International Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology 2020; 4(2): 21-29 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ijpp doi: 10.11648/j.ijpp.20200402.11 ISSN: 2640-4281 (Print); ISSN: 2640-429X (Online) Effect of Blended Fertilizer and Levels of Phosphorus on Yield and Juice Quality of Sugarcane at Fincha Sugar Estate, Ethiopia Negesse Birhanie 1 , Hirpa Legesse 2 , Zerihun Jalata 3, * 1 Ethiopian Sugar Corporation, Fincha Sugar Estate, Fincha, Ethiopia 2 Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Ambo Agricultural Research Center, Ambo, Ethiopia 3 Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural, Wollega University, Shambu, Ethiopia Email address: * Corresponding author To cite this article: Negesse Birhanie, Hirpa Legesse, Zerihun Jalata. Effect of Blended Fertilizer and Levels of Phosphorus on Yield and Juice Quality of Sugarcane at Fincha Sugar Estate, Ethiopia. International Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. Vol. 4, No. 2, 2020, pp. 21-29. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpp.20200402.11 Received: September 6, 2020; Accepted: September 18, 2020; Published: December 16, 2020 Abstract: High yield production and juice quality is essential in commercial sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) production. And this is possible is partly influenced by fertilizers. However, especially the effect of phosphorus and blended fertilizers was not known at study area. Field experiment was conducted at Fincha Sugar Estate, Ethiopia in 2018-2019 aiming to determine the effect of blended fertilizers and levels of phosphorus on yield and juice quality of sugarcane. The treatments were arranged in factorial combinations of three blended fertilizers (NPS, NPSB, and NPSBZn) and five phosphorus levels (0, 57, 76, 114, and 152 kg ha -1 ) and the experiment was laid out in randomized complete block (RCB) design with three replications. Data on sugarcane yield and juice quality parameters (Brix%, pol%, purity) and sugar yield were collected and analyzed. The result revealed that the main effect and interaction effects of blended fertilizers at different levels of phosphorus were highly significantly (p<0.001) for all parameters studied except for cane yield and Brix%. Accordingly, maximum cane yield was recorded in blended fertilizer NPSBZn at levels of phosphorus 152 and 114 kg ha -1 producing 242.5 and 233 t ha -1 , respectively. Thus, cane yield ranged from 106.04 to 242.5 t ha -1 depending on blended fertilizers and levels of phosphorus. The juice quality Brix%, pol%, purity and sugar yields of NPSBZn at a level of 114 kg ha -1 phosphorus was superior. Therefore, the finding show the application of blended fertilizer NPSBZn with a level of 114 kg ha -1 phosphorus was resulted in high cane yield and juice quality of sugarcane. Keywords: Sugarcane, Cane Yield, Juice Quality, Sugar Yield 1. Introduction Sugarcane (Saccharum officinurum L.) is originated from complex hybridization of Saccharum officinarum, Saccharum Spontaneum, Saccharum Barberi, Saccharum Sinense, and related species [17]. Hence, it is a highly polyploidy, heterozygous, and genetically complex crop belongs to family Gramineae (Poaceae). Saccharum officinarum or the noble cane accumulated very high levels of sucrose in the stem. It was usually vegetatively propagated from auxiliary buds on the stem (or stalk) cuttings. The first, “plant” crop was generally harvested from 14 to 16 months after planting; thereafter, "ratoon" crops may be harvested at shorter to equal periods [18]. Sugarcane is an economically important agricultural crop in many tropical and subtropical countries for the production of sugar and biofuels [31]. It was the most efficient photosynthesizer C4 plant in the plant kingdom. Sugarcane was unique in the sense that the storage of sucrose in the parenchymatous tissue of internodes has taken at higher concentrations. About 70% of the world sugar was produced from sugarcane and the rest was from sugar beet [14]. The mature stalks of sugarcane have contained juice with sucrose content as low as 8-9% and as high as 18-19% [36].