32
2019 ISBN: 978-93-85267-24-6
2019
ISBN: 978-93-85267-24-6
Settling Transplanting Technology
(STT) (Future of Sugarcane Agriculture)
Correct Citation
ICAR-SBI 2019. Settling Transplanting Technology (STT) - Future of Sugarcane Agriculture. ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 22p.
Month published : June 2019
No. of copies : 1,000
Published by : Dr. Bakshi Ram Director ICAR- Sugarcane Breeding Institute Coimbatore-641 007 (Tamil Nadu)
For further information contact : The Director ICAR- Sugarcane Breeding Institute Coimbatore-641 007 (Tamil Nadu) Phone: 0422-2472627, Fax: 0422-2472923 Email: [email protected]
ISBN : 978-93-85267-24-6
Photo Front cover Demonstration of sugarcane settling transplanter in M/S. Rajshree Sugars & Chemicals, Theni (4 August 2017).
Photo Back cover - UpperDemonstration of sugarcane settling transplanter in the presence of Hon'ble Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shri. Parshottam Rupala (21 March 2018).
Photo Back cover - BottomDemonstration of sugarcane settling transplanter in the presence of Secretary, DARE & Director General, ICAR, Dr. T. Mohapatra (3 July 2018).
Printed by : Udhayam Achagam R.S. Puram, Coimbatore Ph : 0422 - 2541551 E-mail : [email protected]
© All rights reserved
Seed replacement rate in sugarcane is low due to its bulky, vegetative nature of propagation. Transportation of sugarcane seed is a difficult task as a truck load of sugarcane is required for planting one hectare of area. Out of about 5.0 million ha total cane area in the country, about 45 % (~22.5 lakh ha) is under plant crop which is to be planted every year. At a modest estimate, 168.75 lakh tonnes of sugarcane is used as seed to plant 22.5 lakh ha area annually in the country (@ 7.5 t/h). This issue has been bothering me for more than a decade.
After taking over as the Director of the ICAR-SBI, Coimbatore I seriously thought to resolve the issue of reducing the quantity of seed to the bare minimum. Severe drought situation during last 5 years in Southern states threatened the continuation of sugarcane cultivation in Indian Peninsular Region. Continuous shortage and high charges for labour, particularly for harvesting made me to realize the importance of mechanization in sugarcane agriculture, especially in tropical region. I started thinking on a futuristic model of sugarcane agriculture which addresses the issues of reduction in seed quantity, improving water and nutrient use efficiency, generate intermittent income to the cane growers, retention of soil moisture, weed management, multiple ratooning and mechanization of sugarcane agriculture from planting to harvesting, thereby leading to improved profitability of farmers through reduction in input cost and increase in sugarcane productivity.
Improved varieties plays an important role in improving the productivity of sugarcane cropping system, hence high yielding and better quality varieties is taken as the major component of the model. Single bud sett planting, spaced transplanting (STP) and polybag / pro-tray nursery are some of the options available, by which seed requirement could be reduced. Through settling transplanting, the quantity of sugarcane seed per unit area could be reduced by 80 per cent. Sub-surface drip irrigation/fertigation was taken as a component for improving the water and nutrient use efficiency. However, it is difficult to take the sub-surface drip lines and reuse the same after one plant and one ratoon crop. A crop cycle of one plant and three ratoon crops was considered economical to realize the cost of drip irrigation. Hence, multiple ratooning was included as one of the components. Wider row planting was selected to facilitate intercropping
for intermittent income and complete mechanization of sugarcane agriculture. Trash mulching was included as a practice for soil health improvement, moisture retention and smothering weeds, particularly in ratoon crop. The sugarcane cultivation model developed incorporating all above components has been named as Settling Transplanting Technology (STT).
In this model, the planting area of sugarcane will be reduced to 1/4th, i.e. about 12.5 lakh ha per annum, which will require about 18.75 lakh tonnes of sugarcane as seed @ 1.5 tonnes seedcane/ha in comparison with 93.75 lakh tonnes seed for normal sett planting. Hence there will be a saving of about 150.00 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, which will be available for crushing in mills to produce 16.10 lakh tonnes additional sugar (@ average sugar recovery of 10.73 per cent during 2017-18). The value of this additional sugar, so produced from saving of sugarcane seed, will be equal to ` 4,989.5 crores @ Rs. 31,000/tonne, the current selling price of sugar, leading to ` 249.47 crores as GST to Central and State Governments. At the current FRP, the farmers will get additional ` 4,125 crores per annum (@ current FRP of ` 2,750/tonne). There is a need to adopt STT on a larger scale throughout the country. Adoption of proposed STT of sugarcane cultivation would help in faster multiplication and replacement of seed/varieties, development of village level small entrepreneurs and Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA). This technique could be promoted by identifying one or two young and/or innovated farmers in each village and providing required training to the selected young farmers.
