Sugarcane:

Economic Importance
 Introduction
• Nepal ranks 41st in sugarcane production (2.93 million tons),
35th in harvested area (64,483 ha) and 67th in sugarcane yield
(45.4 t/ha).
• It is a C4 crop which has more adaptive capacity in the context
of changing climate (drought, flood and temperature).
• As well, due to its ratooning ability farmers don’t have to
plant it annually: a charming crop in aspect of production.
• There are twelve sugar mills in Nepal out of which only two or
three have installed ethanol production unit and rest are only
producing sugar.
o Sugar as food
o Ethanol as alcohol productions
o Ethanol and bagasses as energy (fuel and electricity)
o Press mud as a nutrient rich organic matter and
o Sugarcane leaves as a fodder and roofing material
 • Sugarcane juice lends a cooling effects
to the body.
• It can hasten recovery from Jaundice
• It can restore the protein which we
lost during fever
• I can fight against acne, and keep the
skin hydrated
• Anti-carcinogenic properties
Constituents Value (%)
Water 69-75
Soluble solids
Sucrose 8-16
Reducing sugars 0.5-3
Organic matters 0.5-1
Inorganic compounds 0.2-0.6
Nitrogenous bodies 0.5-1
Insoluble solids
Fibre (dry) lignin, cellulose 10-16
Dirt (soil, extraneous matters) 0.78-1.63
 Introduction . . .
• About 62% of worlds’ sugar is met from the cane
• Sugar requirement is projected at 150 million t for the world
• The annual sugar demand in Nepal is estimated to be 225,000
tonnes. Out of all this, Nepal imports almost 80,000 tonnes of
sugar from other countries, mostly India, then from Pakistan.
• The government has forwarded process for purchasing
electricity generated from two sugar mills
o 6 MW electricity purchased from sugar mills (from last year)
• Sugar factories, mainly located in the rural areas, support
huge economic activities in the rural areas.
• In addition to improving the economic condition of farmers
and agricultural labourers engaged in sugarcane farming,
multipliers influence.
• In urban areas sugarcane juice has great demand as a thirst
quencher. In many of our festivals, sugarcane is an important
item of worship.
Using bagasse for bio-energy
 Defining the by products of sugar mills
Bagasse
• It is the spent cane or cane residue expelled
form mill house after the compete
extraction of the Juice.
• It contains 52-58% of solid (including some
sucrose) and the rest water.
• The soil is mainly cellulose fibre and pitch.
• Uses: Fuel for raising steam
 Defining the by products of sugar mills . . .

Molasses Filter mud/press mud

• Molasses is the final • The precipitated impurities
effluent obtained in the contained in the cane juice,
preparation of sugar by after removal by filtration, form
repeated crystallizations a cake of varying moisture
content filter mud
• Final molasses contains
30-36% sucrose, glucose • The cake contains much of the
and fructose (30%), colloidal organic matter, ions the
water (20%) and 4% precipitate during clarification,
potash mineral as well as certain non-sugars
• It is the residual syrup
from which no
crystalline sucrose can
be obtained by simple
means
 Sugarcane challenges in Nepal
• Due to unscientific pricing, farmers as well as the sugar industries are
facing difficulties.
• Farmers are not getting their price of sold product on time and sugar
mills complain for high price of the of cane.
• So this has created chaos and distrust among the farmers and the
sugar producing entrepreneurs.
• Moreover, late payment by sugar industries has direct impact on
farmers especially small one that cannot use the required inputs for
production with a consequence of lowered crop production.
• Farmers are getting deviated from the production of sugarcane crop
in spite of its more profitability and sugarcane as a miracle cash crop
is being in doubt in these perspectives.
• At present conditions, 18,045 m3 ethanol can be annually produced in
Nepal without compromising the production of food products from
sugar cane. The effects for the country can be manifold. As much as
14% of gasoline import reduction, and annual savings of US$ 10
million could be achieved through the introduction of the E20.
 Ecological requirement of Sugarcane
• Sugarcane is essentially a tropical plant.
• Sugarcane thrives best in the tropical hot sunny areas.
• A long summer growing season with adequate rainfall, a fairly
dry, sunny and cool but frost free ripening period and free from
cyclones (typhoons and hurricanes) are characteristic ideal
• Sugarcane is grown in the world from latitude 36.70N and 31.00S
to 1000 m of altitude or little more.
• It is a long duration crop and thus it encounters all the seasons'
viz., rainy, winter and summer during its life cycle.
 Temperature
• Sugarcane is a tropical crop but it is widely distributed in sub
tropics too (e.g. Nepal, North India).

• Optimum temperature for sprouting (germination) of stem

cuttings is 320 to 340C.
• The minimum threshold temperature for cane growth is 16oC
(180C). A check in vegetative growth occurs when the daily mean
air temperature drops below 210C.
• Thus, low temperatures are most effective in inducing ripening
and lead to better juice quality.
• A mean day temperature of 12-140C would be highly desirable for
proper ripening.
 Temperature
• At high temperatures reversion of sucrose into fructose and
glucose may occur besides enhancement in photo respiration,
thus leading to less accumulation of sugars.
• In the range of 21-320C, a close relation between temperature and
volume of cane growth exists. Under deficit moisture,
temperatures above 320C may exert a retarding effect on growth.
Though, temperatures up to 430C (soil temp) are tolerated under
high soil moisture status.
• No root development occurs below 120C. It is best at soil
temperature of 300C.
• Tillering is maximum at 300C (26-300C). Temperatures below 200C
retard tillering. (180C – 350C)
 Temperature
• The optimum day and night temperatures for elongation are 31 &
200C, respectively.
• The optimum temperature for sucrose synthesis in leaves and
accumulation in stalk is 300C.
• Low temperature increases juice acidity (pH 4.9 to 5.5) and gum
contents in juice that lowers recovery. The minimum range is 14-
170C for good juice quality.
• Temperature above 400C accompanied by high light intensities
inactivate chloroplasts and reduces recovery due to rapid inversion
and carbohydrate formation from sucrose. This is why in areas
with high uniform temperature canes are of low quality.
• For these reasons the period from end of December to end of
March is considered the best crushing season.
 Temperature
• Again in April onwards, due to high temperature, recovery also
falls
• Sugarcane requires a long growing season, from 10 to 12 months
because certain number of heat units is required to bring the plant
to maturity.
• The modified growing degree days at base temperature of 100C
have been worked out for sugarcane and it ranges from 2000 to
6000.
 Moisture
• Generally in sugarcane growing areas the annual rainfall is
distributed in such a way that about 30% of the total rainfall
coincides with dry season and the remaining 70% with humid
season.
