Sugarcane

Classification:

• SCIENTIFIC NAME-  Saccharum officinarum
• FAMILY - Gramineae
• CLASS - Monocotyledons
• ORDER- Glumaceae
• SUB FAMILY - Panicoidae
• TRIBE - Andripogoneae
• SUB-TRIBE - Saccharininea

Introduction:

• It belongs to the family of bamboo plants and is also indigenous to India.

• It is also the main source of Sugar, Gur and Khandsari.

• 2/3^rd of the total sugarcane in India is used for the making of Gur and Khandsari and 1/3 is consumed by sugar factories.

• Also, for manufacturing alcohol it provides raw material.

• The crushed cane residue and Bagasse can be more beneficial for manufacturing paper instead of using it as a fuel for mills.

• It is a productive alternate for petroleum products and also a host of other chemical products and a part of it is also used as a fodder.

• Sugarcane has the largest value of production and holds a desirable position among the commercial crops in India.

• It is the first choice for the farmers, because geographical conditions favor its growth.

Location:

• Uttar Pradesh has the largest area for cultivation of Sugarcane.

• It has almost 50 per cent of the cane area in the country.

• The nine most important sugarcane producing states are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab.

• Also, the production of Sugarcane is the highest in Uttar Pradesh followed by Maharashtra.

Season:

• In Subtropical regions of India planting Seasons of Sugarcane are September- October and February - March (spring).

• In tropical regions, it is June - August (Adsali) & January- February and October - November (Eksali).

Weather Requirement:

• Sugarcane is a tropical plant and it requires warm weather to reach its maturity

• Temperature of 20°c- 26°c and an average rainfall of 150cm is suitable for its cultivation

• An area where water is partly supplemented by the canals requires much sunshine particularly at the end of the growing season to produce cane with high sugar content.

Climate Requirement:

• It is a tropical plant and is grown in areas where the climate is more or less tropical but it can also be grown is sub tropics like North India.

• Sugarcane grows in the world from altitude 35° N and 35° S, from sea level to 1000m of altitude or a little more.

• A total rainfall between 1100mm- 1500mm is sufficient if the distribution is right and abundant in the months of vegetative growth with a dry period of ripening.

• Also grown in area where rainfall is low upto 500 mm and rainfall above 1500 mm will cause lodging of cane.

Varieties 

 Soil Requirements:

• It grows best in alluvium and light-clay soil.

• The best soil for cane is moist clay-loam with good drainage.

• large amount of fertilizers are used to increase the yield as the crop is valuable

• It also needs suffi­cient capital and labour.

Seed Rate:

• At 90cm row to row spacing and @ 12 setts/meter long row, seed requirement per acre would be 45 quintals.

• Single budded sets (12setts/meter) - 53,000-53,500 setts/acre

• Single budded setts (end to end) – 31,000-31,500 setts/acre (40%-50% seed saving)

• Two budded setts( end to end)- 26,500-27,000 setts/acre

• Three budded setts- 17,500-18,000 setts/acre

Spacing:

• 75cm in less fertile soil, late planning and under drought condition.

• 90cm in fertile soil and under spring season.

• 120cm in the autumn season along with the intercrops.

Seed Treatment:

• Use disease free quality seeds for planting.

• Before planting, put the seeds in 0.1% Carbendazim (100g in 100 liters of water) for 5 minutes.

• For 1 hour treat the seeds in Moist Hot Aerated unit at 54°c.

Manure Requirement:

• Apply FYM or compost at 4-5 ton/acre.

• Before taking sugarcane and incorporate in situ using tractor- drawn disc harrow grow green manure crop like Dhaincha(13kgseed/acre) or green(6kgseed/acre).

• Soil application of Azospirillum or Glucanoacetobactor at 4kg/acre in two split doses on 30 and 60 days after planting.

Fertilizer Requirement:

• Fertilizers should be applied by keeping in view the soil test report or State Government recommendation or can follow a blanket dose of 60:20:20kg NPK/acre for plant crop and 90:20:20kg NPK/acre for ratoon.

• Before planting in Furrows apply 50kg DAP and 33kg MOP/acre.

• After planting apply 50kg urea/ acre.

• After planting apply 50kg urea/acre at 90 days and give earthing up.

Irrigation:

• During pre-monsoon irrigation should be done at 10 days interval.

• In monsoon season it should be done as per the need.

• During post monsoon season it should be done at 25 days of interval.

Yield:

• Expected average yield shall be 350-400 quintals/acre.