Further, the ICAR-SBI is working on an ambitious project of developing hybrid varieties which will be propagated through true seed. With the success of this project raising seedlings followed by transplanting will be essential. Therefore, successful adoption of STT would pave way for easier/faster adoption of hybrid varieties of sugarcane to be propagated through true seed.
The STT is an outcome of extensive discussion with sugarcane farmers, sugar factory personnel across the country and my colleagues in the Institute, particularly Dr. C. Palaniswami, Dr. A. Vennila, Dr. S. Anusha, Dr. R. Karuppaiyan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. R. Naik (ICAR-CIAE). I gratefully acknowledge the inputs received from farmers, sugar factory personnel and scientists of the Institute.
(Bakshi Ram) Director
1
Settling Transplanting Technology (STT) - An Introduction
Sugarcane, the prime source of sugar in India, is cultivated in an area of about 5.15 million hectare with a production of about 383 million tonnes (2018-19). Sugar industry, the second largest agro-based industry in India sustains the livelihood of about 12.34 million farmers and farm workers. Sugar industry is also emerging as a substantial source for meeting a part of the ever increasing energy needs of the country through the co-generation of electricity and ethanol, which are renewable sources of energy. So, there is the opportunity in terms of growing demand, for sugar and other co-products of sugarcane. The maximum cane yield achieved at field level is 168 t ha-1 and the average productivity in India is 79.7 t ha-1. The theoretical maximum cane yield is 472 t ha-1 (Moore, 2015) and there exists a wide gap between the potential yield and the present yield of sugarcane. The reasons being continuation of old and degenerated varieties, use of inferior quality seeds over years, improper crop and ratoon management, dwindling water resources, poor soil health, high labour cost and non-availability of timely labour for doing various cultural operations.
Conventional method of sugarcane planting requires 7 to 8 tonnes of seed cane per hectare and this is the main reason for slow rate of seed and varietal replacement. Sugarcane being a long duration crop and heavy biomass producer requires about 1500 to 2500 mm water. The availability of irrigation water is declining gradually. The problem is further aggravated by the variability of rainfall influenced by climate change. So, unless sugarcane farmers are provided with options of high yields with much less water, India will find it difficult to meet its growing demand of sugar. Hence, there is a need to adopt water saving technologies for sustainable sugarcane production. Keeping in mind the likely to be faced situations in future, the ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI) has developed an integrated sugarcane cultivation model called Settling Transplanting Technology (STT). Components of the model are listed below:
1. High yielding and better quality varieties2. Raising and transplanting of settlings derived from single bud setts/ bud chips3. Sub-surface drip irrigation and fertigation4. Wider row planting 5. Intercropping6. Trash mulching7. Multiple ratooning8. Mechanization
The objective of this model is to increase the productivity of sugarcane and sugar, reduction in preparatory tillage and seed costs (multiple ratooning), reduction in input costs (settling transplanting and drip irrigation/fertigation, trash mulching), increased water and nutrient use efficiencies (drip irrigation with fertigation and trash mulching), reduction in labour requirement (wider row planting and mechanization of cultural operations from planting to harvesting) and intermittent /additional income to farmers (through intercropping).
2
Component 1 High Yielding and Better Quality Varieties
Varieties plays an important role in improving productivity of any cropping system. Various studies across the world have indicated from 50 per cent to 75 per cent contribution of varieties in improving the sugarcane productivity (Baver, 1963 in Hawaii and Hogarth, 1976 in Australia). Another report from Louisiana mentioned about doubling the cane yield since 1928, which is attributed largely to varieties (Feldmann et al. 2001). An analysis on impact of Co 0238 in Uttar Pradesh on improving sugar recovery (BakshiRam et al. 2016) indicated 60 per cent contribution of the variety during the climatically unfavourable season for sugar accumulation (2015-16), and it is expected to be still higher during normal seasons. Therefore, choice of correct set of varieties suited to particular geographical location is vital in attaining best possible sugarcane productivity. At present (2018-19), two of the varieties developed by the ICAR-SBI namely, Co 0238 in subtropical India and Co 86032 in tropical India occupies about 66.1 and 47.3 per cent areas, respectively in two regions. These two varieties cover about 60 per cent of the total sugarcane area in the country during 2018-19 season. A number of elite varieties combining high cane yield, sucrose content and resistance to red rot have been developed from ICAR-SBI. Varieties suitable for tropical India includes Co 86032, Co 09004, Co 06030, Co 0403, Co 0212, Co 06022, Co 10026, Co 11015 and varieties suitable for sub-tropical India includes Co 98014, Co 0118, Co 0238, Co 05011, Co 06034, Co 09022 and Co 12029.
