PROFICIENCY OF SUGARCANE CLONES/ VARIEITIES AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN THAL AND SOUTHERN PUNJAB

The performance of promising varieties was compared with already released. The varieties trail was conducted at four different sites in Punjab, it is an essential component of sugarcane research and thus provides an important basis of recommendations to growers. The objective of this paper is to evaluate promising varieties under different ecological zones. Seven sugarcane promising and two commercial clones were evaluated. These clones were tested for their performance at four locations during Feb-March-2017 in “Thal” and South Punjab viz; Karampur Mailsi, Layyah, Alipur and Khanpur. The trials were conducted at farmer’s field using RCBD with three replications. The data on germination%, Tillers/Plant, number of mill able cane, cane yield t/ha and commercial cane sugar% (CCS) were recorded during the course of study. Overall, pooled mean of four locations indicate that cane yield of clone S2003-US-127 produced statistically higher significant 124.64 t/ha cane yield as compared HSF-240 that produced statistically lower yield i.e. 103.14 t/ha. The Brix% of overall mean of four locations results S2003-US-633 was statistically significant i.e. 24.47% and Brix% of overall mean of four locations results S2008-AUS-134 was statistically lower i.e. 19.38%.

Performance of Early Maturing Sugarcane (Saccharum spp Hybrid complex) Varieties under Different Row Spacing and Fertilizer Levels in Plant Cane-Ratoon-Wheat System

A field experiment was conducted to assess performance of newly developed six mid early maturing sugarcane cultivars i.e. Co 0116, Co 0118, Co 0237, Co 0238, Co 0239 and Co J 64 (Standard), with two row spacing (75 and 90 cm) under three fertility levels i.e. 75, 100 and 125% of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) NPK (N150 P21.8 K41.5) with plant-ratoon-wheat system. Varieties ‘Co 0238’ and ‘Co 0118’ recorded the maximum and significantly higher cane yield (93.1 and 88.9 t/ha) and commercial cane sugar (11.76 and 12.49 t/ha) and outperformed rest cultivars in plant and ratoon crop, respectively. However, both cultivars did not differ significantly for cane yield and commercial cane sugar (CCS). Growth attributes like cane length and cane girth of plant crop were not affected at closer spacing of 75 cm, but number of millable canes (NMC), cane yield and sugar yield increased by 23.94, 20.29 and 19.63% than 90 cm row spacing. While in the subsequent ratoon crop number of millable canes (NMC), cane yield and CCS yield increased substantially by 19.25, 16.70 and 16.92 per cent respectively at 75 cm than 90 cm row spacing. Closer spacing (75 cm) fetched maximum net return (209280 and 118823) with benefit: cost ratio of 1.42 and 2.27 with plant as well as ratoon crop respectively. Except varieties, the quality parameters did not undergo significant variation due to change in row spacing and fertility treatments. In monetary terms also, 100 % RDF found almost equally remunerative with 125 % RDF. Cultivar × fertility level interactions indicated that varieties ‘Co 0238’ and ‘Co 0239’ were equally productive at normal fertility level of 100% RDF. In monetary terms, sowing of Co 0238 of sugarcane variety fetched maximum net returns (285633) followed by Co 0239 ( 253406) and Co 0118( 247453) in two years cropping system of Sugarcane-Ratoon-Wheat system under the sub tropical conditions.

PENGARUH PEMUPUKAN Si C AIR TERHADAP PR ODUKSI DAN RENDEMEN TEBU / Effect of Liquid Si Fertilizer on Yield and Commercial Can e Content of Sugarcane

<p>Sugarcane is proved to absorb more Si than any other nutrient from soil; therefore continuous cropping of the plant at the same soil would bring consequences of more Si and organic matter depletion. Silicon (Si) is considered a beneficial nutrient for sugarcane production. Field study was carried out in 2013-2014 at Kempleng village; Purwoasri sub district; Kediri district; East Java. The objective was to find out the effect of frequency and concentration of Si liquid fertilizer on Si and N absorptions, stem diameter and length, yield and commercial cane sugar (CCS) of sugarcane var PSBM 901. Split plot design with three replicates was employed to arrange the treatments. As main plots were frequency of spraying (one time, two times, three times, and four times with interval of 20 days started at 30 days after planting), while as sub plots were concentration of Si fertilizer (0, 15% Si, 30% Si). Results showed that interaction between frequency and concentration of Si affected on all parameters observed. Spraying of sugarcane four times with 30% Si gave highest value of cane yield, rendement, and sugar yield, i.e. 184.16 tons/ha and 8.36%, 15.37 ton/ha respectively.</p>

