Filter cake increases sugarcane yield

Sugarcane cultivation stands out in Brazilian agribusiness, covering more than eight million hectares for the production of sugar, ethanol, and by-products. Fertilization is one of the limiting factors in sugarcane yield, for which filter cake is a viable solution to meet plant nutritional needs. This study aimed to assess the effect of enriched filter cake on gas exchange and yield in RB041443 sugarcane, cultivated in soils of the coastal tablelands of Paraíba, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in the Monte Alegre S/A sugarcane mill, in the municipality of Mamanguape, using a randomized blocks experimental design, with 12 treatments (T1- cake, T2- cake + MAP, T3- cake + gypsum, T4 - cake + phosphate, T5- cake + bagasse, T6- cake + MAP + gypsum, T7- cake + MAP + phosphate, T8- cake + MAP + bagasse, T9- cake + gypsum + phosphate, T10- cake + gypsum + bagasse, T11- cake + phosphate + bagasse, and T12- control (only MAP)), and 4 replications, totaling 48 plots. A significant effect (5% probability) was also observed for the variables number of leaves and tons of stem per hectare (TSH). T1- cake, T4- cake + phosphate, T6- cake + MAP + gypsum and T10- cake + gypsum + bagasse, had the best results for TSH, with yields greater than 140 t ha-1. Regarding stomatal conductance, the highest values were obtained in T6 and T8, which, together with T11, had the highest gs values. Concerning the internal carbon concentration, T1, T2, T6, and T8 stood out. T6 also had a significant effect on transpiration. From this study, it was concluded that the use of enriched filter cake as a base fertilizer in sugarcane culture contributes to increasing the yield of the RB041443 variety, generating positive responses for plant gas exchange, being T1 and T10 indicated to increase the production in the sugar-energy sector.