• Planting time should be selected in such a way that the intensive
growth of the sugarcane could take place during rainy season.
• The transpiration coefficient of sugarcane is 400.
• Sugarcane grows under varying rainfall situation from nil in certain
part of Peru (where it depends fully on irrigation) to over 350 cm
per yr in some parts of Hawaii.
• The crop can survive normal variation around of mean of
1200mm/yr (high yield 2000 to 2500 mm per annum evenly
distributed is considered ideal).
• Therefore: in tropics-30-36 and in sub tropics 8-10 irrigations are
provided.
 Moisture
• Water requirement of a 12 month sugarcane is as follows:
Germination- 0-45 days 300 mm
Tillering 45-120 days 550 mm
Grand growth 120-270 days 1000 mm
Ripening 270-360 day 650 mm
• During the active growth period rainfall encourages rapid cane
growth, cane elongation and internode formation.
• But during the ripening phase it is not desirable as it leads to poor
juice quality, encourages vegetative growth, formation of water
shoots & increase in the tissue moisture.
• Its effect becomes more deleterious if accompanied by low
sunshine hrs.
 Light
• Light is the most important external factor influencing tillering.
• Light exerts its influence throw two factors: intensity & duration.
• Under high light intensity, the elongation of stem slows down, but
the tillers develop actively.
• Under bright sunlight conditions, the stems are thicker but shorter,
the leaves are broader and greener, while under low sunshine with
lighter light intensity the stems are slender, and long having
thinner, narrower and yellowish leaves.
• The duration of light period or day length influences tillering. Short
day length decreases number of tillers per plant and ultimately the
tonnage yield.
• Day length is largely responsible for flowering or arrowing in cane.
 Soil
• Sugarcane can be grown on a variety of soil with texture ranging
from sand or heavy clay soil to organic soils. There was not
difference in yield/sugar percent when it was grown on clay, clay
loam and sandy clay loam soils.
• The ideal sugarcane soils are deep aerated, well structured sandy
looms to clay loams with an adequate supply of organic matter.
• Among the soil parameters, bulk density (BD) seems important
and the critical value is 1.8-1.9 g /cm3. The optimum BD is 1.5
g/cm3
• Sugarcane is sensitive to soil oxygen deficiency. The critical limit is
about 3.4% and value less than this impairs root development and
nutrient uptake.
• The optimum soil pH for sugarcane is about 6.5, but it grows on a
wide range between 4 & 8.5.
 Planting material
• Sugarcane is propagated vegetatively by stem cuttings of immature
canes which are variously known as setts (3 budded as a rule)
• While the cane is still growing, the terminal meristem provides apical
dominance which prevents the growth of the lower buds.
• This may be removed by topping the canes a week before taking the
cutting, which causes the buds to swell and sprout quickly.
• When the top bud of a stem grows, it is stimulated by auxin which at
the same time retard the growth of the lower buds in increasing
order from top to bottom, so much that the lower ones remain
dormant. That's why the whole stem is not used directly in planting.
• Highest bud on the stem germinates more readily than those of
lower portion is related not only to top dominance, but to the age of
the bud and moisture status of the portion of the stem to which it is
attached. The upper buds are protected by leaf sheaths.
 Top one third portion of a cane
• In general sugarcane is propagated by setts taken from the upper
third of the cane.
• These top setts are formed by a length of about 60 cm or more of
the cane
• The internodes which make such setts remain almost enveloped by
leaf sheaths which conserve the germinating power of the buds
inside them.
• This portion of the stem is not useful for milling. On the other hand,
they serve as an excellent planting material due to young buds which
are less liable to be dried out and sprout readily.
• Bottom portion of the cane consists much sugar and has hard buds
which do not sprout quickly. Moreover, bottom buds are over aged &
may be damaged & infested with pest or diseases.
• Therefore, to use ripe portion for milling and growing top portion for
seed purpose is an ideal way of making best use of sugarcane.
 Top one third portion of a cane . . .
• In practice the whole cane may be is used for setts, but their
sprouting percentage decreases considerably from top to bottom.
• The germinating percentage of setts obtained from top, middle and
bottom portions of the cane is found to be equal to 100, 40 and 19,
respectively.
• Due to these reasons the top one third portion of the canes is
generally used for planting material.
•
 Rayungans
• It is an Indonesian term meaning a developed cane shoot.
• When standing crops are topped, some of the auxiliary buds sprout
due to elimination of apical dominance.
• When the sprouts are four to six weeks old, they harden and are fit
for removal from the stem and planting in field.
• Planting of such developed shoots instead of cane setts helps to fill
the gap, but there should be sufficient moisture and fertilizer in the
soil for the establishment of Rauyungans at the initial stage.
• Since the cane setts planted in the field take four to six weeks to
sprout the rayungans planted to fill up gaps do not appreciably lay
behind set planted crop.
 Immature cane or short crop
• A sugarcane crop raised exclusively for seed purpose is known
as short crop.
• The short crop is usually harvested at around 6-8 months. In
the case of short crop, entire crop can be used for preparing
setts, discarding only the buttom most buds.
• The short crop or seed crops may be given additional
fertilizers about six weeks prior to harvest. The practice is
known as pre fertilizing, improves seed quality by enhancing
sett nutrient status and sett moisture.
• Thus, the seedlings emerging from such setts establish quickly
and grow vigorously.
• A good seed is one which is free from pests & diseases, high in
moisture content, rich in invert sugar and soluble N
compounds.
 Water shoots
• Water shoots are late formed tillers or side
shoots which are robust and fast growing.
• They originate mainly due to plentiful supply
of water, inadequate earthing up and late
manuring.
• These water shoots as name indicates, contain
lot of water, very less sucrose and more
reducing sugar.
• Therefore, can be used effectively as planting
material.
• Water shoot affects the growth of the
adjacent stalks.
• Therefore, it is advisable to remove water
shoots as and when they arise.
 Seetlings
• One budded sett with roots
• Settling nursery is raised in a small area 1 MBP
• Approximately 50 m2 (5m x 10 m) of the area is well prepared, small
plots of approximately 1m2 are made.
• Before dibbling setts, insecticides is applied to the soil
• In each small plot nearly 600 to 800 single bud treated setts (cutting
just above the growth ring and leaving 8-10 cm of the internode
below the bud) are planted.
• About 2 t of seed cane raised in the above manner will be sufficient
for transplanting in one hectare of the field.
• The nursery beds are irrigated and the setts are dibbled vertically,
keeping the bud and the root bands just above the soil surface.
• Mulching
• Nursery is irrigated frequently to maintain optimum moisture level.
• Eighty-five to ninety-five per cent of the buds sprout within 3 to 4
weeks time (3-4 leaves) and are ready for transplantation.
