4th Semester Course

Crop Production Technology (Rabi Crops): AAG-221 (1+1)

SUGARCANE :
➢ AICRP: All India Co – ordinated Research Project on Sugarcane, Lucknow

➢ Scientific name: Saccharum officinarum (2n=80)

➢ Family: Poaceae

➢ Genus: Saccharum is derived from the Sanskrit word “sarkara - white sugar”.

➢ Origin: warm temperate and tropical regions of India, Southeast Asia, and New
Guinea

➢ Economic Importance:

i) It is an important cash crop in the Indian sub-continent. Sugar industry is second

largest agro-based industry next only to cotton textiles.

ii) Sugarcane crop contributes more than 62% of world sugar production. Globally
60 % of white crystal sugar comes from sugarcane.

iii) S-cane provides cheapest form of energy giving food [sucrose]

iv) Sugar juice is used for making of white sugar, brown sugar (khandasari) and
jaggery (gur).

v) Main by- products viz, bagasse (electricity, paper etc.) and molasses (main raw
material for alcohol, an ingredient to animals feed, source for yeast production
etc.) and Press mud can be used as soil amendment in saline and alkali soils.
 Set roots, which arise from the root
band, are thin and highly branched;
the shoot roots, originating from the
lower root bands of the shoots, are
thick, fleshy, and less branched.

Fig: Set and shoot roots

Fig: Parts of the stock

➢ Area, production and productivity (2022-23):
Area Production Productivity
(million ha) (million tonnes) (tonne ha-1)
India 5.8 494.2 84.01
Bihar 0.21 12.06 57.5

Source: Co-operative Sugar, Vol: 55, November 2023

• India ranks second in the world, after Brazil, in terms of area and production of
sugarcane.
• Major sugarcane producing state in India is Maharashtra, U.P., Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, Bihar etc.
➢ Classification:
There are 3 cultivated species of sugarcane: Saccharum officinarum, S.
barberi and S. Sinense and two wild species: Saccharum spontaneum,
Saccharum robustum.
➢ The inflorescence of sugarcane generally called arrow.
➢ Climate: Sugarcane is known as a tropical plant, and also it is a long duration
crop. Thus, it encounters all the seasons, viz., rainy, winter, rainy and summer,
during its life cycle. A mean temperature of 28-32oC is best suited for the
growth of sugarcane. Higher temperature above 45oC reduces tillering and
arrests its growth, whereas temperatures below 20o C may slow down the
growth. Average annual rainfall of about 1000-1500 mm, evenly distributed
throughout the growing season.
Two distinct agro-climatic regions of sugarcane cultivation in India, viz.,
i) tropical region (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu) in which sugarcane gets ideal climatic
conditions for its growth and development throughout the year (long
sunshine hours, cool nights with clear sky and the latitudinal position of the
area favourable for sugar accumulation). Tropical region has about 45% area
and contributes 55% of the total sugarcane production in the country and
ii) subtropical region (Bihar, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh) faces the
extremes of climate viz., high and low temperatures, relative humidity,
sunshine hours and wind velocity etc. Climatic conditions generally vary
depending upon the seasons and sometimes within the season also.
Sugarcane crop faces all the seasons in a year. From April to June, the
weather is very hot and dry. July to September is the rainy season. October
to January are cold months. sub-tropical region accounts for 55% area and
shares 45% of total production of sugarcane.
➢ Soil:
Sugarcane can be grown in all types of soils ranging from sandy loam to
clay loam. It thrives best well drained loamy soils but can also be cultivated on
lighter soils with adequate irrigation and on heavy clays with proper drainage
and addition of organic matter. pH range 5.5 to 6.5.
➢ Varieties of sugarcane:

Co 419, Co 453, Co 740, Co 997, Co 1148, Co 62175, CO 0238, Co 6304 and

Co 6806, BO 141,

Varieties of sugarcane with the year of release and their salient

characteristics

S.NO. Year of Name of Type Recommended State Union

Release Variety/ territories
Hybrid
1 2022 Rajendra Mid-late Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and West
Ganna 2 maturing Bengal
(CoP
09437)
2 2019 Ikshu-6 Early Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal,
(CoLk Jharkhand and Assam
12207)
 3 2019 Ikshu-7 Mid late, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal,
(CoLk Jharkhand and Assam
12209)
4 2000 Co 87263 Early Eastern U.P., Bihar, W.B., Jha.
(Sarayu)

