OI Patiño and VM Velásquez
Campofert S.A.S, Calle 15B No. 25A-352 Km 4 Autopista Cali – Yumbo, Valle, Colombia; opatino@campofert.com
The impact of foliar-applied boron and molybdenum on the growth, development, and sucrose accumulation of sugarcane variety CC 05-430 was evaluated. The experiment was arranged as a randomized complete-block design with two treatments and five replicates of boron (560 and 700 g ha⁻¹) in combination with molybdenum (8 and 10 g ha⁻¹) applied 210 days after the previous harvest. The application of boron and molybdenum resulted in a positive response in sucrose accumulation, with an increase of over one percentage point compared to the untreated control. This finding suggests that the application of these micronutrients prior to the maturation stage can effectively enhance sucrose yield. However, stem length and diameter were similar across all treatments, indicating that the increase in sucrose did not affect the vegetative growth of the crop. This study highlights the importance of micronutrients in agriculture, specifically emphasizing the role of boron and molybdenum in sucrose accumulation in sugarcane, without affecting crop biomass.