 Flat planting Methods
• Flat system of planting is mainly followed in
the subtropical areas.
• It involves repeated ploughing using wooden
plough and compacting by planking to
conserve moisture.
• For planting shallow furrows (8-10cm) are opened with a local plough
at a distance of 75-90 cm.
• The cuttings are placed end to end or but to bud in the bottom of the
furrow.
• After planting the setts are covered with 5-7 cm layers of soil followed
by leveling with planking.
• Irrigation doses not follow immediately.
• The field should have adequate moisture at the time of planting.
• Manuring and cultural operations are done after receiving the
monsoon rain.
• The entire crop receives 6-8 irrigation
 Furrow planting Methods
• Furrows of 15-20 cm depth are made with local plough or
ridgers or spade at a distance of 90 cm apart from each other.
• Before planting setts, the bottom of the furrow is dug and
mixed with basal dose of fertilizers after placing the setts in
the furrows they are covered with 5-7 cm layers of the soil
leaving upper portion of the furrows unfilled.
• Immediately after covering of the setts water is let into the
furrow.
 Ridge and Furrow planting Methods
• This is the most common method of planting sugarcane adopted by
progressive farmers where irrigation water is available.
• The system facilitates easy irrigation, provides good soil aeration
and solid support to the plant when a proper earthing up is done.
• In the finely of prepared field, ridges and furrows are formed using
tractor drawn or bullock drawn ridgers. (or manually)
• The spacing followed ranges from 60-135 cm between the rows
(common 90 cm).
• Closer spacing of 60-75 cm = for early, short duration and shy
tillering varieties &under poor soil fertility status
• Wider row spacing (100-120cm) = high fertility conditions with good
irrigation facility and for long duration and high tillering varieties.
• Depth of furrow should be 25 cm.
 Ridge and Furrow planting Methods
• A furrow length of 10-25 meters is ideal when guided irrigation is
followed.
• The buttom of the furrow should be loosened to 10 cm depth.
• In this system first basal manures is placed in the furrow bottom
and mixed slightly with the soil.
• The treated setts are placed either in end to end or bud to bud
fashion.
• At the time of planting care should be taken to plant the setts in
such a way that the buds are facing the sides (facing downward =
difficult in emergence and upward = expose on irrigation).
• Then the setts are covered with soil and irrigated and better for
light soil
• In heavy clay soils, the furrows are irrigated first and plant the sett
and is called wet method.
 Trench Method of Planting
• Suitable for: tall crops and strong wind - causes lodging of cane
• In this system U shaped trenches of 35 cm deep (width 20 cm) at
a distance of 90 cm are dug with the help of ridger/manual
labour.
• After this already prepared mixture of NPK fertilizers should be
spread uniformly in the trenches and mixed thoroughly in the
soil.
• Immediately after planting (end to end) this trenches are filled
with loose soil as in case of flat sowing (5-7 cm of soil layer).
• In due course of time when the shoots have well developed the
trenches are filled by soils while giving earthing up (85-100 DAP).
 Deep Trench Method of Planting
• Suitable for: early drought (deep planting) and late water logging
conditions (small drain trench)
• In this: Trench size 30-45 cm depth and 60 cm width at a spacing
of 120cm (center to center) leaving gap of 60 cm.
• Sugarcane setts are planted on either side of the trench bottom
and covered with soil slightly.
• As the cane grows, the trench is filled with soil with each
manuring.
• Finally a small trench is formed between the setts of paired rows
which serves as drainage channel.
• The system is highly labour intensive.
• But the system gives higher yield. Besides more number of
productive ratoons can be raised.
 IISR 8626 method of planting
• Auxins (growth of apical bud and control the activity and growth
of axillary bud), soil compaction (hinders root growth and
proliferation) and lengthening of growth period
• The essence is : to plant tailed rayungans other than horizontally
in fully fertilized and irrigated deep trenches.
Seed preparation
• About two months before planting, the crop standing in the field
for seed purposes is topped
• This topping has to be done at such a time that by the time cane
is planted, the side-shoots grow out and have about 3-4 leaves
(2-12 weeks).
o Warmed weather: March-topping only about one MBP
o Cold weather: 10-12 weeks before the proposed date of planting.
• While topping, cut point is treated 0.50% solution of Aretan
 IISR 8626 method of planting . . .
Trench making
• No land ploughing
• The trenches of 20 cm width are make at intervals of 90 cm from
centre to centre and sides should be vertical.
• To economies on labour requirement, the trenches may be first
dug to a depth of 30 cm
• One third of the fertilizer dose should than be applied in the
trench by loosening another 15 cm bottom soil mix up fertilizer
• The soil piled up then put back into the trenches and mixed up
remaining fertilizer gets mixed with the soil of the entire depth
of the trench, from top to bottom.
• The trenches may be dug at any time but the fertilizer should be
added and the trenches filled up just before planting.
 IISR 8626 method of planting . . .
Planting
• As soon as these rayungans are out from the stalks, the greens
leaves of the shoots should be trimmed.
• The material may then be dipped or soaked in a 0.25 percent
solution of Aretan, if so desired.
• The water is then allowed to flow in trenches (just enough to be
soaked into the soil). The interspaces should be kept dry.
• The tailed rayungans are then pressed vertically into the wet soil
and kept erect.
• The spacing between rayungans should be about 50-75 cm,
closer in late plantings and wider in early plantings.
• The bases of the side shoots should be about 5-10 cm below the
original soil surface. If they are left without soil cover more soil
may be added to the trench.
 IISR 8626 method of planting . . .
Irrigation
• Wet area = 7-8 irrigations (summer) and 3-4 (post monsoon)
• Dry area = 8-10 irrigation (summer) and 3-4 (post monsoon)
Fertilizers
• 120-150 kg N + 100 kg P2O5 per ha + 100-150 kg K2O
• The all fertilizers can be mixed together along with insecticides
and incorporated into the trench soil.
Seed rate
• Number of tailed rayungans = 20000/ha (early planitng 15000/ha)
• About half of what is recommended in the flat planting system.
Cost and benefit
• Cost varies from location to location. However, it is higher than in
flat planting.
• There are also savings on seed and many manual operations like
gap-filling, top dressing, inter cultivation etc.
 Advantages IISR 8626 method of planting
• Remarkably high yield
• Moderate requirement of fertilizers and irrigations
• Suited to canal areas as well as tube well areas
• Adaptable for short-season crops and intensive rotations
• Greater efficiency of inputs
• Larger turnover of soil and other capital
• Fewer cultural operations and no frequent attention to the crop.
• Manual labour intensive: provides very remunerative
employment for manual labour during the off-season
• Within reach of the smallest farmer
• The cost of production per tonne of cane likely to be reduced by
30 percent and net profit per hectare doubled.