Co 86032 (Nayana)(Wonder variety of tropical India)
Co 0238 (Karan 4)(Wonder variety of sub-tropical India)
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Component 2 Settling Raising and Transplanting
Sugarcane is a clonally propagated crop with the planting of sugarcane setts traditionally. In this traditional method, the issues like requirement of high seed cane, low germination rate, difficulty in seedcane transportation, seed quality, etc. are affecting the cost of cultivation as well as sugarcane production. Doubling of farmers’ income, the flagship programme of the present government, can be achieved by increasing the productivity and reducing the cost of cultivation. Transplanting sugarcane single-bud/ bud-chip settlings can save seed cane requirement up to 80 per cent besides providing healthy plants and good field establishment. It is less expensive and labour saving in comparison with conventional sett planting. This method also reduces the initial water requirement of the crop and reduces crop duration in main field. Transplanting sugarcane settlings in wider row spacing provides more space and sunlight for a longer duration which increases cane productivity, and also facilitates intercropping and mechanization of sugarcane agriculture from transplanting to harvesting.
The ICAR-SBI, in collaboration with ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (ICAR-CIAE), has developed a tractor drawn two-row sugarcane settling transplanter to further reduce the labour requirement and cost of cultivation (Photo-front inner cover). Row-to-row spacing (3', 4', 5'), plant-to-plant distance in a row (30, 45, 60 cm) and depth of planting (2.5, 5, 7.5 cm) can be adjusted in this implement. The field capacity of the implement is 0.15 ha/h and seedling gap or missing per cent 3 - 4 at a working speed of 1.4 km/h. The working of the settling transplanter has been demonstrated at the Institute, Bannari Amman Sugars, Sathyamanglam (Photo-back inner cover), Rajshree Sugars and Chemicals, Theni and Sakthi Sugars Ltd., Appakudal. Mechanised Sugarcane transplanting offers a new and progressive change in sugarcane agriculture.
The manufacturing rights for settling transplanter have been transferred to following firms:
(1) M/s. Rohith Krishi Industries : Akurdi Industrial Estate, Plot No. 38, D1 Block, MIDC, Chinchwad, Pune-411019; www.rohitagro.com, E-mail: [email protected], Phone: 020-27476444, 9561226444, 996060644. Two row sugarcane settling trasplanter
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(2) M/s Magnificent Engineers : No. TS-36, SIDCO Industrial Estate, Kurichi, Coimbatore-641021; E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]; Mobile: 09843033808, 9345799063, 9092610001.
2.1 Preparation of single bud settling
Major steps involved in raising single bud or bud-chip settlings are given below (also see photographs in next page)
(i) Preparation of single-bud setts or bud-chips from 6-8 month old plant crop. use signgle bud sett cutter or budchip machines available locally. The ICAR-SBI, Regional Centre, Karnal has developed QUATRO sugarcane single bud cutter using which 4 sugarcane stalk can be sized in to single bud setts simultaneously. Its design was patented by ICAR-SBI (Patent No. 297432 dt 11.9.2017). The manufacturing rights for quarto sugarcane single bud cutter has been transferred to M/s. Hanzra Agro Engineering Works, Village-Bansa, Karnal-132001, Haryana. Mobile: 9996131394, 905070400.
(ii) Sett treatment with nutrients and pesticides (0.1% each of Urea, FeSO4 and ZnSO4; and 0.04% Propiconazole fungicide) manually or using the Sett Treatment Device designed by ICAR-SBI and ICAR-CIAE.
(iii) Plant single budded setts vertically/bud-chips with buds facing upwards in protrays/ cavity trays using 1:1:1 ratio potting mixture of sand : soil: decomposed FYM/ Coir-pith.
(iv) Stack the Sett filled protrays vertically one over others and cover the trays with polythene sheet and leave it for 5-6 days.
(v) After 5 days unpack the trays, spread it horizontally.
Sugarcane Bud chip cutter QUATRO sugarcane single bud cutter
5
Sett Treatment Placement of single bud setts
Stacking trays vertically
Settling emergence
Covering trays with polythene sheet
Grown up settlings in protrays
6
(vi) Water the settlings regularly.
(vii) The settlings will be ready for transplanting by 30-35 days.
(viii) Transplant 30-35 days old settlings in the main field using the sugarcane settling transplanter.
(ix) Place the trays containing settlings on the tray holder of the transplanter. Plug the seedlings one by one and drop one seedlings at a time inside the circularly rotating settlings holder (root should face downward)
(x) The furrow opener attached in the implement open furrows. The settlings are dispensed automatically into the furrows at 5 cm depth, 2 feet distance between seedlings in a row and at 5 feet distance between adjacent rows. The settlings are immediately covered with soil by the planter.
(xi) The normal planting spacing is 5 x 2 feet and at this spacing 5,000 settlings are required for planting one acre (12,000/ha). However, the row spacing may be adjusted in the machine as per convenience.
(xii) Irrigate the field immediately after transplanting.