Variation in molasses composition from eastern Australian sugar mills

Variation in the composition of eastern Australian molasses was examined. Data on molasses composition for 1997–2001 were collected from all 28 eastern Australian sugar mills. Since the last detailed study in 1975, there have been decreases in the concentration of reducing sugars (–6.2%), sucrose (–0.9%), total sugars (–2.5%), other organic matter (–11%) and calculated metabolisable energy (ME) (–2.8%). Dry matter (DM, +0.1%) and ash (+29%) concentrations have increased. Differences between milling regions were observed for DM (P<0.001), reducing sugars (P<0.05) and sucrose (P<0.01) concentrations. Molasses DM was highest for the Northern milling region and lowest for the Southern milling region. Reducing sugar concentrations were lower whereas sucrose concentrations were higher in molasses from the Southern milling region than the Northern region. The concentration of reducing sugars, total sugars and calculated ME was significantly (P<0.05) lower in mid-season molasses than early and late season molasses. Mid-season molasses ash concentration was highest (P<0.05). Significant (P<0.05) region × year interactions were found for all molasses components. Significant (P<0.05) region × season interactions were found for reducing sugars, sucrose, total sugars, ash and the calculated ME. Significant (P<0.001) nested effects for mills within a region were found for all molasses components. Mill within-region effects (P<0.001) accounted for much (31–62%) of the total variation for all molasses components. Significant (P<0.01) nested effects for season within year were found for all molasses components. Depending on the molasses component, season within year accounted for 3–19% of variation. Calculated ME in molasses was most correlated with total sugars (r = –0.97; P<0.001) and ash concentration (r = –0.73; P<0.001). Commercial cane sugar (percentage sugar in juice) was negatively (r = –0.43; P<0.001) correlated with calculated molasses ME. Generally, the observed variation in the calculated ME of molasses would only be sufficient to reduce average daily gains by up to 0.05 kg/day in cattle fed diets containing 60% molasses. Compared with the calculated molasses ME of molasses in 1975, a similar reduction in animal performance could be expected with current molasses composition. Such variation in ME also has implications for the use of molasses in the dairy industry and for ethanol production.

Factors affecting cane yield and commercial cane sugar in the Tully district

The Tully Sugar Mill has collected information about sugarcane supplied for crushing from every block in the mill district from 1970 to 1999. Data from 1988 to 1999 were analysed to understand the extent of the variation in cane yield per hectare and commercial cane sugar in the Tully mill area. The key factors influencing the variation in cane yield and commercial cane sugar in this commercial environment were identified and the variance components computed using a restricted maximum likelihood methodology. Cane yield was predominantly influenced by the year in which it was harvested, the month when the crop was ratooned (month of harvest in the previous year) and the farm of origin. These variables were relatively more important than variety, age of crop or crop class (plant crop, first ratoon through to fourth or older ratoons) and fallowing practice (fallow or ploughout-replant). The month-of-ratooning effect was relatively stable from year-to-year. Commercial cane sugar was influenced by the year of harvest, the month of harvest and their interaction, in that the influence of the month of harvest varied from year to year. Variety and farm differences were also significant but accounted for a much lower portion of the variation in commercial cane sugar. An empirical model was constructed from the key factors that influenced commercial cane sugar and cane yield to quantify their combined influence on sugar yield (t/ha). This may be used to assist mill personnel to predict their activities more accurately, for example to calculate the impact of a late finish to the current harvest season on the following year's crop.

Commercial cane sugar trends in the Tully sugar district

Commercial cane sugar (CCS), as measured by sugar mills, is in decline in the wet tropics of Australia. One of these mills, Tully Sugar Ltd, has measured CCS in the factory as required by legislation and also measured whole clean stalk CCS through a small mill, which is free of contaminants. ‘Factory CCS’ measures the CCS of cane entering the mill, after it has been harvested. The harvesting and transport process delivers to the mill cane that is contaminated by extraneous matter such as leaf material and soil. Beween 1988 and 1998, 1516 blocks were sampled for ‘small mill CCS’. These data were combined with block productivity information to determine the trends in small mill CCS and factory CCS using a linear mixed model analysis as the data were unbalanced. Other data, including the date of harvest for factory CCS, date of sampling for small mill CCS, farm of origin and cane variety were available and fitted as random effects in the mixed model. Year was fixed to determine time related trends in the 2 measures of CCS. Small mill CCS was higher than factory CCS and remained constant from 1988 to 1998. Predicted factory CCS declined from 12.76 units in 1988 to 10.91 units in 1998. We conclude that the CCS levels in whole clean stalks were actually stable, since small mill CCS remained constant over the 10-year period. Possible reasons for the differences in the trends for the 2 CCS measures are discussed.