Soil fertility classification for sugarcane in supply areas of a sugar mill: CLASSIFICATION BY FERTILITY

Objective. Prepare the fertility classification of the soils cultivated with sugar cane in the supply area of Pujiltic sugar mill(PSM) to improve decision-making. Design / methodology / approach. The system was used to classify soils according to their fertility (FCC) according to quantifiable parameters of the upper soil layer and some characteristics of the subsoil directly linked to the growth of sugarcane. Results. There are six factors that limit the potential of PSM soils for agricultural use: alkalinity, excess or deficit of water, clay content, erosion, nutritional deficiencies and low CEC, which alone or in groups influence the detriment of the fertility of the soils. Limitations / implications. Solving these problems requires a comprehensive analysis that considers the type of crop, the planting season and the availability of technology. Findings / conclusions. The soil classification system for its fertility allowed classifying the 11 soil subunits of the PSM area. Key words: Fertility, System, Classification, Sugar cane.Objective. To prepare the fertility classification for the sugarcane-cultivated soils in the Pujiltic Sugarcane Mill (PSM) supply area in order to improve decision-making. Design / methodology / approach. The soils were classified according to their fertility (FCC), using a system based on the quantifiable parameters of the upper soil layer and some characteristics of the subsoil directly linked to the growth of sugarcane. Results. Six factors limited the agricultural potential of the PSM soils: alkalinity, water excess or deficit, clay content, erosion, nutritional deficiencies, and low CEC, which alone or in groups act in detriment of soil fertility. Limitations / implications. Solving these problems requires a comprehensive analysis that considers crop type, planting season, and technology availability. Findings / conclusions. The soil fertility classification system enabled the classification of 11 soil subunits of the PSM area