Placing settlings on the transplater
The working of sugarcane settling transplanter
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Component 3 Sub-surface drip irrigation and fertigation
Although India has the largest irrigated area in the world, the coverage of irrigation is only about 40 per cent of the gross cropped area as of now. One of the main reasons for the low coverage of irrigation is the wide use of flood (conventional) method of irrigation, where water use efficiency is very low due to various reasons. Available estimates indicate that water use efficiency under flood method of irrigation is only about 35 to 40 per cent because of huge conveyance and distribution losses.
Drip irrigation is one such technology which saves irrigation water requirement through reduction in conveyance loss, evaporation from soil and weed growth, and continuous maintenance of soil available moisture in the root zone thereby high water use efficiency (90%). Apart from saving water, drip fertigation saves fertilizer also by enhancing fertilizer use efficiency and reducing environmental pollution. The drip irrigation method provides option of automation in irrigation and chemigation. This is one of the ways to achieve “More Crop Per Drop Mission” of the Government.
3.1 Irrigation scheduling
Irrigation water requirement is computed based on the crop coefficient (Kc value) and the evaporative demand of the climate (pan evaporation). Irrigation water economy can be achieved through the application of computed quantity of water as per the schedule using drip irrigation method. Irrigation schedule for important districts in different states is given in Table 1.
Drip irrigation unit Layout of drip laterals
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Tabl
e 1.
D
rip
irri
gatio
n sc
hedu
le
for
maj
or
suga
rcan
e gr
owin
g re
gion
s in
th
e co
untr
y in
sp
ring
pl
ante
d
s
ugar
cane
pla
nt c
rop
(110
00 e
mitt
ers/
ha w
ith 4
l/hr
dri
p op
erat
ion
dura
tion
on a
ltern
ate
days
in m
inut
es)
Tam
il N
adu
Kar
nata
kaM
ahar
asht
raM
adhy
a Pr
ades
hG
ujar
atA
ndhr
a Pr
ades
h
DA
T*Er
ode
Cud
da-
lore
Man
-dy
aBe
la
gavi
Kol
h ap
urJa
lg
oan
Nar
sing
-pu
rN
avsa
riJa
mna
gar
Chi
t-to
orSr
ikak
u-la
m1-
3035
4034
3335
3021
2927
3030
30-6
062
6461
5863
5843
5450
5762
60-9
081
7780
7986
8566
7774
8074
90-1
2086
8888
9310
412
491
101
103
8890
120-
150
8810
189
9510
816
911
411
212
593
9615
0-30
080
9876
6580
131
9887
110
8682
300-
330
4553
4348
5148
3851
4840
46
Har
yana
Punj
abU
ttar P
rade
shU
ttara
kand
Biha
r
DA
T*K
arna
lRo
htak
Gur
das-
pur
Hos
hiar
-pu
rM
uzaf
far-
naga
rBa
lram
-pu
rH
arid
-w
arU
dham
Sin
gh
Nag
arW
est C
ham
-pa
ran
1-30
1416
1010
1415
1512
1430
-60
3437
2826
3232
3024
3260
-90
5964
5248
5757
5042
5990
-120
9298
8780
9088
8168
9112
0-15
012
012
912
010
911
811
310
084
109
150-
300
125
135
125
115
121
107
8472
8930
0-33
028
3225
2427
2828
2330
* DA
T =
Day
s af
ter t
rans
plan
ting
9
Table 2. Fertilizer recommendation based on benchmark soil fertility status of sugarcane growing region (kg/ha)
State / District N P2O5 K2OTamil Nadu
Erode* 401 138 292Cuddalore 350 62.5 120KarnatakaBelagavi* 212 79 85Mandya 210 47 120
Andhra PradeshChittoor 350 78 90Srikakulam 280 78 90
Telangana 350 78 90Maharashtra
Kolhapur 280 78 120Jalgaon 350 78 90
GujaratNavsari 280 78 90Jamnagar 350 62.5 90
Madhya PradeshNarsinghpur 280 62.5 90
Uttar PradeshMuzaffarnagar 350 62.5 90Balrampur 350 78 120
UttarakhandHaridwar 280 78 120Udam Singh Nagar 350 78 120
HaryanaKarnal 350 78 120Rohtak 280 62.5 120
PunjabGurdaspur 350 47 90Hoshiarpur 350 47 120
BiharWest Champaran 210 47 90
* Based on the STCR approach with targeted yield of 150 t/ha
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3.2 Fertilizer recommendations
Adoption of soil test based fertilizer recommendations for sugarcane is essential to ensure balanced fertilization. The recommended dose of organic manure and the entire dose of phosphorus, sulphur, FeSO4 and ZnSO4 should be applied as basal for plant and ratoon crop. In plant crop, the fertilizers may be applied in the furrows before planting. For ratoon crop, the above basal manures have to be applied and irrigated after off-barring within 10 days of harvest (Table 2).
