Farmers generally use nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizers for sugarcane cultivation. Zinc deficiency in Bihar is about 44.0% of the soil. Boron deficiency is also emerging in the calcareous soil of Bihar. Sulphur deficiency is widespread in almost all types of soils, crops and cropping systems.
Recommended dose
• The recommended quantity of fertilizer for sugarcane plant crop is 150 kg nitrogen, 85 kg phosphorus and 60 kg potash.
• The recommended quantity of fertilizer for sugarcane ratoon crop is 170 kg nitrogen, 60 kg phosphorus and 60 kg potash.
• The total recommended quantity of phosphorus and potassium should be used at the time of sowing sugarcane.
• 50% of nitrogen fertilizer should be applied at the time of planting and the remaining 50% in two equal parts.
• 25% of nitrogen should be applied after the first irrigation and 25% nitrogen should be applied at the time of earthing up.
Phosphorus
• Phosphor helps in the growth of plants, especially the growth of roots.
• It provides energy to the plant and also removes the harmful effects of the nitrogen. Due to its deficiency, the plant turns purple in colour which later turns into inky red colour.
• Phosphorous fertilizer does not lost but becomes stable in acidic and calcareous soil due to which even though phosphorus remains in the soil, it is not available to the plant.
• The entire quantity of phosphorus fertilizer should be applied at the time of sugarcane planting.
• It helps in the process of making sugar and starch.
• It strengthens the stems and stalks of the plant and also increases their ability to survive under adverse weather conditions, and increases the ability to resist pests and diseases.
• The capacity of water retention in plants increases.
• The entire amount of potash fertilizer should be applied at the time of planting.
Sulphur
• Sulphur is placed in the 4th position next to N, P, K ]. Sulphur plays an important role in the plants metabolism and required for photosynthesis and protein metabolism. Sulphur requirement is higher for the sugarcane and the application of sulphur increases the yield and quality of sugarcane.
• Sulphur is the constituent of protein of protoplasm and essential amino acids like cysteine, cysteine and methionine.
• The amino acid cysteine which forms protein thiamine, biotine and hormones need sulphur nutrition.
      Zinc
• Zinc (Zn) is required for the metabolism of plants, enzyme function, and ion transport. Zn acts as activator of several enzymes and participates in the structural composition of others, playing an important role in cellular structure.
• Zinc controls many metabolic activities of plants. It regulates the level of auxin by affecting the process of formation of tryptophan and tiptramine, also encourages synthesis of cytochrome-C and provides stability to the part of ribosome.
• Zinc is the most important among micronutrients. As a result of continuous crop production without the use of micronutrients, their deficiency has emerging especially in calcareous soil.
• On an average, zinc deficiency has been found in 44 percent of the soil in Bihar. Zinc is found in insoluble form in calcareous alkaline soil, which is not available to plants.
• Due to the decrease in the pH of the soil by the use of organic manure, it turns into soluble state which is easily absorbed by the plan
Boron
• Boron plays a significant role in several processes, including carbohydrate movement and sugar translocation, the formation of borate-sugar complexes, cell water relations, and regulation of water intake into the cells.
• Additionally, B is involved in protein synthesis, sugar transport, cell wall formation, and seed development. Moreover, B is responsible for nucleic acid synthesis, phytohormone production, carbohydrate metabolism, sugar transport, cell division promotion, proper leaf development, and cell wall formation.
• Boron has been associated with various processes, such as calcium utilization, cell division, flowering, reproductive phase, water relations, disease resistance, and nitrogen (N) metabolism
Recommended quantity of nutrients
• There are three common methods of sugarcane plantation – furrow method, trench method and   pair row method.
Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash
• In Furrow method 70 kg nitrogen, 85 kg phosphorus and 60 kg potash /ha should be applied at the time of planting. For this, 152 kg urea, 531 kg single super phosphate and 100 kg muriate of potash is required. Besides this, 40 kg nitrogen i.e. 87 kg urea should be applied after first irrigation and 40 kg nitrogen /ha should be applied while earthing up.
• In the paired row and trench method, nitrogen 45 kg, phosphorus 85 kg and potash 60 kg /ha should be applied at the time of planting. For this, 98 kg urea, 531 kg single super phosphate and 100 kg muriate of potash are required for one hectare sugarcane plantation. After first irrigation and earthing up  of sugarcane, top dressing should be done at the rate of 45 kg nitrogen i.e. 98 kg urea / ha.
• Sulphur: Apart from this, sulphur deficiency has also been found in light textured soils. Applying sulphur fertilizer at the rate of 60 kg /ha in the soil at the time of sugarcane plantation increases the cane yield, juice quality and sugar recovery.
• Zinc: Zinc deficiency has been found in the soil of Bihar; hence zinc sulphate should be used at the rate of 50 kg per hectare at the time of planting sugarcane.
• Boron: The application of Borax @ 10 Kg/ha in lowland and 15 kg/ha in upland was found beneficial for improving cane yield and juice quality of sugarcane.
• This is strongly recommended that Sulphur and micronutrients (Zn and Boron) should be applied after soil testing.