 Difference between trench and IISR 8626
• In IISR 8626 technique
o The trenches are deeper
o They are filled up nearly to the brim before planting is done
and not left open with the cane at the bottom
o All the fertilizer is applied in a single dose
o Not merely rayungans but tailed rayungans are used as seed
o The material is planted vertically
 Spaced (Trans)Planting Technique (SPT)
• Nearly 10-15% of the cane yield is utilized as planting material in
conventional planting method.
• At the same time, the method does not provide opportunities to
the crop to fully express its genetic potential for tillering due to
inter-plant competition and unevenly distributed solar radiation
• Improved crop geometry through proper spacing of plants is
thus crucial for upgrading productivity.
• With this consideration STP for sugarcane crop has been
developed at Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research and tested
in the field.
• This technique minimizes the input levels and is suited to
farmers with relatively small holdings.
• It increases seed multiplication ratio from 1:10 to 1:40.
 Spaced transplanting technique …
Raising of Settling Nursery
• Settling nursery is raised in a small area 1 MBP
• Approximately 50 m2 (5m x 10 m) of the area is well prepared, small
plots of approximately 1m2 are made.
• Before dibbling setts, insecticides is applied to the soil
• In each small plot nearly 600 to 800 single bud treated setts (cutting
just above the growth ring and leaving 8-10 cm of the internode
below the bud) are planted.
• About 2 t of seed cane raised in the above manner will be sufficient
for transplanting in one hectare of the field.
• The nursery beds are irrigated and the setts are dibbled vertically,
keeping the bud and the root bands just above the soil surface.
• Mulching
• Nursery is irrigated frequently to maintain optimum moisture level.
• Eighty-five to ninety-five per cent of the buds sprout within 3 to 4
weeks time (3-4 leaves) and are ready for transplantation.
 Spaced transplanting technique …
Land preparation
• Same way as recommended for conventional methods of planting
Preparation of settlings
• Settlings are carefully removed from the nursery and leaves are
trimmed
• The de-topped settlings are dipped in 0.1% Aretan solution
• A portion of the settling nursery should be retained for gap filling
Transplantation
• The transplantation of settling can be done for both the methods of
planting, that is trench or flat system.
• Spacing : 75- 90 cm x 45-60 cm
• The settlings are dibbled and covered with soil, leaving about 5 cm
position of the shoot above the ground and given life irrigation.
• After about 10 days of transplantation, gap filling
• The properly transplanted sprouted setts grow vigorously with a
higher early tillering.
 Spaced transplanting technique …
Fertilizer application and intercultural operations
• As the conventional methods
• Spot application of nitrogen fertilizer is preferred
Advantages
• Saving of nearly 4 ton in seed cane per hectare:
• Higher stalk population exceeding 1.2 lakh canes per hectare
• Uniform crop stand, with higher unit stalk weight.
• Late-shoot production is considerably reduced
• Lower incidence of pests and diseases
• Reduced lodging of cane
• Increase in seed multiplication ration (1:40) over conventional
method (1:10)
• Yield jumps of 20-25 percent in tropical and about 40-50 percent in
subtropical cane growing regions of the country.
 Ring Planting Methods
• In this system growth of mother shoot is encouraged and tillers
suppressed.
• In a favorable environment "mother shoot may produce as many
as 50 tillers.
• Tillers are weak and "parasite" on the mother shoot until their
own root formation
• As a result of this, mother shoot gets initial setback in its
development.
• If tiller emergence could be prevented somehow, then the
mother shoots will grow freely without sharing nutrients thus
might produce more yields.
• This could be achieved by inducing initial competition among
plants through the use of heavy seed rate.
• However, in the conventional row planting, high seed rates have
not produced the desired results.
 Ring Planting Methods …
Methods of preparing rings
• Circular rings of 90 cm diameter and 45 cm depth at 120 cm interval
(=150 cm) are made leaving 30 cm space is left in between 2 pits.
• This way nearly 6,900 rings could be made in a one hectare field.
Fertilizer application
• In every pit, 5-8 kg FYM/compost/filter press mud is filled for 10 cm
bottom of the pit along with the insecticides.
• 10 g urea and 10 g P2O5 and 10 g K2O are also added in the pit.
• Thirty days after germination 20 g urea must be top-dressed.
• At the time of earthing up further 20 g urea is top dressed uniformly
over every pit.
Seed material and planting
• Twenty three-bud setts then are placed horizontally in each pit and
covered by 2.5 cm thick soil cover.
• After germination when plants grow, pits are filled up gradually with
the dug soil. The filling is completed by the end of May.
Ring Methods
 Hoeing
• After 10-15 days of planting hoeing should be conducted
o Loosens the soils,
o Creates suitable environment for setts germination,
o It also controls small weeds
• Hoeing is compulsory after 1st top dressing and irrigation and
there after 1-2 hoeing are done according to need.
 Gap filling
• After 20-30 days of planting the field is checked to see the sprouting
of setts.
• The place without sprouts should be filled with new setts.
• For this purpose, it will be better to use settlings, raygaungs.
• To promote rapid growth the cuttings should be immediately
planted and soil should be sufficiently supplied with water and
optimum fertilization.

GAP = ≥ 60 cm
 Weed Management
• To achieve better yield, weeds must be controlled at proper stage.
• Heavy weed growth during initiation phase and may cause yield
loss of 60-80%
• Further they provide the alternate host of insect pest
• Autumn sugarcane planted in October takes about 3-4 weeks for
germination. Winter season weeds (dicot weeds) germinate
before the emergence of sugarcane. A second flush of weeds
emerges with the onset of summer season grassy in nature.
• Spring planted crops of sugarcane takes about 4-5 weeks to
germinate. Weeds start emerging from the very beginning after
the planting and continue to onset of monsoon thus faces serious
weed problem. The weeds before the start of monsoon are
generally dicot and some perennials while emerge during rainy
season are mostly annual grasses.
 Weed Management
• Wherever weed problem is higher, weeding through spade digging
of ridges at 30, 60 and 90 DAP
• Pre-emergence application of Atrazine 1 kg a.i./ha (0-3 DAP) mixed
in 600 liters of water
• Pre-emergence application f Atrazine @ 1.0 kg/ha fb post
emergence directed application of glyphosate @ 1.0 lit ha-1 on 45
DAP with hood and a hand weeding on 90 DAP
• If not pre-emergence spray, post-emergence spray of Grammax 1
litre + 2,4-D sodium salt 2.5 kg/ha in 600 liter of water at 21 DAP
• In case of striga problem, post-emergence application of 2,4-D
sodium salt @ 2 kg/ha in 500 litre of water/ha may be done.