3.3 N and K fertigation schedule
For plant crop, fertigation may be started from 1st week of transplanting and continued at weekly intervals till 25th week after transplanting. Thirty per cent of the recommended N and K2O is split equally and fertigated from 1st to 12th week and remaining 70 per cent of the recommended N and K2O is split equally and fertigated from 13th to 25th week. For ratoon crop, application of 25% extra N is needed. Hence, 55 per cent of the recommended N is split equally and fertigated from ratoon initiation to 12th week. Thirty per cent of recommended K2O is split equally and fertigated from 1st to 12th week. The remaining 70 per cent of the recommended N and K2O is split equally and fertigated from 13th to 25th week as in the case of plant crop. Fertigation schedule for important districts in different states is given in Tables 3 & 4.
3.4 Advantages
Drip irrigation and fertigation enables precise delivery of water and fertilizers to the active root zone resulting in higher water and fertilizer use efficiency. Nutrient losses due to leaching, volatilization and de-nitrification are minimized.
• About 50 percent saving in water by adopting drip system with an increase in cane yield of 72.5 percent can be achieved when compared to furrow irrigation method.
• Saving in power consumption and irrigation labour cost is 58 and 90 percent, respectively in the drip irrigation method over furrow irrigation.
• Fertiliser use efficiency in fertigation increases to 80 – 95 % from 30-50% in conventional soil application.
• Drip irrigation fertigation results in an additional income of about Rs. 1.50 lakhs per hectare (due to increased cane yield and labour saving).
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Table 3. Fertigation schedule based on benchmark soil available nutrient status major sugarcane growing tropical region
State / District
Weeks after Transplant -ing /planting / Ratooning
Plant crop Ratoon cropUrea kg/ha/week
MOP kg/ha/week
Urea kg/ha/week
MOP kg/ha/week
Tamil NaduErode 1-12th 21.80 12.18 39.98 12.18
13-25th 46.95 26.23 46.95 26.23Cuddalore 1-12th 19.03 5.00 34.88 5.00
13-25th 40.98 10.78 40.98 10.78KarnatakaBelagavi 1-12th 11.53 3.55 21.13 3.55
13-25th 24.83 7.65 24.83 7.65Mandya 1-12th 11.43 5.00 20.95 5.00
13-25th 24.60 10.78 24.60 10.78Andhra PradeshChittoor 1-12th 19.03 3.75 34.88 3.75
13-25th 40.98 8.08 40.98 8.08Srikakulam 1-12th 15.23 3.75 27.93 3.75
13-25th 32.80 8.08 32.80 8.08Telangana 1-12th 19.03 3.75 34.88 3.75
13-25th 40.98 8.08 40.98 8.08MaharashtraKolhapur 1-12th 15.23 5.00 27.93 5.00
13-25th 32.80 10.78 32.80 10.78Jalgaon 1-12th 19.03 3.75 34.88 3.75
13-25th 40.98 8.08 40.98 8.08GujaratNavsari 1-12th 15.23 3.75 27.93 3.75
13-25th 32.80 8.08 32.80 8.08Jamnagar 1-12th 19.03 3.75 34.88 3.75
13-25th 40.98 8.08 40.98 8.08Madhya PradeshNarsinghpur 1-12th 15.23 3.75 27.93 3.75
13-25th 32.80 8.08 32.80 8.08
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Table 4. Fertigation schedule based on benchmark soil available nutrient status major sugarcane growing Subtropical region
State / District
Weeks after Transplanting/ planting / Ra-
tooning
Plant crop Ratoon crop
Urea kg/ha/week
MOP kg/ha/week
Urea kg/ha/week
MOP kg/ha/week
Uttar Pradesh
Muzaffarnagar 1-12th 19.03 3.75 34.88 3.7513-25th 40.98 8.08 40.98 8.08
Balrampur 1-12th 19.03 5.00 34.88 5.0013-25th 40.98 10.78 40.98 10.78
UttarakhandHaridwar 1-12th 15.23 5.00 27.93 5.00
13-25th 32.80 10.78 32.80 10.78Udam Singh Nagar
1-12th 19.03 5.00 34.88 5.0013-25th 40.98 10.78 40.98 10.78
HaryanaKarnal 1-12th 19.03 5.00 34.88 5.00
13-25th 40.98 10.78 40.98 10.78Rohtak 1-12th 15.23 5.00 27.93 5.00
13-25th 32.80 10.78 32.80 10.78Punjab
Gurdaspur 1-12th 19.03 3.75 34.88 3.7513-25th 40.98 8.08 40.98 8.08
Hoshiarpur 1-12th 19.03 5.00 34.88 5.0013-25th 40.98 10.78 40.98 10.78
BiharWest Cham-paran
1-12th 11.43 3.75 20.95 3.7513-25th 24.60 8.08 24.60 8.08
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Component 4 Wide row planting
Transplanting settlings in wide row spacing provides more space and sunlight for long duration which increases cane productivity and decreases pest and disease incidence. Wide row spacing (≥5 feet) facilitates intercropping and use of machineries for interculture operations and harvesting. The plant to plant spacing in a row may be kept at 5 feet for settlings and tissue culture plantlets. In places where there are chances of lodging due to heavy winds and mechanical harvesting is not possible, a paired-row system of planting can be followed. In case of paired rows, distances of 1.5' to 2.0' between rows and >5' between two such pairs are maintained. The plants in paired rows can be tied with each other (propping) in order to avoid lodging. For mechanical harvesting single row planting is ideal. Sub-surface drip lateral lines to be laid from 4'' to 6'' away from the sugarcane row in case of single row planting and between the rows of a pair in case of paired row planting. The yield and additional returns from intercrops grown under wide row planting will also be more compared to intercrops grown in close spaced sugarcane. Separate surface drip lateral lines need to be laid for irrigating and fertigating inter-crops, which may be removed after harvest of inter-crops and kept in store to avoid damage.
