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Contents

Introduction World scenario Sri lankan scenario Constraints in sugar production Strategies for overcome Over view of sri lankan conditions Conclusion References

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Introduction

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) is an important agro-industrial commercial crop

Sugarcane is a tall growing, monocotyledonous, ratoon crop plant that is cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world

Primarily, it stores high concentrations of sucrose, or sugar, in the internodes of the stem

An also old energy source for human beings and more recently is a replacement of fossil fuel for motor vehicles

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World scenario

Worldwide sugarcane occupies an area of 20.42 million ha with a total production of 1333 million metric tons (FAO, 2011)

Sugarcane area and productivity differ widely from country to country

Brazil has the highest area (5.343 million ha), while Australia has the highest productivity (85.1 tons/ha) Out of 121 sugarcane producing countries

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Sri lankan scenario

The annual per capita consumption of sugar in Sri Lanka is around 30 kg and the total annual requirement of sugar in the country is around 550,000 t but, only about 50,000 t are produced locally (Ariyawansha., 2012)

widespread sugar cultivations are in Kantale, Hingurana, Sevanagala, and Pelwatta areas. Altogether 30,000 ha has been cultivated with sugarcane and over 25,000 families are engaged in sugar cultivation (Keerthipala, 2011)

Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) is the only crop cultivated in Sri Lanka for manufacture of sugar

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Constraints in sugar production

Environmental constraints Non-availability of quality seed Yield plateau Late-planting Non-synchronised tillering Low irrigation water availability Lack of suitable varieties Sustainability of crop Uneconomic ratoon crop Low sprouting in sub-tropics region Sucrose losses in field, cane centres and sugar mills Constraints in sugarcane mechanization Field burning Financial and managerial constraints

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Constraints in sugar production

Environmental constraints

Improved varieties have played a major role in increasing cane productivity

These varieties are generally selected under optimal conditions

Hence those varieties may not be able to tolerate the unfavorable weather conditions

In addition, wide fluctuation in the yield and sugar recovery in tropics and sub-tropics is observed primarily due to weather conditions

In addition, wide fluctuation in the yield and sugar recovery in tropics and sub-tropics is observed primarily due to weather conditions.

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Biotic constraints which limit cane productivity are Weeds Diseases Pests

Abiotic constraints are Drought Flood Salt stress (salinity and alkalinity) Frost, low temperature Mineral deficiency and wind injury

These stresses singly or in combination affect quality and cane yield

Environmental constraints

Biotic

Abiotic

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Non-availability of quality seed

Being a vegetatively propagated crop, cane setts carry many serious diseases such as red rot, smut. GSD, RSD, etc

Another related constraint to this is low seed multiplication ratio (1:10)

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This constraint hinders rapid multiplication and spread of new varieties

Planting techniques such as STP (Spaced Transplanting method) and micropropagation are now being promoted in some areas to overcome this problem

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Yield plateau

Development of sugarcane varieties in the past has played an important role in increasing cane productivity

As the recent findings shows that there is a negative correlation between CANE PRODUTION AND SUGAR OUTPUT,

Hence, the major objective today is to improve both yield and sucrose content in genotypes

Therefore, for further improvement, one of the major challenges to sugarcane breeders is to modify breeding approaches to break the yield and sugar plateau

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Late-planting

There are three major planting seasons for sugarcane. They are spring, autumn and late-planting (April/May)

In the western region of the sub-tropical zone, there is a practice to plant sugarcane after harvesting of wheat.This pushes the planting of sugarcane into the summer months

Due to late-planting, the early growth phase is subjected to high temperature (40-45 °C) and water stress, which impedes tillering pattern and consequently the number of millable stalks

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Non-synchronised tillering

Tillering is the largest growth phase in sugarcane because millable cane forming tillers continue to emerge till 120 days

Among the total tiller population, only 25-35% of tillers form millable canes or economic product

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Tillers emerged during early phase (March- April) form about 70% of millable cane. However, tiller emergence continues followed by mortality which is a pure economic waste of plant energy.

However, the technology of "Synchronized Tillering " to obtain uniform crop stand is yet to be developed.

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Low irrigation water availability

Adequate available moisture throughout the growing period is important for obtaining maximum yields

Because vegetative growth including cane growth is directly proportional to the water transpired

Depending on climate, water requirement of sugarcane is 1500 to 2500 mm evenly distributed over the growing season

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The graph below depicts the crop stages of sugarcane, and the main crop coefficients used for water management.