➢ Cropping Systems:

North India:

i) Maize – potato-sugarcane (2 years)

ii) Maize- sugarcane –wheat (2 years)
iii) Rice – sugarcane – wheat (2 years)
iv) Cotton- sugarcane – ratoon (2 years) etc.
v) Maize– wheat - sugarcane - ratoon- wheat (3 years)
South India:
i) Rice-sugarcane-ratoon-wheat (3 years)
ii) Cotton-sugarcane-ratoon (3years) etc.

➢ Inter- Cropping:
i) Autumn Sugarcane + Potato
ii) Sugarcane + Wheat
iii) Sugarcane + Moong (Green gram) etc.
 ➢ Field Preparation:
Field is ploughed 2-4 times with iron plough and pulverization to break the
clods. Surface soils are dug to a depth of 20 cm to facilitate drainage and deep
root system. Tractor ploughing is a common practice. Sugarcane needs deep
tillage, shallow ploughing with local plough limits the development of root
system resulting in lodging of cane plants. Sugarcane is mostly grown on
alluvium loam soils, one deep ploughing with soil turning plough followed by
two cross harrowings. Planking should be done to make the field smooth and
clod free.
➢ SEED AND SOWING:
i) Seed selection:
• Healthy seed material, free from pests and diseases like red rot, wilt, smut,
ratoon stunting should be selected.
• Top 1/3 to ½ portion of a cane being comparatively immature has buds of high
viability and is best for sowing.
• Bottom portion of cane is rich in sugar and takes a long time in germination;
this should be used in jaggery making.
• Ratoon crop is not suitable for seed purpose as these canes may carry the
disease of the previous crop.
• For best result, separate crop nurseries should be raised specially for producing
seed-canes under good crop management.

➢ Seed preparation and treatment:

Before planting, the dry leaves of the cane stalks are removed by hand in
order to avoid any possible damage to buds.
Thereafter cane is cut into 3 budded (About 35000-40000) setts or 80,000 setts
of 2 buds per hectare.
Sett treatment:
. • As a preventive measure against termites and shoot borers setts should be treated
 with chlorpyriphos, Heptachlor, @1.0 kg/ha and
• Sett rotting: seed setts are dipped into .5% solution of Agallol (3%) or 0.25%
solution of Aretan (6%) before planting
• Hot air treatment of setts @54 °C – redrot, rattoon stunt, grassy shoot.
➢ Planting Seasons:
In India, Sugarcane is planted thrice in a year:
i) Autumn/ Pre-seasonal (September to upto 20 october) duration 13-15 months
ii) Spring season/ Seasonal/ Suru (February to March) Suru in Maharastra, Eksali
in Gujarat & AP. duration 10-12 months
iii) Adsali (July to August) duration 12-18 months, common in Maharastra

Late planting – beyond March, reduction in duration and yield.

➢ Planting methods:
i) Flat Planting: This is the simplest and cheapest of all the methods of planting.
• In this method, shallow (8-10 cm deep) furrows are opened with a local plough
or cultivator at a distance of 75 to 90 cm.
• There should be adequate moisture in the field at the time of planting.
• The setts are planted in them end to end.
• Furrows are covered with 5-7 cm soil.
• This method is usually adopted in low rainfall areas of India (In most parts of
northern India and some tracts of Maharastra) cane is planted by this method
ii) Furrow Planting: This method is adopted in areas with moderate rainfall but
have drainage problem.
• In this method furrows are opened in 'v' shape made with a sugarcane ridger
about 10-15 cm deep in N. India, 20 cm in S.India. It is also practiced in Eastern
UP & in Peninsular India particular in heavy soils.
• Setts are planted end to end in the furrows are covered with 5-6 cm soil, leaving
upper portion of furrows unfilled.
• Immediately after covering the setts water is let into furrows.
iii) Trench Method or Java method: In some coastal areas as well as in other
areas where the crop grows very tall and the strong winds during rainy season
cause lodging of cane, trench method is adopted to save the crop from lodging.
• Trenches at a distance of 75-90 cm are dug with the help of ridger or by manual
labour.
• Trenches should be about 20-25 cm deep.
• Fertilizers (NPK) are spread uniformly in the trenches and mixed thoroughly in
the soil.
• The setts are planted end to end in trenches.
• The tractor-drawn sugarcane planter is a very suitable device for planting cane
in trenches.
• Drenching of setts with chlorpyriphos 20 EC (1 kg ai/ha or 5 litres/ha) to protect
from the soil borne insects is required.

