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Sugarcane Improvement for Rainfed Conditions.

Project coordinator : Pracha Thumtong

About 80 % of sugarcane is grown in rainfed areas. Cane yields under such condition vary from 25 to 110 t/ha, depending on the amount and distribution of rainfall. It is obvious that the ratoon crop is more affected than the plant cane crop. Thus, the use of suitable varieties and proper cultural practices are necessary and need to be studied. The research conducted in 1995-1996 placed emphasis on both varieties and practices and the results can be summarized as follows ;

Breeding

Preliminary yield trial for high yield : Cane series 1991 : Western region.

Of all the clones, only 91-2-081 gave a higher sugar yield in both plant and 1st ratoon cane than the check varieties, F 140 and U-Thong 1. In plant cane it’s yield was higher than the check varieties by, not less than 10 %. The ratoon yields of 2 clones , 91-2-123, 91-2-117, were 36.9 and 64 % higher respectively than the check varieties. Clone 91-2-123 gave sugar yields of 38.4 % and 29.1 % higher than F 140 and U-Thong 1 respectively. Yields of clone 91-2-117 was 65.7 % and 54.7 % higher than F 140 and U-Thong 1 respectively. These clones were considered for further trial.

Farmer field trials in rainfed area : Eastern region.

Trials were conducted in 2 locations in Rayong. The yields obtained from 2 year old cane, plant and 1st ratoon, of clone 85-2-072 were higher than clone 85-2-209 and the check varieties (Uthong 1 and Uthong 2). Clone 85-2-072 and 85-2-209 showed good ratooning ability.

Sugarcane regional yield trial for high yield : The North-East region.

In plant cane 6-1-113, 84-2-598, 85-2-352, gave 21.3 %, 10.0 % and 4.3 % higher sugar yields than Phil 58-260, (48.4 %, 41.0 %, 37.2 %) than U-Thong 1 and (33.2 % , 37.2 % , 18.8 %) than F 154 in Udorn Thani location. At Loei 88-2-124, 88-3-489 gave 27.8 % , 6.2 % higher sugar yields than U-Thong 1 respectively. But in both locations ratooning yields were unsatisfactory.

Sugarcane preliminary yield trial for high yield and quality : Cane series 1993 : The North-East region.

Sugarcane clones, PN 93-011, PN 93-019, PN 93-021, were selected at Mookdarhan Field Crop Research Station. Clones UB 93-006, UB 93-011, UB 93-026, UB 93-027, UB 93-037, UB 93-072, UB 93-082, UB 93-094 were selected at Ubonratchatani Field Crop Research Center. These clones were further tested.

Sugarcane first selection for high yield and quality : Cane series 1994 : The North-East region.

A number of clones (42) with good agronomic character and natural resistant to some important diseases such as smut and white leaf were selected from 18 crossings at Mookdahan Field Crop Research Station. Among the selected clones, 8 of them showed good ratooning ability.

Agronomy

Depth of cane setts planting in sandy clay loam soil.

Soil was ploughed to a depth of 50 cm and cane setts of 5 varieties were planted at 2 depths 20-25 cm and 45-50 cm It was shown that after 3-years, the cane and the sugar yields of each variety, U-Thong 1, U-Thong 2, 85-2-207 and 85-2-352 at both depths were not significantly different. Only the K 84-200 variety planted at 20-25 cm depth gave significantly higher cane yields after 3-years than that of cane planted to the 45-50 cm depth.

Soil improvement by sugar mill bagasse incorporated with green manure.

A trial using combinations of 0, 25, 50 ton bagasse per hectare with 3 green manures, Sesbania rostrata, Canavalia ensiformis and Sorghum bicolor was conducted in a sandy clay loam soil during the early rainy season. This was then followed by the planting of sugarcane. Total 3-year (plant, ratoon 1, 2) cane and sugar yield of all the combined treatments were not significantly different. In the 1st ratoon, the diameter of cane stalk obtained from the 25 t/ha bagasse application of Sesbania rostrata was significantly different from others.
In 2nd ratoon 50 ton bagasse per hectare increased the % pol which was significantly different from the control. By increasing the rate of bagasse from 25 to 50 ton per hectare it was shown to be able to increase the number of millable stalks. Among the different green manures, Canavalia ensiformis tended to increase the number of millable stalks more than Sesbania rostrata and Sorghum bicolor.

Cane soil improvement by sugar mill bagasse.

In sandy clay loam soil, the total yield and sugar yield of U-Thong 2 obtained from a 20 ton bagasse per hectare application in combination with chemical fertilizer 15-15-15 (625 kg N per hectare in plant cane and 937.5 kg per hectare in ratoon cane) was not significantly different from applications rates of 0, 62.5, 125, 250, 375 kg N per hectare. In the 1st ratoon N rates over 62.5 kg N per hectare decreased the cane and sugar yield. In the 2nd ratoon, 25 ton bagasse per hectare + 15-15-15 + 62.5 kg N per hectare tended to give 27.4 % and 27.3 % more cane and sugar yield respectively than the check (15-15-15 fertilizer only).