13
View of sugarcane field transplanted using settling transplanter
14
Component 5 Intercropping
Adoption of wide rows would permit taking intercrops during the initial stages of sugarcane growth. This inturn will generate intermittent income to the sugarcane farmers. When sugarcane is grown adopting closer row spacing of 90 cm, it takes about three months for closing of the canopy while it takes longer time under wide row planting. Under wide rows, as the availability of growth resources like solar radiation and space is more, medium canopied high yielding varieties of crops can be grown as intercrops. Growing of legumes as intercrops can also result in improvement of soil fertility. Legumes could fix atmospheric nitrogen under favourable conditions which will be available to associated sugarcane crop. There are many reports of reduction in incidence of insect-pests in sugarcane crop if onion, coriander and garlic are grown as intercrops.
A large number of intercrops have been tested for their compatibility with sugarcane. Intercrops should be of determinate growth habit and dwarf in nature. Generally, short duration crops which can be harvested before the final earthing up are found suitable hence recommended. Green gram, black gram, soybean, coriander, potato, onion, garlic, chilly, mustard, marigold etc. could be raised as intercrops in sugarcane. Net additional income of ` 44,572, ` 29,417, ` 10,523 and ` 4,874 per hectare was recorded in sugarcane intercropped with black gram, green gram, coriander and soybean, respectively.
Sugarcane intercropped with green gram, black gram, coriander and soybean
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Sugarcane intercropped with mustard /yellow sarson
Sugarcane intercropped with marigold
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Component 6 Trash mulching
Sugarcane, on an average produces 30-35 leaves under good growing conditions. As the cane grows the lower leaves gradually dry up. The dried leaves along with leafsheath are called trash. Sugarcane produces about 10 to 12 tonnes of trashes per hectare per crop. This trash contains 28.6 per cent organic carbon, 0.35 to 0.42 per cent nitrogen, 0.04 to 0.15 per cent phosphorus, 0.50 to 0.42 per cent potassium. The operation of removing loosely adhering dried and drying cane leaves from the stalk is known as de-trashing. The de-trashing is done on 5th and 7th month during crop growth period. De-trashing provides easy movement of air within the crop canopy, an ideal micro-climate condition for the growth of the cane and also reduces the problem of insect pest like stalk borer, internode borer, scales and mealy bugs.
In trash mulching, trash shredding is to be carried out using trash shredder and broadcasting of urea @ 50 kg/ha is recommended to enhance its decomposition. In addition, broadcasting of Trichoderma viride @ 10 kg/ha mixed with 100 kg FYM or soil with FYM 15 days of ratoon operation is advised. Sugarcane trash incorporation reduces the bulk density of the soil and there is an increase in infiltration rate and decrease in penetration resistance. There is a reduction in soil EC, improvement in the water holding capacity, better soil aggregation and thereby improves porosity in the soil. The direct incorporation of chopped trash increases the availability of nutrients. Therefore, sugarcane trash incorporation in the soil influences physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil.
Besides conserving soil moisture by reducing evaporation from soil surface, mulching also moderates soil temperature which helps in improving germination and better tiller survival. Trash mulching immediately after ratooning results in conservation of soil moisture, better development of root system, checks weed growth and so increased cane yield in ratoon crop. Under trash mulching, there could be termite problem, which may be overcome by taking appropriate control measures.