iv) Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed (FIRB) technique:

• In this system, three rows of wheat in the month of November are sown on
raised beds.
• Sugarcane is planted at 80-85 cm apart furrows in February in furrow.
• Sugarcane gives about 30% higher cane yield as compared to wheat-sugarcane
sequential system, without reduction in wheat yield.
• In this system, irrigation is applied only in furrows, requires lower volume of
water, and provides about 20% water saving.

Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed (FIRB) technique

➢ Manures & fertilizers: Sugarcane is a heavy feeder. An average crop of sugarcane

yielding 100 t/ha removes 208 kg of N, 53kg of P, 280 kg of K.
• In northern India, the N requirement of sugarcane is about 150-180 kg N/ha, whereas
in southern India, it is 250-350 kg/ha. If soil test values are not available, apply 60-
80 kg P2O5 and 60 kg K2O/ha in north India and 100 kg P2O5/ha and 80-120
K2O/ha in southern parts of the country.
• Application of well decomposed FYM/compost @ 10-15 t/ha or composted press
mud @ 5 t/ha is recommended.
➢ Time & Method of application:
• The Nitrogen requirement is maximum at tillering, early grand growth period from
1-6 months. Late application of N beyond 120 days, reduces the juice quality and
formation of water shoots. In northern India, in spring planted crop, ½ N, full P
and K applied at the time of planting and rest of N should be given at 90 DAP.
• In autumn planted crop, ½ N, full P and K applied at the time of planting and rest
of N should be given at 120 DAP.
• In Adsali planting (Southern parts of India), 1/3 N, full P and K applied at the time
of planting and rest of N should be applied in 3 split doses upto 180 DAP.

➢ Water Management: Irrigation at sensitive crop growth stages is very necessary.

Sprinkler or drip irrigation system for best result. However, furrow irrigation is
the the most common method used for irrigating sugarcane field.
• Water requirement of cane is high and varies with region. In Tropics, water
requirement is 2000- 3000 mm, in sub-tropics 1500-2000 mm.
• The life cycle of sugarcane plant is divided into 4 phases: i) Germination phase (up
to 60 DAP) ii) Formative phase (60- 130 DAP), iii) Grand growth phase (130-
250 DAP) IV) Maturity phase (250-365 DAP).
• Water requirement during formative and grand growth phases is more.
• in Northern india, the WR of grand growth phase is met with rains and Formative
phase requires irrigation.
• In Northern india, Autumn cane requires 7 irrigations (5 before and 2 after
monsoon)
• Spring planted cane requires 6 irrigations.
• In drier climate and Light soil, crop may require 8-10 irrigation.

➢ Weed Management: A weed-free environment is absolutely essential for the first

90-100 days.
• Manual weeding at 30, 60 & 90 DAP is effective to control weeds.
• Deep ploughing and removal of perennial weeds.
• application of Atrazine @ 5kg/ha in 1125 liters of water to be sprayed on the third or
fourth day after planting, depending on soil moisture.
• At 20 and 60 days of planting spraying of 2, 4-D sodium salt @ 1kg a.i./haat 45
DAP is recommended.
• Initial ploughing, trash mulching are the weed control methods in ratoon.

➢ Earthing up: Earthing is needed where crop is planted by flat system. This practice
is more common in South India. It should be done in month of June-July after
giving final top dressing of N fertilizer.
• Earthing-up is done at 90 - 120 DAP coincides with peak tiller stage.
• It can be done either manually or by using a bullock- drawn/tractor drawn furrower.
• Earthing-up @ 120 DAP checks tillering, provides sufficient soil volume for root
proliferation, it promotes better soil aeration and provides a sound anchorage or
support to the crop and thus preventing lodging and also controls weeds.
• One more earthing up at 180 DAP may be helpful in preventing lodging.

