determine yield performance and fruit quality traits of lychee (Litchi chinensis) cultivars. Six lychee cultivars (Bosworth-3, Brewster, Groff, Mauritius, Kaimana, Salathiel) grown on Mollisol and Inceptisol soils were evaluated for 8 years at the Adjuntas Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR-Adjuntas) and La Balear farm, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, respectively. At UPR-Adjuntas and La Balear, cultivar Groff had a significantly higher production (257,296 fruit/ha) of total fruit than other cultivars, whereas Salathiel had the lowest. However, total fruit production of ‘Groff’ was not significantly different from ‘Kaimana’ and ‘Bosworth-3’at La Balear. At UPR-Adjuntas, cultivars Groff and Bosworth-3 had significantly higher number of marketable fruit than the rest of the cultivars averaging 171,760 fruit/ha. At La Balear, ‘Kaimana’ had a higher number of marketable fruit, but it was not significantly different from ‘Groff’, ‘Bosworth-3’, and ‘Mauritius’, averaging 291,360 fruit/ha. At both sites, individual fruit weight of marketable fruit was higher in ‘Kaimana’ than the rest of the cultivars. However, at La Balear, there were no significant differences between ‘Kaimana’ and ‘Mauritius’. At both locations, cultivars exhibited erratic production patterns, which were characterized by lower production during 1 or 2 successive years following heavy cropping. At current farm gate prices and fruit yield reported in this study, cultivars Groff, Bosworth-3, and Kaimana can generate a good income for growers, and allow them to diversify crops as part of their farm operations.

Download Full-text

Performance of New Sugarcane Varieties in the Cabo Rojo-Hormigueros Area of Puerto Rico

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v62i1.10397 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 48-55

Author(s):

M. Pérez-Zapata ◽

G. Ramírez-Oliveras ◽

C. González-Molina

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Total Sugar ◽

Sugar Production ◽

Sucrose Content ◽

Commercial Variety ◽

Sugarcane Varieties ◽

High Sugar ◽

Plant Crop

The performance of 34 new sugarcane varieties was evaluated in a plant crop and two ratoons at two sites in southwestern Puerto Rico. At Bonilla farm in Cabo Rojo the five leading varieties were PR 65-413, PR 65-339, PR 62-739, UCW 53-69, and PR 980. PR 980, which is the leading commercial variety of the Cabo Rojo area, ranked fifth in total sugar production per acre. PR 65-413 and PR 65-339 have the greatest potential as commercial varieties for the Cabo Rojo area, since they are high sugar yielders and suited to mechanization. In the humid valley of Central Eureka in Hormigueros, the most outstanding varieties were PR 1152, PR 61-902, PR 1140, CP 52-43, and NCo 310. PR 1152 is high in sugar content and cane tonnage production, and is suitable for mechanized harvesting. PR 1140 and PR 61-902 also had a good sucrose content, but their performance in subsequent crops was poor. NCo 310 and UCW 53-69 are not suitable for mechanized harvesting.

Download Full-text

Influence of Varieties and Seasons upon the Mineral Nutrient Levels, of Coffee Leaves from Puerto Rico

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v53i3.11156 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 177-186 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Juan A. Bonnet

Keyword(s):

Acid Soil ◽

Late Summer ◽

Mineral Nutrient ◽

Late Winter ◽

Yield Data ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Young Leaves ◽

The Mean ◽

Mean Differences ◽

Leaf Composition

Twenty-six young coffee trees grown under shade in an acid upland soil of 2 farms were selected representing 3 varieties and 2 yield-groups. The yield data were recorded for the crop harvested in the fall of 1962 from 15 highyielding and 11 low-yielding trees. Young leaves from each tree were sampled in the late summer of 1961 and in the late winter of 1962. The following 10 essential plant nutrients were determined: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, B, Zn, and Cu; as well as 2 nonessential elements, Na and Al. The yield and leaf-composition data were analyzed statistically. The high-yielding trees produced 2.6 times as much coffee as the lowyielding ones, a highly significant difference. There was no significant difference between the mean yields of the varieties. "Highly significant" or "significant" mean differences were obtained in all the essential nutrients except zinc, in the coffee leaves, between varieties; in the nutrients: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and B, between seasons; and only in Ca and Mg between yield-groups. The acid soil, Alonso clay, is high in exchangeable manganese and in aluminum; the coffee trees used here also contained high Mn and Al in their leaves.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of a Swine Line Developed at the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Puerto Rico

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v51i1.11214 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 4-21

Author(s):

