About Sugarcane Crop in India
Introduction
In India, Sugarcane is the main source of sugar and holds a prominent position as a cash crop. India is the world’s largest consumer and the second-largest producer of sugar, topped only by Brazil. Nearly 2.8 lakh farmers have been cultivating sugarcane in the vast area of 4.4 lakh acres and over 11 crore people are directly or indirectly dependent on the sugar industry in the country. The major Sugarcane growing regions in the country are – (1) the Satluj-Ganga plain from Punjab to Bihar containing 51% of the total area and 60% of the country’s total production, (2) the black soil belt from Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu along the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats and (3) Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Krishna River valley.
Climate and Soils
Sugarcane is a long-duration crop, which takes around 10 to 15 months to be harvested, the maturity of the crop also depends upon the local geographical conditions. As Sugarcane requires a large quantity of water, areas with high rainfall or good irrigation are best suited for sugarcane cultivation. The soil required for sugarcane should be rich in nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus; however, it should not be either too acidic or too alkaline. It is a nutrient-intensive crop leading to fast depletion of soil fertility, thus requiring the appropriate amount of manures & fertilizers for cultivation. A flat plain or level plateau is an advantageous soil type for sugarcane cultivation as it facilitates irrigation for the crop.
Sugarcane Planting Seasons
| States | Autumn / Pre-Seasonal / Eksali | Spring Season / Seasonal / Suru | Adsali |
| UP (West and Central), Punjab, Haryana, | September to October | February to March | – |
| Eastern UP, Bihar, West Bengal | October to November | February to March | – |
| Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh | January to February | July-August | – |
| Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu | October to November | 2nd Fortnight of December to the End of February | 2nd Fortnight of June to the End of July |
Methods of Planting
Sugarcane is planted by 3 methods in different parts of the country –
Flat Planting –
Shallow furrows are opened with a local plow or cultivator at the time of planting. The selts are planted end-to-end in the furrows, with one three-budded selt falling in each thirty-centimeter length of the furrow. Following that, the furrows are filled with soil, and the land is leveled with heavy planking. It is recommended that the soil must have enough moisture at the time of planting.
Furrow Planting –
Furrows are made with a sugarcane ridger, which is about 10-15 centimeters deep in Northern India and about 20 centimeters in South India. Selts are planted end-to-end in the furrows and is covered with 5-6 centimeters of soil, leaving upper portion of furrows unfilled. This furrow planting practice is prevalent in parts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and in Peninsular India, particularly in heavy soils.
Trench Method –
Trenches are dug by hand or with the help of a ridger. After that, the fertilizer and soil is mixed completely and is then placed evenly in the trenches. In trenches, the selts are planted end-to-end and to control termites, shoot and root borers, gamma BHC EC in water is sprayed over the planted selts in the trenches. After that the trenches are filled with loose dirt.
Nutrient Management
As sugarcane is standing for min 2.5 to 3.0 years in the same land, adequate manuring is essential. The general recommendation in most places is to apply half to two-thirds of the nitrogen in the form of bulky organic manures, such as farmyard manure, compost, green manure or tree leaves and the remainder in the form of ammonium sulphate or oil cakes or combination of the two. For sugarcane, fertilizer is recommended according to planting season, and it is varied from growing tract to tract. In general, for Suru sugarcane 250:115:115 for Adsali 400:170:170, and for Pre-Seasonal 340:170:170 kg nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash per hectare are recommended respectively. For Ratooning 250:115:115kg nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash per hectare are recommended. To get more quality yield, farmers should use NPK along with secondary and micro-nutrients based on soil testing.
Irrigation Management
First irrigation should be done when 20-25% of plants have germinated or about 20 days after sowing. Regular irrigation should be done at an interval of 10-15 days during summer, and 25-30 days during winter. The Sugarcane crop needs maximum water at the tillering stage and during the elongation or grand growth phase.
Hoeing and Earthing-Up
Hoeing is necessary for better aeration, moisture conservation and control of weeds. It is done after one and three weeks of planting and subsequently after every irrigation.
Earthing-up is required 2-3 times during the crop period as it cultivates the suppressed growth of excess tillers, minimizes fertilizer losses through leaching, and facilitates irrigation. Earthing up helps to drain out the excess water from the field to control weed infestation and to protect the crop from lodging.
Signs of the Sugarcane Maturity
- General yellowish color of the whole crop
- Cessation of growth
- Swelling of eye buds
- The metallic sound of the cane
- Breaking of the cane at the nodes
- Brix saccharometer reading between 21 and 24
Yield
The average yield of an 11 to 12 month-old plant crop under commercial cultivation is 100 tonnes per hectare in the case of Suru, 170 tonnes per hectare for Adsali, 120 tonnes per hectare in the case of Pre-Seasonal sugarcane.