Trash mulching in sugarcane field
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Component 7 Multiple ratooning
Ratooning is a practice of growing full crop of sugarcane from sprouts of underground stubble left in the field after harvest of plant crop. Ratoon crops results in reduction in cost of cultivation through saving in land preparation, cost of seed, planting cost and care of the crop during growth. Ratoons are economical by about 25 – 30 per cent. Ratoons stabilize the cane area of a factory, as each year the factory will have assured cane area to the extent of ratooning, which is around 40-50 per cent in most sugar factories. Therefore, every year efforts for planting is limited to the 50 per cent of the total cane area required. The increased yield of ratoon crop and improved soil quality can be obtained with proper and timely ratoon management practices like stubble shaving, off-baring, gap filling, early manuring, control of chlorosis and management of pests and diseases combined with selection of varieties having multi-ratooning potential. In settling transplanting technology, multiple ratooning is an important aspect owing to its low cost of production when compared with (plant) main crop as it saves the cost of seed-bed preparation, seed material and planting / transplanting operations. It is an essential requirement in case of sub-surface drip irrigation to realize the input cost on drip system. Ratoon also helps in extending the crushing schedule of sugar factories as they mature earlier than plant crop. Mostly, ratoon crop yield is lower than plant crop. Co 86032 and Co 0238, the popular varieties of tropical and subtropical region, respectively are excellent ratooners.
Co 86032 in wider row planting with drip irrigation
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Component 8 Mechanization of sugarcane agriculture
Sugarcane is a labour intensive crop which remains in the field for more than a year. The cost of cultivation of sugarcane has gone up significantly due to increase in cost of labour and inputs. Labour availability for major operations like harvest become scarce due to migration of labourers seeking urban employment. Cost of harvest is Rs. 850-900 per tonne in Tamil Nadu which is more than 25 per cent of sale value of sugarcane thereby eroding the profit of the farmers. Sugarcane cultivation can be sustained only if profitability can be ensured through reduction in cost of cultivation and improvement in productivity. Settling Transplanting Technology, with wide row planting as an essential component, provides an opportunity for complete mechanization of sugarcane agriculture from planting to harvesting as tractor drawn implements for preparatory tillage, furrow opening, sett cutting, settling transplanting, inter culture operations, spraying of weedicides and insecticides, harvesting and ratoon operations are available.
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EXPERIENCES FROM DEMONSTRATION PLOT
The ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI) has planted a demonstration plot on STT during January 2018 with following components.
(1) High yielding and better quality clone : Co 11015 (Atulya). It is a high sugar early variety identified in June 2019 for release in Tamil Nadu State.
(2) Settling raising and transplanting: Single bud setts of about 7-month old healthy seed cane were treated with nutrients (0.1% each of urea, FeSO4 and ZnSO4) and propiconazole fungicide using mechanized sett treatment device and planted in protrays for settling preparation. Settlings were ready for transplanting by 35 days. However, due to delay in field preparation and installation of drip irrigation system 55 days old settlings were transplanted in the main field. Imidachloprid @ 0.4 ml per litre was applied on sugarcane rows to protect from termite infestation. As intercrop was shown in the inter rows spacing, pre-emergence pendimethalin spray @ 0.75 kg ai/ha was applied on 3rd days after transplanting (DAT). The settling establishment was 94.8%.
(3) Sub-surface drip irrigation and fertigation: Sub-surface drip system with 16 mm inline laterals having drippers spaced at 50 cm interval was laid out for sugarcane and surface drip system to provide supplemental irrigation to intercrops. Irrigation through sub-surface drip was based on evaporation demand and crop co-efficient. Nutrient requirement for plant crop for the target cane yield of 250 t/ha is 750:230:625 kg N: P2O5: K2O per hectare. Basal application of farm yard manure @ 10 t/ha and SSP in furrows was carried out before transplanting settlings. FeSO4 and ZnSO4 @ 100 and 40 kg/ha was also applied as basal dose in furrows. The nutrient requirement for intercrops was worked out and applied in the interspaces and black gram, green gram, soybean and coriander as intercrops were sown in the interspaces.
Drip irrigation system was operated on alternate days based on pan evaporation and crop co-efficient. The total quantity of water applied through drip till harvesting
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was 72.54 lakh litres/ha (725 mm) excluding the effective rainfall (494.3 mm). 30% of N and K requirement was split equally and fertigated on weekly interval from 30 to 90 DAT. The remaining 70% of N and K was split equally and fertigated on weekly interval from 90 to 180 DAT.
(4) Wide row spacing: Adopted paired row planting at 4x2 feet spacing.
(5) Intercropping: Four intercrops viz. black gram, green gram, soybean and coriander were sown in the interspaces (between pairs). The yield of intercrops was 668, 227, 318, 471, and 1194 kg/ha of leafy coriander, grain coriander, green gram, black gram and soybean, respectively (Table 5).