• Remove the weeds along the furrows with hand hoe. Otherwise
operate power tiller fitted with tynes for inter cultivation.
 Earthing Up
• Earthing up is common in tropical areas where furrow irrigation is
common. In subtropics it isnot common due to flat method of planting
• Earthing up operations are conducted in 2-3 stages.
o First (partial earthing-up): After 1st top dressing to cover the manure
and to provide anchorage to the freshly developing shoots roots
o Second (full earthing-up): After the final top dressing (90-120 DAP, at
the peak tiller population stage) and converts the furrows into ridges
and the ridges into furrow. This also checks further tillering, provides
sufficient soil volume for root growth, promotes better aeration and
provides a good anchorage to the crop and thus preventing lodging.
o Third: At around 6 months when a stable cane population has been
established that prevent lodging, late/water shoot formation, and
improve aeration.
• Earthing up could be done either manually or by using a bullock-drawn
ridger or a tractor drawn ridger.
 Detrashing
• A normal stalk bears 30-35 leaves, under good growing conditions.
• All these are not useful. For optimum photosynthesis only the top 8
to 10 leaves are required.
• Most of the bottom leaves dry out as the crop ages. The bottom
green leaves are parasite to upper one.
• Therefore it is important to remove the dry and the lower green
leaves and the operation is known as detrashing.
• Detrashing should be done around 150 days after planting. There
after it could be done at bimonthly interval as possible.
• Detrashing is done manually. A hand tool can also be used for
detrashing which could be locally made.
• Certain sugarcane varieties have spines on their leaf seaths. In such
varieties it is difficult to carry out this operation by hand. Therefore a
hand tool (detrasher) may be highly useful.
 Detrashing
Advantages of detrashing
• Detrashing helps in maintaining a clean field that provides easy air
movement and ideal micro-climatic condition for cane growth.
• Removal of parasite green leaves makes more food material available
for stalk growth.
• Reduce the problem several insect pests
• In some varieties bud sprouting occurs as a result of accumulation of
water in side the sheath, these sprouting is prevented
• Facilitates easy entry into the field, particularly fro interculture
operation
• Easier for harvesting and provides clean canes for milling.
• The detrashed trash used for mulching in the furrows to conserve
moisture.
• Removed and used for composting.
 Warpping & propping
• Bending down one or more lower leaves of the cane and wrapping
it around and close to the cane stem.
• At the same time the canes in the clump, after they are wrapped,
are tied together.
• The wrapping begins when the cane is 5 months old and is
repeated 4 times at monthly intervals and requires considerable
labour which has to be done by hand.
• In later stage, during wrapping two or more cane clumps are tied
together for additional strength and to prevent their lodging.
• Usually the tying together of the canes in a clump and of two or
more clumps is sufficient to prevent serious lodging, but in certain
case lodging is completely prevented by the use of strong bamboo
props.
 Water management
Germination
• Light irrigation given at frequent intervals (5-6 days, 25% deplition of
ASM) to kept just moist, not dry or over moist.
• Drying at this stage leads to buds dry off
• Higher amount of water application leads to bud rotting due to fungal
attack, lack of aeration, and soil dampness reducing soil temperature.
Tillering
• The tillering phase is crucial thus needs optimum supply of water.
• Any shortage would reduce tillering, increase tiller mortality
• Excess irrigation during tillering is harmful since it coincides with the
active root development
• To meet the water needs during this phase of crop growth, irrigations
at about 8-10 days interval (40-50% ASM depletion).
 Water management
Grand growth
• Require highest amount of water.
• Shortage of water leads to shortening of internodes and reduced can
weight.
• Irrigations at about 8-10 days interval
Ripening phase
• This phase requires a mild moisture stress for sugar accumulation.
• If water stress, serious cane weight loss, cane breakage, pith
formation, increase in fibre percent and deterioration in juice quality
due to lower translocation of sugar.
• Excess moisture promotes vegetative growth and lowers juice quality.
• Irrigation interval should be extended to about 12-15 days under
medium soils.
• An important consideration is that the soil should not be allowed to
crack as it damage the roots
 Intercropping: Autumn Sugarcane
Sugarcane + Potato Sugarcane + Lahi (toria)
• S/C = 90 cm row spacing, planting in • S/C= sown in 1st week of October at
1st week of October and basal 75 kg basal N. Top dressed with 75 kg N/ha
Na & 75 kg N/ha after potato harvest after harvesting the Lahi (toria)
• Potato: 1 row of potato in the center • One line of lahi Type-9 or any other
at 15 cm plant to plant and basal 60 short duration variety of toria is sown
kg N/ha and harvest in January. • A dose of 30 kg N/ha is applied at 20-
25 DAS and harvest in January.
Sugarcane + Wheat
• S/C= planted in October hoeng in the Sugarcane + Lentil
2nd week of November. • S/C= planted in October and basal N.
• Before hoeing, 30 kg N/ha applied in Top dressed with 75 kg N/ha after
between two rows of S/C and 2 row harvesting of letil
of is wheat sown at 20 cm row • 2 row of is Lentil sown at 30 cm row
spacing at 60-70 kg/ha seed rate. spacing
• A second dose of nitrogen at the rate • Ready for harvesting in end of March
of 30 kg N/ha at CRI
• A dose of 75 kg nitrogen per hectare
is applied to sugarcane crop after
harvesting the wheat.
 Intercropping: Spring Sugarcane
Sugarcane + Moong Sugarcane + Urd
• S/C = planted in rows 90 cm in • S/C = same as in susgarcane + moong.
February. A basal dose of 75 kg • Instead of moong, short duration
N/ha applied. variety of urd like Type-9 is sown in
• Two rows of short duration moong lines between sugarcane rows.
(Pusa Baisakhi), 30 cm apart in the • In this case 3 rows of urd, 20
centre of sugarcane rows leaving 30 centimeter apart are sown and
centimeter distance between cane distance between sugarcane and urd
and moong rows are sown. is 25 cm
• A seed rate of 7-8 kg per hectare is • Urd crop will be ready for harvest in
sufficient and no fertilizer the end of May.
application
• Irrigate the crop as per need of
sugarcane. • Similarly other crops like cowpea can
• Moong harvest in month of May also be grown in spring sugarcane
(multiple picking).
• After harvest of moong, a second
dose of N (75 kg/ha) is applied.
 Fertilizer Management in Sugarcane
• Sugarcane is a giant crop producing huge quantity of biomass
• One ton of sugarcane removes 1.0 kg N, 0.6 kg P2O5 and 2.25 kg K2O. Thus
a 100 ton removes 100: 60: 225 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha respectively.
