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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Canal Point, Florida » Sugarcane Field Station » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180191
Title: POTENTIAL OF SUGARCANE FOR RESTORING EVERGLADES SOILS

Author
item Morris, Dolen

Submitted to: Sugar Journal
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/22/2005
Publication Date: 6/22/2005
Citation: Morris, D.R. 2005. Potential of sugarcane for restoring everglades soils. Sugar J. 68(1):17.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soils in the Everglades Agricultural Area of south Florida are subsiding due to decomposition by aerobic microorganisms. Growing plants that can add organic matter back to the soil is a means to replenish soil that was lost. Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense Crantz) is the native plant from which built the organic soils of the Everglades accreted over a 5,000-yr period, but it grows slowly and doesn’t compete well with plants growing in the region. An experiment was conducted to compare dry matter production and root growth of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) with St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.)] and sawgrass to determine the potential of sugarcane for restoring Everglades soils. Plants were grown outside in 10 gal containers containing Pahokee muck soil (Euic, hyperthermic Lithic Haplosaprist). Water-tables were maintained at 6 and 12 inches from the soil surface. After 11 months, plants were harvested and dry matter and root yields were compared. In both high and low water-table treatments, sugarcane produced as much or more root dry matter as the entire sawgrass plant dry matter. Averaged across water-table depths, sugarcane produced 9 and 20 times more shoot and root dry matter, respectively, than sawgrass. St. Augustinegrass produced about the same amount of shoot and root dry matter as sawgrass in both water tables. Averaged across water-table depths, sugarcane produced 13 times more root length than sawgrass, indicating it had a greater potential for absorbing nutrients. As with dry matter yield, St. Augustinegrass produced similar quantities of root length as sawgrass. Based on dry matter production, sugarcane appeared to have greater potential than sawgrass and St. Augustinegrass for accreting Everglades peat soil, while reducing nutrient levels in ground water.