➢ Propping: Propping is done to prevent the crop against lodging due to heavy winds
and to keep the crop field open for proper aeration. It is done by tying the cane
together using dry leaves and bottom green leaves.
➢ Detrashing :
On an average a stalk may produce30-35 leaves
All are not useful for effective photosynthesis

o Only the top 8-10 leaves are sufficient

o Most of the bottom leaves are dried will not participate in photosynthesis
o At the same time they drain out the food materials which otherwise could
be used for stalk growth

• Therefore, it is important to remove the dry and lower leaves

• This operation is known as detrashing
• Detrashing helps in clean cultivation
• Easy movement of air within the crop canopy
• Reduce certain pests like scales mealy bugs, white fly etc.,
• Easy entry into the field
• Avoids bud germination due to accumulation of water in the leaf sheath
• Easy to take up cultural operations including sprayings
• Easy to harvest, obtaining clean canes for milling
• Detrashed leaves can be used for:
i) Mulching in the furrows
ii) for composting
 iii) leaves with pest or disease may be burnt out
➢ Ratoon Management:

• The crop raised from planting cane sett is called plant crop

• After the harvest of plant crop stubble sprouts and gives rise to succeeding
crop called as ratoon crop

• The practice of taking up ratoon crop is called ‘ratooning’

➢ Ratooning has following advantages:

i) Reduction in the cost of field preparation, planting material, operation cost

ii) Saving in field duration – ratoon matures earlier (about 12 month age) than
plant crop

iii) Ratoon may give equal yield that of plant crop

➢ Ratoon management:

▪ Select variety suitable during plant crop

▪ Plant crop should be harvested at right maturity
o Delayed harvest to be avoided
▪ Harvesting close to the ground with sharp cutting
o Stubble shaving to 4-6cm is recommended if no uniform cut at harvest
▪ Remove the trash but do not burn it
▪ Early earthing up at 2 to 21/2 months age and final earthing up at 31/2 to 4
months age should be done, which enables to maintain the tillers at the
optimum level and reduces weeds.
▪ Irrigated the field properly
▪ Shoulder breaking or off-barring to remove decayed stubbles
▪ Gap filling with sprouted setts or seedlings
▪ Ratoon is less efficient in N utilization hence 25% additional N from 5-7
days after ratooning is desirable
 ▪ P & K should be judiciously
▪ Spraying of FeSO4 @ 2.5kg/ha in 150 litres on 15th day if chlorotic
symptom is noticed
o If persists repeat twice at 15 days interval
o In the last spray add 12.5kg urea
▪ After cultivation practices to be done more effectively
▪ Ratoon requires more plant protection against Grassy shoot disease,
ratoon stunting
▪ Ratoon matures at about 12 months age. If harvested at this age, it gives
good yield and good recovery. On an average the yield of 100 – 120
tonnes/ha can be obtained by adopting these ratoon management
practices.

➢ Major Diseases: The sugarcane plant is subject to many diseases.

Generally, 2 types of diseases attack in which one are not carried by seed
pieces and another transmitted by seed pieces. Another gr include disease
like red rot, wilt, smut, albino and ratoon stunting.
S.NO. Disease Symptoms management
1 Red rot i) The disease is caused by a
fungus Glomerella
tucumanensi previously called
i) loss of colour and withering Colletotrichum falcatum.
of leaves 3rd and 4th from the top. ii)The planting of resistant
ii) the stalk becomes dry, hollow. sugarcane varieties is the most
iii) typical symptoms are seen inside the stalk. effective method of prevention
If stalks are split open, the pith is found and control.
reddened and area is traversed by white bands. iii)Healthy cultural practices
iv) stalk emit alcoholic smell. (Select healthy setts for
planting, Field should
maintain at proper sanitation.)
with crop rotation should be
 adopted.
iv) rogue out and burn the
diseased canes.
v) Dip the setts in 0.25 %
solution of Agallol or Aretan
for five minutes.