Ismael Carlo ◽

C. L. Arcelay

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Feed Efficiency ◽

University Of Puerto Rico ◽

Agricultural Experiment Station ◽

Multiple Test ◽

Weaning Age ◽

Overall Evaluation ◽

Agricultural Experiment ◽

Fat Thickness ◽

The University

The performance of the pigs of the 3/4 Duroc X 1/4 English Large Black Landrace line developed by the Station was compared with the performance of some imported animals. These imported pigs were from the Duroc, the Yorkshire, and the Hampshire breeds. The comparison and the evaluation of the animals was based on preweaning and postweaning characters. The preweaning characters considered were the number of pigs at farrowing, the number at 21 days, and at weaning age. The rate of gain, the feed efficiency, the back-fat thickness corrected to 200 pounds, and carcass evaluation were considered as postweaning characters. All the data obtained were submitted to analysis of variance and where the F values were significant, they were subjected to a Duncan Multiple Test to determine significance among the means. The overall evaluation of both preweaning and postweaning characters showed that the animals of the 3/4 Duroc X 1/4 English Large Black Landrace line of pigs were as good as any of the animals of the imported breeds with which they were compared, with the possible exception of the carcass evaluation, where the imported breeds gave somewhat better results. They were especially good in the number of pigs weaned, as well as in the weight at weaning time and in rate of gain.

Download Full-text

Selection and Evaluation of High Yielding Horn-type Plantain Clones in Puerto Rico: An Explanation for Their Behavior

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v69i3.7369 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 69 (3) ◽

pp. 407-420

Author(s):

Héber Irizarry ◽

José Rodríguez-García ◽

Nicolás Díaz

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Clonal Selection ◽

Yield Potential ◽

High Yield ◽

Clonal Population ◽

Plant Characteristics ◽

As Effects ◽

Plant Crop ◽

High Yield Potential

Fifty-seven clonal selections of the horn-type Maricongo cultivar were evaluated at six locations. Five of these selections averaged 44 marketable fruits and 13.1 kg/bunch. Although asexually propagated, variability within the clonal population was quite high for all the bunch and plant characteristics studied. Reversion from the horn to the French type occurred in some plants and others produced horn-type bunches with fewer than 30 large fruits. Both of these "off-type" plantains appeared randomly in the clonal populations at all locations. These "off-type" plants produced "true to type" offspring in subsequent Pn generations. An explanation of the possible mechanism responsible for this occurrence is discussed. Irrespective of clone, all plant and bunch characteristics were affected by location. Considering the variability observed within the clonal population as well as effects of the environment, it is estimated that 85% of the suckers originating from a Maricongo stump with a yield potential of 50 or more marketable fruits/bunch will produce bunches containing 40 or more fruits in the plant crop. If the 15% of the "off-type" plants are allowed to continue mingling within the population, they will multiply "true-to-type," and after Pn generations will constitute a majority in a clonal selection that once had a high yield potential.

Download Full-text

Performance of New Sugarcane Varieties in the Northern Humid Coastal Plains of Puerto Rico

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v60i1.10586 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 61-77

Author(s):

Rafael Gandía Caro ◽

Carlos González Molina ◽

Edwin Acevedo Borrero

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

San Francisco ◽

Coastal Plain ◽

Growth Habit ◽

Juice Quality ◽

Coastal Plains ◽

Sugarcane Varieties ◽

New Varieties ◽

Plant Crop

Three sites were selected in the northern humid coastal plains of Puerto Rico for the performance evaluation of 57 new sugarcane varieties. The experiments were located on typical soils of the sugarcane producing northern coastal plain region. A plant crop (fall planting) and two ratoons were harvested at each site. On the San Francisco farm between Arecibo and Utuado, the outstanding new varieties which outyielded all the others tested were PR 64-2548, PR 1152, PR 65-325 and PR 64-2705. Of these, PR 1152 and PR 64-2705 are the most promising varieties in this area because of their erect growth and the good quality of their juice. On the Las Claras farm, near Arecibo, the most promising new varieties for the area were PR 1141 and PR 62-258. On the Consejo farm at Barrio Bajadero, Arecibo, varieties PR 1117, PR 1152, Selección Soller, PR 1048, PR 62-469 and the PR 65-2523 performed best on the basis of cane tonnage. As a commercial variety for the area, PR 1152 was the most promising variety, having a good juice quality and intermediate cane tonnage per acre (40 to 45 tons). It can be harvested mechanically without difficulties because of its erect growth habit. PR 980 produced good tonnage, but was low in sucrose content, indicating that it should not be recommended for the northern humid coastal plains of Puerto Rico.

Download Full-text