INTRODUCTION
The harvesting of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.),
without crop residues, leaves on the ground surface a high
amount of DM, between 10 to 20 t ha-1 (Trivelin et al.,
1995) that increases levels of organic matter and improves
soil fertility (Mendonza et al., 2000), contributing to yield
increase of sugarcane (Ball-Coelho et al., 1993). The
residues decomposition releases nutrients to the soil,
especially K, about 93% of the amount initially present in
residues (Oliveira et al., 1999).