• Larger cane yield demands greater amount of nutrient elements, or an
adequate fertilization is the key of good yield of sugarcane
• Nitrogen is the key nutrient element influencing sugarcane yield and
quality. It is required for vegetative growth and since vegetative growth is
directly related to yield in sugarcane.
• With each kg of nitrogen application the sugar yield increases by 10-30
(max 40) kg per hectare.
• Yield increments due to N fertilizer application are two times that of P and
three times of K fertilizers. At the optimum level of fertilizers, response are
o 500-1200 kg sugarcane per kg applied N.
o P= 50-250 kg per kg P2O5 applied
o K= 20-150 kg per kg K2O applied
 Nitrogen
• N is most essential during the early growth stage and immediately after
harvesting in the ratoon crop.
• Application of N at the time of planting helps in germination while its
presence in soil promotes tillering and growth of the cane.
• Basal dose of N applied near the sett may be absorbed by sett roots and
early formed shoot roots & may help give initial vigour.
• Maximum uptake of nitrogen (50-60%) utilized during vegetation takes
place at the end of teillering and gradually declines thereafter.
Deficiency of N Excess of N
• Pale green foliage and early leaf • Prolongs vegetative growth and
senescence, delays maturity and ripening,
• Thinner and shorter stalk, • Increases reducing sugar thus
• Longer but thinner roots. decreases juice quality
• Deficiency is most favorable at the • Increases soluble nitrogen in juice
end of vegetation that retards • Increased succulence the crop that
growth and helps in accumulation of becomes susceptible to lodging
sugar. and pest and disease attack.
 Nitrogen
• Amino acids like glutamin, asparagin and thirosine can not be removed.
• Their presence in the juice prevents the crystallization of part of the
sugar (to the extent of 25 to 30 molecules of sugar for each molecule of
amino acid).
• Thus, a progressive depression in juice sucrose associated with increase
nitrogen fertilization is caused by immature sucker, continued growth
and bonding of sugars with nitrogenous compounds usually known as
undesirable nitrogen in cane.
• So, management of nitrogen in sugarcane production is, therefore, most
critical.
 Phosphorus
• Phosphorus requirement is less than N and K but plays important role.
• Phosphorus is essential for cell division and thus it is indispensable for stalk
and root elongation or crop growth.
• Phosphorus promotes early ripening and vigorous tillering. Phosphorus is
involved in root formation and therefore assists in tillering.
• It affects juice quality because it is involved in sugar synthesis
UDPG+ fructose 6 phosphate → UDP + sucrose phosphate → Sucrose + Pi
• It interacts with N, thus influences ripening. Juice quality is adversely affected
due to high amount N (content) when P supply is poor.
• P uptake in sugarcane is more evenly distributed than N. During the first
months accumulated up to 20%, in the next 3 to 6 months up to 50% and
equals to 72% in 9 months. Excess of P
Deficiency of P • Wasteful in most soils due to
• Reduced of length and diameter of cane fixation problems.
• Reduced tillering, delay in canopy closer
thus leads greater weed infestation. Adequate present of Pis cane juice
• narrow and bluish green leaves & drying (300-500 mg/litre of juice) is
and dying from tip and margin necessary for proper clarification.
 Clarification is done for two purposes
• Naturally juice is dark green in color and acidic. It is heated at 1050C and
milk of lime is added in two stages: before and after heating to:
o To prevent the inversion of sucrose which occurs in acidic conditions
o to coagulate and precipitate impurities
• The treated juice then enters from boiling house to the clarifiers for
coagulation and precipitation of chlorophyll, anthocyanin, polyphenol,
wax, gums, albumins and pectins as well as calcium phosphate as filter
press mud.
• The phosphate present in the mixed juice is in the form of soluble
phosphate has practical significance.
• The particular reaction involved formation and precipitation of tricalcium
phosphate which removes the colloids and other impurities and also
absorbs much of the coloring matter and diminishes the calcium.
• Excess phosphate (600-800 mg P2O5/ litre of juice) is not desirable as it
forms greater amount of precipitate which creates additional load in
clarifiers and filters.
 Clarification is done for two purposes . . .

• Particles in raw juice bear a -ve electrical charge thus cause the particles
to repel each other and thus prevent their coalescence which much
requires to introduce the +ve charged particles.

• The addition of milk of lime introduces +ve charged calcium which

attracted the -ve charged colloidal impurities. If the amount of calcium is
sufficient the -ve charge of colloidal matter is neutralized and all
impurities are precipitated

• With heat: albumin, gelatin present in juice as dehydrated, denatured

and coagulated by heat alone & precipitated out.

• Pectins: are decomposed by the action of lime and heat and are
precipitated as calcium pectate and thus eliminated.
• SO2, CO2, P2O5: form thick precipitate of calcium sulphite, calcium
carbonate and calcium phosphate, which by surface attraction carry
much of the impurities remaining in colloidal dispersion.
 Potassium
• Intensive utilization of potassium by cane occurs in the first 6 months of
vegetation and before harvesting.
• The requirement of potassium by sugarcane is high even greater than N.
More response under lighter soil and in the region with high rainfall.
• It is involved in various enzymatic activities thus helps for sugar synthesis
and it translocation to the storage tissue.
• It helps sugarcane under moisture stress by maintaining cell turgidity
and higher moisture content thus it usefull for adverse conditions.
• Potassium gives resistance to sugarcane against pest and disease attack
and lodging.
Deficiency of K Excess of K
• Reduction in juice quality with low sucrose content
Very high
which is exaggerated by higher amount of nitrogen
potassium in juice
apply application. is adversely affects
• Produce thin and soft cane with a tendency of lodging the crystallization
• The older leaves become yellow and brown spots. of sugar and leads
• Apical dominance might be lacking or weak, as apical to lower recovery
buds are damaged during potassium deficiency. percentage.
 Fertilizer application methods
• Recommended dose is 120:60:40 kg NPK per ha
Spring planting Autumn planting At present
60 kg N/ha at planting 40 kg N/ha at planting 150:60:40 kg NPK/ha
60 kg N/ha after 2 40 kg N/ha at 3-4 months 75:60:40 at planting
months planting age 1st earthing up
40 kg N/ha at 6 months 75 kg N/ha in two
aged, 2nd earthing up installments at 90 and 120
(irrigated condition) days
Rainfed condition This is to save nitrogen
-80:60: 40: at planting loss through leaching.
-40 kg N/ha before onset Sugarcane is frequently
of monsoon irrigated (6-8 in sub
-In direr areas it is tropics). Mainly spring
recommended to increase planting is done in Nepal.
the dose of K by 25-50%
 Time and Methods of fertilizer application
Nitrogen
• The germinating bud develops with the food material already
present in the sett. Therefore any nitrogen applied during this stage
will be of less practical use.
