The present study was conducted at Shandaweel Agricultural Research Station, Sohag Governorate, Egypt during 2015/16 and 2016/17 to investigate the effect of integrated use of filter mud cake (FMC) with N, P and K fertilizer levels on growth, yield and quality of sugarcane. Each experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with a split plot arrangement in three replications.
Raising N, P and K fertilizer levels from 50 to 100% of the recommended NPK resulted mostly in a significant increase in cane stalk height, stalk diameter; number of internodes, stalk weight/plant, brix, sucrose, sweet, sugar recovery percentages, number of millable canes, tops, cane and sugar yields/fed in both seasons.
Increasing the rate of filter mud cake from 0, 2, 4 to 6 tons/fed attained a significant increase in cane stalk height, stalk diameter, number of internodes, stalk weight/plant, brix, sucrose, sweet, sugar recovery percentages, number of millable canes, top, cane and sugar yields/fed in both seasons, except sucrose, sweet and sugar recovery percentages in the first season which positively responded to filter mud additions up to 4 ton/fed only.
The interaction between NPK levels x filter cake affected significantly most of the studied characteristics in both seasons, except stalk diameter and number of internodes in the first season only.
Under conditions of the present work, growing sugarcane variety G. 2003-47 (recorded later as Giza 3 variety in Egypt) fertilized with 100% of recommended NPK with adding 6 tons filter cake/fed can be recommended to give the maximum cane and sugar yields/fed.