ALTERNATIVE NITROGEN MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR SUGARCANE PRODUCTION IN AUSTRALIA: THE ESSENCE OF WHAT THEY MEAN

THE Australian sugar industry currently faces a combination of escalating input costs, moderately low sugar prices, decreasing cane supply and the requirement to illustrate its commitment to being environmentally responsible. This paper provides a summary of the different nitrogen (N) management strategies (grower-developed, traditional, SIX EASY STEPS and N Replacement) for sugarcane production, and reports on an assessment of the effectiveness of these different approaches using trial data from Macknade and Tully. It is important to ensure that on-farm strategies enable growers to remain profitable and sustainable, particularly in terms of the current circumstances. This can only be achieved if they select management options that allow maintenance of yields (cane and sugar) in combination with inputs that are both cost effective and environmentally responsible. These objectives are achievable when the SIX EASY STEPS approach is used. Alternative approaches, that are either wasteful of nutrient inputs (and are therefore environmentally unacceptable) or are likely to lead to productivity losses (and are therefore likely to affect industry viability) should not be regarded as appropriate N input strategies for sugarcane production.