• It is important that a sufficient amount of nitrogen should be
available in soil during early vegetation, when metabolism and
tillering in the sugarcane plant is most intensive (Particularly in the
2-4 MAP).
• Incomplete assimilation of the nitrogen causes depression in juice
quality (high glucose, less sucrose, presence of nitrogenous
compounds) during ripening
• A period of 4-6 months is required for complete assimilation of the
nitrogen, taken up during the boom (peak) period. That's why all
nitrogen should be applied at least 5 months before the cane will
be harvested.
 Time and Methods of fertilizer application
Nitrogen
• Tillering phase commences in a field Late nitrogen application
grown sugarcane by around 30-45 lowers juice quality
days (early for short and early
maturing). Therefore the first • Continued vegetative growth
application of nitrogen should be at • Late tiller formation
the start of tillering phase. • Reduced pol% in juice
• Increase in soluble N in juice
• Normally 2-3 splits are made at • Water shoot formation
critical growth stages. i.e. tillering • Lowers sugar recovery %
(35-60 days) formative phase (60-75 • High incidence of disease
days) & grand growth phase (75-100 • Loses through leaching
days)
• Late application of nitrogen beyond
120 days in a 12 month crop will have
adverse effect on juice quality.
 Time and Methods of fertilizer application
Potassium Phosphorus
• Due to better utilization of N by the • P is highly immobile and fixed
cane in the presence of K, K than N & K, so its application
applications are usually done along with should be done before
N application. planting right near the roots
• Therefore K is applied along with N at for its effective uptake.
45 to 90 days. However, K is also • P need is greater in the
applied as basal in several sugarcane formative phase and also the
growing regions. tillering. Thus the optimum
• Since K is also subjected to losses by time of soil application of P is
fixation and leaching it is a advisable to just before planting below the
go for split application along with N. setts.

• In sugarcane late application of K at • In subtropics a portion of the

around 6 months has been found to fertilizer is applied as basal
improve sugar recovery, particularly and the remaining after the
under drought conditions. onset of monsoon rain in June.
 Ratoon Management
• Ratoon cropping implies
o More than one harvest from a single planting
o Regrowth from basal buds of stem mainly the underground and crown
o Ratooning is raising a fresh crop of sugarcane from the preceding plant
crop stubble regrowth without fresh planting of setts. This is first ratoon.
When a ratoon is raised from the stubble regrowth of the first ratoon, it is
second ratoon and so on.
Extent of ratooning
o In India, almost 50% of the cane area is always under ratoons. In
Mauritius, it is 85% and in Queens land, Australia, it is around 70%.
o The percentage of ratoon area is relatively greater in subtropics than in
tropics.
o In India, raising 1-2 is most common, though there are instances of many
ratoons or multiratoons in certain pockets of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
and Karnataka.
o A national award winning farmer by name Prafulla Chandra of Shimoga
district of Karnataka has raised more than 25 ratoons of variety Co 419.
 Ratoon yield
• Cane yield decline in successive ratoon is a common
• A 10 percent yield decline is considered quite normal.
• In several countries ratoon yields are either same as plant crops or
sometimes higher than the plant crops if managed properly.
• Average yield gap between plant and the ratoon crop in the country is
20-25%.
• Because of the lower yields, even though ratoon occupy about 50% of
area, their contribution to the total cane production is only around 30 %.
The major causes for yield decline in ratoons are
• Free- or gift crop attitude of the farmers towards ratoon and therefore
poor ratoon crop management
• Reduced initial population because of reduced stubble sprouting
o Subtropics: winter harvested crops poor sprouting due to low
temperatures. Late harvested canes also cause stubble failure due to
high temperature.
o Under wet soil conditions, sprouting fails. Low sprouting may also be
due to certain pests and diseases.
 Poor Ratoon yield…
• Decline in the soil nutrient status
o By the time the plant crop is harvested, the soil gets depleted of
nutrients due to crop uptake and losses of applied and native
nutrients through leaching and other means.
• Soil compaction and poor soil physical status
o Soil compaction occurs due to irrigation, movement of animals and
humans as well as machinery (insignificant in our case).
o Soil compaction (increase in bulk density) leads to poor soil aeration
and reduced water holding capacity.
o Compaction affects root growth severely. Ratoon root system is
always less extensive than the plant crop.
• More incidence of pests and diseases
o Ratoon in general are more prone to pest and disease attack as they
are generally weak and less vigorous in most situations.
• Adverse weather conditions at the time of plant crop harvest, mostly in
the sub tropics.
 Advantage of Ratoon
• Ratoons are economically by about 25-30% in the operational cost
because of saving setts and initial preparatory cultivation cost.
• Ratoons save time as they establish early and in general mature early.
Farmers will get time to other crops or enterprises in the farm.
• Ratoons stabilize the cane area of a factory. Each year, the factory will
have assure cane area to the extent of ratooning, which is around 40-
50 percent in most areas; therefore every year the effort for planting
is limited to the fifty percent of the total cane area required.
• Ratoons often give better quality cane. Therefore they may help
improve sugar recovery at the start of the crushing season.
• A poor farmer who cannot spend on inputs for raising good ratoons,
still can have a bonus crop to sustain himself without much
investment. Thus welcome by most farmers; even though from
overall point of view poor ratoons are not desirable.
 Ratoon Management Practices: Variety
• Sugarcane varieties differ in their ratooning ability.
• Generally early maturing varieties have poor ratoons than middle or
late varieties.
• Thin or medium thin varieties give better ratoons than thick varieties.
• Varieties giving high yields as plant crops give better ratoon yields in
most cases, however, this is not always true.
• Some varieties give higher ratoon yields than plant crops.
o In Tamil Nadu; Co 6304 variety is a good ratoon while another popular
variety CoC 671 is a poor ratoon while CoC 671 has been found to give
good ratoon yields in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
o Thus ratooning ability of variety differs from region to region also.
• Co 740, Co 1148, Co7314, Co 8013, Co8018, Co 8021, Co 8121, Co
81222, Co 8134,Co 8145, Co 8208,Co8362, Co 86010 and Co 86011
posses excellent ratoon potential.
Ratoon Management Practices: Plant crop and its harvest
• Good ratoons result from healthy plant crops.
• The plant crop should be raised under optimum input levels,
particularly nutrients and irrigation.
• Poorly grown plant crops due to moisture stress, inadequate nutrients
or disease and pest attack cannot give satisfactory ratoons.
• Plant population in the ratoons can be maintained if there were
adequate stubbles in the field.
• Thus too low cane population at harvest and highly infested situation,
it is desirable to avoid ratooning.
