Response of Potato and Sugarcane to Premium Phosphate and Potassium Fertilizers.

Application of micronutrients in addition to essential macronutrients plays a key role in improving crop yield. However, low application rates of micronutrients typically lead to uneven nutrient distribution, necessitating the need for efficient management. Co-granulated fertilizers provide efficient management by combining micronutrients and macronutrients in one granule. This strategy can improve nutrient distribution and fertilizer handling characteristics for both farmers and retailers. MicroEssentials® SZ™ (12-40-0-10S-1Zn) is a co-granulated phosphorus (P) fertilizer, while Aspire™ (0-0-58-0.5B) is a co-granulated potassium (K) fertilizer. The objective of this research was to evaluate the response of potato (Solanum tubersum) and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) to co-granulated P and K fertilizers. Small plot replicated field experiments were conducted for short and long season potatoes in two separate experiments. One experiment looked at the effect of K and boron (B) nutrition in MN and NC (2015-16) and another experiment evaluated the effect of P, sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), K and B in ID, MN and ND (2016). Sugarcane trials were conducted in FL and LA from 2013-16 resulting in 3 plant and 3 ratoon crops. For potato, tuber yield and tuber size increased with K and B nutrition and the yield increase with Aspire over Muriate of Potash (MOP, 0-0-60) ranged from 7.7% (MN) to 10.4% (NC). In another experiment, combining both MicroEssentials SZ and Aspire in the same treatment increased potato yield by 11% over MAP (11-52-0) and MOP treatment. For sugarcane, cane yield and sugar content increased with K and B nutrition and the increase in yield with Aspire over MOP ranged from 4.5% (FL) to 6.4% (LA). Results suggested that the use of balanced fertilization through co-granulated fertilizers (macros and micros) can successfully improve nutrient distribution and increase crop yield and quality.