Usage of tillage methods and organic matter management to improve soil physical properties.

Deep interrow tillage increase the cane yield, sugar yield and shoot numbers (checked at 4 months after harvesting) by 13.6 %, 16.7 % and 8.8 % respectively. Burnt or unburnt trash with 25 ton bagasse per hectare, 37.5 ton filter cake per hectare and green manure (Sesbania rostrata), showed no significant difference in cane yield and sugar yield in the 2nd ratoon crop.

Study on sugarcane row spacing in rainfed areas.

In sandy clay loam soil, row spacings of 1.0, 1.3, 1.6 and 2.2 by 1.3 m showed no significant differences in cane yield and sugar yield of plant and 1st ratoon cane. A row spacing of 2.2 m tended to give more cane and sugar yield than 1.6, 1.3 and 1.0 m respectively.

Performance of K 84-200 growing in upland conditions.

K 84-200, was planted with row spacings 1.0, 1.3 and 1.6 m. 3-year cane yield and sugar yield showed no significant difference for each of the row spacings. One stalk planting, 2 stalk planting, 2 two-buds setts layed parallel in or across the row also showed no significant difference in cane and sugar yield.

Rates and frequencies of nitrogen applications to improve cane yield under rainfed conditions.

Nitrogen applications could increase cane yield in rainfed conditions but there were no significant differences in cane yield among ammonium sulfate applications at the rates of 312.5-1250 kg/ha. Split applications of ammonium sulfate 1-5 times did not show any trend to increase cane yield. However, split application 3 times at the rate of 1250 kg/ha gave the highest cane yields but were not benefitial when compared with split application 1-2 times at the rate of 312.5 kg/ha which was more suitable for both saving cost and labour requirement.

Effect of irrigation period, on some commercial cane in rainfed areas.

48 mm of water was applied every 21, 28 and 35 days after harvesting until the beginning of September. The treatment was compared to control (non-water application). Ratoon cane yield and sugar yield were not significantly different between the water applied treatments but they were significantly different from the non-water (rainfed conditions) treatment. Water application resulted in more millable stalks than non-application condition.

The effect of harvesting time on ratoon cane yield in northeast rainfed conditions.

After plant cane was harvested, 12 month-ratoon cane was harvested in November, December, January, February and March. It was found that the cane yield of ratoon harvested in each of the different months was not significantly different. The highest cane yield was in February. For cane quality (Brix), it was shown that late harvesting time tended to increase Brix but this was not significantly different.

The effect of harvesting time on ratoon cane in the Western region.

First ratoon cane (12 months) of 5 varieties were harvested in December, January, February, March and April. Cane and sugar yield obtained when harvested in December to March showed no significant difference, but they were significantly different from cane yield and sugar yield from the April harvest. Damage from rate was found to be more in the April harvest than in the other cutting months.

Green manure management as a sugar cane intercrop : Plant cane.

Sesbania rostrata and Canavalia ensiformis were planted between U-Thong 1. The cane rows had spacings of 1.5 m. The intercrop was planted 0, 20, 40, 60 days after the cane in a sandy clay loam soil. Cane and sugar yield of these combinations showed no significant difference. Planting Sesbania rostrata 20 days after cane and Canavalia ensiformis 0 day after cane, gave highest fresh weight 17.2 and 15.9 t/ha respectively.

Split and quantity nitrogen application for cane yield improvement under rainfed condition.

A trial was conducted to investigate the effect of splitting N fertilizer applications at the rate of 312, 625, 937 and 1,250 kg of ammonium sulfate per hactare on sugarcane. In the plant crop, the results showed that nitrogen applications increased cane yield under rainfed condition but there were no significant difference in cane yield when using ammonium sulfate applications at the rates of 312-1,250 kg/ha. Splitting the applications of ammonium sulfate over 1-5 times had no effect on cane yield. However, splitting applications 3 times at the rate of 1,250 kg/ha gave the highest cane yield and a net benefit whereas splitting applications 1-2 times at the rate of 312 kg/ha was suitable for reducing costs and solving the labour problem. In the first ratoon crop, fertilizer was banded on top of the stool in the cane rows. The result showed that the splitting of N fertilizer applications (1-5 times) had no effect on the first ratoon crops yield with a green cane trash blanket. Only increased rates of N fertilizer significantly increased cane yield, but N fertilizer application rates and split applications had no effect on sugar content. Commercially, N fertilizer application rate at 625 kg of ammonium sulfate per hectare by splitting two application was the most suitable that would yield the most benifit.

Entomology :

Population distribution and seasonal abundance of the sugarcane borer.

In rainfed and Irrigated areas, the populations of 3 sugarcane borers, Chilo Infuscatellus, Scirpophagut excerptalis and Sesamia inferens were checked an two occasions, 1 and 7 months after planting. Most of the borers were Chilo infuscatellus. The Trichogramma population was checked monthly until harvesting time.
For the elite cane 88-2-023, 88-2-471, 88-2-489, 89-2-366, 89-2-494 borers attacked at the same threshold level as that of that of U-Thong 2. Suphunburi 50 was attacked at lower threshold levels than the Singapore cane juice.