V.M.kulkarni and D.warne

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Lack of suitable varieties

The sugarcane research system has evolved and released a number of sugarcane varieties for commercial cultivation

which have made significant improvement to sugar productivity

However, the present day varieties are unable to meet the complete demand of sugarcane growers and sugar industry

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This is largely due to the extension of cane cultivation into marginal and sub-marginal soils, unirrigated areas, and extension of crushing duration to about 180 days

This requires a wide spectrum of varieties suitable for early milling till late crushing period

The field stability of many newly developed varieties, is therefore, a major issue in the cane production plan

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Sustainability of crop

Sugar cane is a giant crop producing huge quantity of biomass and therefore its nutrient needs are high

Sugarcane is grown on various soil types, most of them are deficient in N and a few of them are deficient in P and K

On average, a sugarcane crop ( 100 t/ha) removes 208 kg N, 53 kg P and 280 kg K , in addition to other major and micronutrients from the soil (Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research)

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The extensive cultivation has made most of the sugarcane soils deficient in N,P and K and many macro-and micro-nutrients

At present, nutrient replenishment is prohibitive due to reduction in subsidy and high cost of cane production

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Uneconomic ratoon crop

The average cane production is greatly influenced by ratoon yield which contributes over 30% of the total sugarcane production

Productivity of ratoon crop is 10 to 30 percent less than the plant crop of sugarcane

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One of the major reasons of low yield is the poor management of the ratoon crop

Therefore farmers consider it as a "Gift Crop " and in most of the cases recommended cultivation practices are not followed, resulting in poor yield and quality of successive ratoons

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Low sprouting in sub-tropics region

Usually 2 to 3 bud setts are used as planting material

In tropical cane growing areas about 70-80% sprouting takes place whereas in sub-tropics it never exceeds 30-40%

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This results in a poor stand of crop which subseqently affects cane productivity

The studies conducted by Solomon et al (1993) have shown that pre-harvest foliar application of ethephon (at 500 mg/L) induced better sprouting of cane buds from treated setts under sub-tropical conditions

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Sucrose losses in field, cane centres and sugar mills

The national approach to sugarcane cultivation is to maximize sugar production in time, space and inputs

The major causes of sucrose loss through inversion are harvest-to-crush delays and the temperature

There is no scientific harvesting and crushing schedule in many cane growing areas

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Constraints in sugarcane mechanization

Sugarcane requires very high input of labour for various cultural operations

There has been little adoption of machines for operations such as sett cutting, planting, harvesting, loading, etc.

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Mechanization of these operations will drastically cut down the labour requirement and cost of operations

This will also help in timely operations, which are otherwise difficult under present crop husbandry practices

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Field burning

Burning of sugar cane is a major issue

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Financial and managerial constraints

Small-scale sugarcane growers (SSGs) form an integral part of the sugar industry

In recent past, cost of cultivation of sugarcane has increased many fold due to higher cost of fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs

Deviation from the recommended package of practices results in loss of quality and yield of sugarcane

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Development of improved varieties capable of giving higher yield of cane and sugar along with

Good field stability, Resistance to important diseases and pests, And good ratooning ablity

In future, some new modern approaches will have to be taken up to supplement the conventional breeding programme

Strategies for overcome

Development of improved varieties

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Proper ratoon management

Ratooning is a practice of growing a crop from the stubbles of previous crop

Varieties like Co 8013, Co 6907, Co 8014, 85A261, has good ratooning ability

Importance of Ratoon i) Ratoon saves cost on preparatory tillage and planting material ii) It gets benefit of residual manure and moisture iii) Ratoon crop matures earlier and gives a good yield in fearly ratoon cycles

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Use advance sugarcane farming system

DAVCO Farming has developed a unique and innovative sugarcane farming system that integrates a number of world leading technologies

The system incorporates the following practices

Yield Mapping

Variable Rate Application

Optimum Surface Land forming

Weed Mapping

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Mechanization in sugar cane cultivation

Sugarcane planterSugarcane DetrasherSugarcane CrusherEarthing up RidgerSugarcane Stubble shaverRatoon ManagerWeederSugarcane harvester

Mechanization is a process through which agricultural activities can be improved and optimum crop production can be achieved

The mechanical inputs currently used in different farming activities in sugar cane are pump for irrigation, powertiller and tractor, disc plough, disc harrow, subsoiler for tillage

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Use new irrigation and fertilization technique

Drip and sprinkler system

Drip irrigation around the globe enable to double the yields while saving 20-40% water,30% fertilizers compare to furrow irrigation

Furthermore, drip irrigation accounts for the improvement in sucrose content compared to conventional furrow and overhead sprinkler irrigation

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Over view of sri lankan conditions

At present, Sri Lanka spend US$ 170 million annually on importing sugar and value added products derived from sugarcane

At present the major issue in the Sugarcane industry in Sri Lanka is the increasing cost of production

This is mainly due to the high labor and transport costs and also increasing fertilizer prices

Inadequate labor supply during the harvesting period also affects sugar recovery leading to lower sugar yields and higher costs

39Sources : Department of Census and Statistics

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Low productivity and low incomes for the growers

Water availability is unpredictable

Inability of farmers in deploying new harvesting machines owing to closer spacing of seedlings in traditional methods

The improved varieties released by research institutions perform well in the initial years but lose their vigor and decline in yield in due course

Less Mechanized plantations and harvest of cane crop

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Conclusion

Sugar cane industry is a demanded production in the world,but there are many problems in it

We can take necessary steps to solve the problems in this industry using modern technology

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References

Anonymous (1976) National Commission on Agriculture (1976). Part IV. pp. 146-156.

http://www.sugarres.lk/

Muchow RC, Wood AW, Robertson MJ (1995) Does stalk death set the yield ceiling in high-yielding sugarcane crops? Proceedings of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists, 1995 Conference, p. 142.

Sundara B,sugarcane cultivation(1998).Senior scientist(Agronomy)sugarcane breeding institute ,Coimbatore.

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