The number of millable canes (NMC) in all the intercrop treatments was on par with control except the soybean treatment. Soybean intercropping showed the lowest NMC per hectare (76,669) than that of control (90,033), black gram (92,053), green gram (91,021) and coriander (85,459). Intercropping did not affect the cane height, diameter, number of internodes and single cane weight (SCW). The mean cane height, diameter, number of internodes and SCW was 2.74 m, 27.16 mm, 23.33 and
Table 5 : Sugarcane yield and returns under different intercropping system
Inter-crops
Sugarcane Intercrops Sugarcane + intercrops
Cane Yield (t/ha)
Gross In-
come (Rs/ha)
Net in-come*
( Rs/ha)
Yield (kg/ha)
Gross In-
come (Rs/ha)
Net in-
come **
( Rs/ha)
Over all net
in-come (Rs/ha)
Addi-tional
income (Rs/ha)
Black gram 146.56 417696 242696 471 32028 22028 264724 44571
Corian-der 131.23 374006 199006 668+227*** 41670 31670 230676 10523
Green gram 144.67 412310 237310 318 22260 12260 249570 29417
Soybean 119.57 340775 165775 1194 69252 59252 225027 4874
No inter-crop 138.65 395153 220153 220153
*Cost of cultivation @175000/ha
* Cost of cultivation Rs @ 10000/ha
*** Coriander leaf + grain yield
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1.53 kg, respectively. Juice quality parameters at 10th month did not vary significantly with intercropping. The mean juice brix, sucrose, purity and CCS of Co 11015 at 10th
month was 20.31%, 18.13%, 89.25% and 12.60%, respectively. However, intercropping significantly affected the cane yield. Cane yield in soybean intercropping (119.57 t ha-1) was significantly lower than that in black gram (146.56 t ha-1) and green gram (144.67 t ha-1). Cane yield in coriander intercropping (131.23 t ha-1) was on par with sole crop but significantly lower than that in black gram. The net additional income of ` 44,571, ̀ 29,417, ̀ 10,523 and ̀ 4,874 per hectare was recorded in sugarcane intercropped with black gram, green gram, coriander and soybean, respectively.
(6) Trash mulching: De-trashing was done and the dried leaves were left between the rows of a pair. Routine cultivation practices like hand weeding, termite management, rodent management, full earthing-up, detrashing and propping were carried out.
(7) Multiple ratooning: The crop was ratooned in December 2018. Trash shredding was carried out using tractor drawn trash shredder. Urea was broadcasted @ 50 kg per hectare and Trichoderma viride @ 10 kg per hectare was also broadcasted by mixing with 100 kg FYM to stimulate trash decomposition.
(8) Ratoon 2018-19: Nutrient requirement for ratoon crop for the target cane yield of 150 t/ha is 515:115:30 kg N: P2O5: K2O per hectare. Ratoon operations such as stubble shaving, off-barring, gap filling and basal application of nutrients were carried out. Sowing of intercrops, black gram, cow pea and coriander was taken up. Two crops of leaf purpose coriander (Var. Co CR 4) was taken up. The mean yield of intercrops was 3257 kg leafy coriander, 347 kg black gram and 524 kg cow pea per hectare. The yield of black gram as intercrop sown in the trash mulched ratoon was lower when compared to the intercrop yield in the plant crop as the germination of the intercrop was affected by trash mulching.
(9) Mechanization of sugarcane agriculture: Field preparation, laying of drip lines, opening of furrows, spraying of weedicide and insecticides and trash shredding were carried out mechanically.
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Summary
Settling Transplanting Technology (STT), comprising high yielding and better quality varieties, transplanting sugarcane single bud/ bud-chip settling, subsurface drip irrigation and fertigation, wide row planting, intercropping, trash mulching, multiple ratooning and mechanization involves reduced use of agricultural inputs like seeds, water, nutrients, labour, etc. By adopting this technology farmers can increase their sugarcane productivity with reduced cost and also by maintaining ecological sustainability. Further, ICAR-SBI is working on an ambitious project of developing hybrid varieties which will be propagated through true seed. With the success of this project raising seedlings followed by transplanting will be essential. Therefore, successful adoption of STT would pave way for easier/faster adoption of hybrid varieties of sugarcane to be propagated through true seed.
References
BakshiRam, Nair, N.V., Hemaprabha, G.H., Sahi, B.K., Singh, N., Viswanathan, R. and Balamuralikrishnan, M. 2016. Co 0238.-Wonder sugarcane variety. ICAR News 22 (1): 67-69.
Baver, L.D., 1963. Practical lessons from trends in Hawaiian sugar production. In: Proc. Intern. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., 11: 68-77.
Feldmann, P., D’Hont, A., Guiderdoni, E., Grivel, L. and Glaszmann, J.C. Sugarcane. In: Tropical Plant Breeding (eds. Charrier, A., Jacquot, M., Hamon, S., Nicolas and Razdon, M.K.), CIRAD and Science Publishers, Inc. pp 506-523.
Hogarth, D.M., 1976. New varieties lift sugar production. Producers Rev., 66: 21-22.
Moore, P.H. 2015. Sugarcane biology, yield and potential for improvement. Available at http:://researchgate.net/publication/268416676
For further details contact:
The DirectorICAR-Sugarcane Breeding InstituteCoimbatore – 641 007, Tamil Nadu
Email: [email protected] Phone: 0422-2472621
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ISBN: 978-93-85267-24-6