Time of harvest
• Conducive weather at harvest for stubble sprouting is important.
o Low temperature: lower sprouting
o Hot summer: drying up of the buds and stubbles, high shoot borer
incidence
• Optimum temperature for sprouting is 25-30oC temperature.
Ratoon Management Practices: Plant crop and its harvest
• In extreme weather special management is required for ratooning.
• Harvesting of cane any time excepting very hot summer months
(April-June) and cold months (Dec and Jan) would result in
satisfactory ratoons.
Duration of harvest
• The duration of harvesting of a field is not extended beyond a week.
• Jaggery farmers harvest in piece leads to heterogenous ratoon
population. This should be avoided as possible.
Method of harvest
• Harvesting the plant crop close to the ground levels very important
for more yield and also for better ratoon crop.
• This is particularly important in places where stubbles shaving
operation cannot be carried out due to either labor scarcity or
unfavorable soil conditions like either excess moisture or lack of it.
 Ratoon Management Practices: Trash disposal
• Trash disposal is an important task soon after the harvest.
• Green tops are mostly used for feeding cattle and tying the cane
bundle. Still as much as 8-10 t/ha of trash which must be disposed off.
• Most farmers burn the trash. Scientifically, trash must be conserved
and returned to the soil for organic matter and nutrients (trash =
0.35%N, 0.13%P2O5 and 0.6%K2O)- improves soil physical condition.
Conserving trash
• For carrying out ratooning operations, the field has to be cleaned (kept
in bund and retained to field).
• Trash mulching suppresses weed growth besides conserving moisture.
Irrigation interval is extended to 15-20 days by trash mulching
compared to the usual 8-10 days interval in medium textured soils.
• Mulched trash can be incorporated into the soil at earthing up.
 Ratoon Management Practices: Trash disposal
• Trenches can be dug in the field at regular intervals and put the
trenches for composting
• Distinct advantage of trash mulching over trash burning was
demonstrated with 5-10 t/ha more cane yield was obtained in the
trash mulched plots.
• Trash burning is essential under the following conditions:
o Plant crop infected by pests and diseases like scales, mealy bugs, red
ants etc.
o In areas prone to heavy termite attack
o Areas prone to rodent attack.
o Excess moisture affecting sprouting
o In soils where sub soil drainage is poor, and
o In areas where fire hazard exists.
Ratoon Management Practices: Stubble shaving
• The stubbles protruding out of the field are cut below ground level
using sharp spade. This is done to facilitate healthy underground
buds to sprout and establish a deeper root system in the ratoon
crop.
• Generally, buds above ground
o Get damaged during harvesting and subsequent cleaning
o Drying of buds buds; and shoots even after germination
o Buds infected with disease causing organisms.
o Fresh shoot-roots also would not be able to enter the hard soil
o Successive ratoons originate from a higher point and poor rooting
o By deep stubble shaving, the lower buds are forced to germinate
and thus have root system at deeper layer.
• For stubble shaving, sharp implement, preferably spade is used
Ratoon Management Practices: Stubble shaving
• If the soil is hard and dry which create difficulty for stubble, the
field should be irrigated lightly and stubble shaving is done
• In some varieties (e.g. CoC 671) with shallow root system and
there is problem of uprooting of stubbles. In such cases instead of
a spade, it is better to use a sharp knife to cut stubbles to the
ground level.
Tractor drawn stubble shaver
• At the IISR, a tractor draw stubble shave has been developed and
satisfactorily tested for shaving close to the ground level.
• Drive for the cutter unit is taken from the P.T.O of the tractor
• The implement gives an out-turn of 2 ha/ha and brings down the
cost of stubble shaving by 50 percent.
Ratoon Management Practices: Off barring/shoulder
breaking and loosening the inter-spaces
• Soil compaction (long duration, intercultural operations, irrigations,
movements, rainfall) is one of the major causes for the poor growth
of ratoon cane.
• Because of this compaction, creates for aeration thus hampers the
root development and finally reduced nutrients and moisture
absorption.
• Off barring is an operation wherein the ridges are broken or cut on
either side. This operation is also called as "shoulder breaking."
• To loosen the soil, the inter spaces between the rows are dug.
• Implements
o Bullock drawn implements like wooden plough
o Small ridger like implement
o Sub soilers but it requires a heavy duty tractor is required. This
facilitate quicker development of fresh root system and help in
vigorous growth of the young crops.
Ratoon Management Practices: Gap filling
• One serious problem in ratoons is the occurrence of gaps, which when
exceed 20% cause considerable yield losses.
• Gaps occur because of poor sprouting
o Cold or hot weather conditions,
o Poor plant crops,
o Attack of fungal disease, insect pests etc.
• A spot in a row can be considered as a gap if ≥ 60 cm lacks sprouts.
• For gap filling it is better to use per-germinated single bud sett.
Polybag seedlings for gap filling
• Another recent technique is to raise polybag seedlings for gap filling.
• For this purpose, single bud setts are planted in polythene bags
(dimension= 12 cm x 8 cm having a few punch holes for aeration filled
with soil, sand and FYM in the ratio = 1:1:1).
• A month old seedlings (clipped off leaves) can be used for gap tilling.
• A small quantity of super phosphate placed in the pit helps better growth
of the seedling.
Ratoon Management Practices: fertilizer management
• As sugarcane removes huge quantities of nutrients from the soil.
• Another problem in the ratoons is the temporary "immobilization"
of the available nutrients, particularly N due to decaying old root
system and other crop residues.
• These factors necessitate suitable fertilizer management
techniques for ratoons.
• Early growth in ratoons is relatively quicker. Hence there is need to
apply fertilizers early. Initial application of N is important for
quicker decomposition of the old root system and residues.
• Entire dose of P, one-third each of N and N may be applied soon
after stubble shaving and off-barring on either side of the ridge
and covered with soil.
Ratoon Management Practices: fertilizer management
• This has to be followed by top dressing of remaining N and N
around 30 and 60 DAP, in equal splits.
• From several studies on N application to ratoons, it has been
established that the dosage can be 25% more than the plant crop.
• Incorporation of leguminous crop residues in ratoon cane
improves nitrogen use efficiency.
• Ratoons have also been found to respond to foliar application of
urea.
 Ratoon Management Practices: Water management
Irrigation Drainage
• Ratoons are more susceptible • In some wet areas, very poor
to moisture stress due to their ratoons are seen mainly because
shallow root system. of excess irrigation coupled with
• Irrigations are required at poor drainage.
frequent intervals, particularly • Avoiding excess irrigation and
in the early stage. Under improving drainage are essential
moisture stress conditions steps to improve the ratoon
trash mulching is useful. productivity in these areas.