2 Smut i) The disease is caused by a

fungus Ustilagosci taminea

ii)The planting of resistant

sugarcane varieties, seeds

i) disease appears in the selection,

form of a long, black whip-like structure at the iii)hot water treatment for
apex of the stalk. 52°C for 2 hours is effective,

ii) The diseased clumps are usually tallerand and or sett dipping with 0.2%
have more tillers than normal canes Bavistin for half an hour

iii) affected plants have fanshaped before planting should be

arrangement and the stalk becomes thin. adopted.

iv)the buds of the stalk turns papery,

3 Wilt i)The disease is caused by a
fungus Cephalosporium
Sacchari.
ii)Seed material should be
dipped in Bavis tin 0.2%,
i)Externally gradual yellowing and drying of .25% solution of Agallol for 5
foliage, shrinkage/withering of canes.
minutes before planting.
ii) the tissue of the stalk becomes reddish
brown but unlike red rot there exist no white iii)Crop rotation with
bands across.
coriander or mustard as a
companion crop.
iv)Rouging of infected clumps
should be adopted.
v) select cane setts from
completely healthy fields.
4 Albino i)The disease is caused by a
(Grassy grassy shoot virus of
shoot) sugarcane.
ii)Selection of setts should be

i) The disease is characterized by proliferation avoided from diseased area.

of vegetative buds from the base of the cane iii)Rouging of infected clumps
giving rise to crowded bunch of tillers bearing is recommended.
narrow leaves. iv)Hot air treatment of seed

ii)the tillers bear pale yellow leaves canes at 54° C for 8 hours

iii) Cane formation rarely takes place in inactivates the casual virus of
affected clumps and if formed the canes are this disease,
thin with short internodes. v)Do not ratoon the disease
crop.

5 Ratoon i) The disease i s caused by a

bacterium Leifsonia xyli
Stunting
subsp. xyli. that lives in the
vascular system of the cane
plant, the disease restricts the
plant’s ability to carry water –
leading to lower yields.
i) The affected crop remains stunted, with
ii)The planting of healthy,
short and thin canes,
disease-free seed cane is an
ii)the leaves are comparatively pale and roots important control measure.
are poorly developed.
iii) The planting material can
be obtained by tissue culture
or after hot-water treatment of
sugarcane

iv)Do not ratoon the disease

crop.
6 Red i)Disease caused by bacterium
Acidovorax avenae (Aaa).
Stripe
(top rot) ii)Uprooting and burning
infected sugarcane plants can
help reduce disease incidence.

iii)Careful selection of healthy

i) Initially, young shoots show dark-red stripes setts for planting.
with a water-soaked appearance, followed by
iv)Use of resistant varieties,
 rotting. however, is considered the
best device to discard the
ii) Infected leaves exhibit elongated streaks
disease.
that turn chlorotic, carrying dark-red stripes
v) Select well drained fields
(about 0.5-1.0 mm wide and 5.0-100 mm
for cane planting.
long). These stripes may coalesce to form
larger bands.

➢ Major insect pests:

S,NO, NAME SYMPTOMS Management

1 Early i) Dead heart in 1–3-month-old crop, i) Apply management practice if
population excess ETL of 15% dead
shoot which can be easily pulled out, rotten
heart
borer portion of the straw-coloured dead-heart ii) Grow resistant varieties: CO 312,
CO 421, CO 661, CO 917 and CO
emits an offensive odour. A number of
853.
bore holes at the base of the shoot just iii)Earthing up – 30th day
above the ground level can be seen. It
iv)Remove and destroy dead hearts
is major pest in the early stage of the
crop. v) Spray monocrotophos 36 SL
1000 ml or endosulfan 35 EC 1000
ii) Larva: dirty white with five dark ml or chlorpyriphos 20 EC 1000
violet longitudinal stripes and dark ml or chlorantraniprole 18.5 SC
375 ml or fipronil 5 SC 1.5-2.0 L
brown head. /ha
Adult: Pale greyish brown moth with
black dots near the costal margin of the
forewings and with white hind wings.

2 Root borer i)dead heart and general yellowing of i) Irrigate the field in month of
the leaves, as well as poor tillering in May/June
mature plants ii)spray 1.5 litre of Endosulfan 35
ii) Larvae usually make tunnel inside EC or Monocrotophos 36 EC in 600
the base of the stalk or in the stubble. litre of water when eggs are visible
iii) Females lay eggs singly, mostly on in the field
the underside of the leaves.

3 Top borer Dead heart in grown up canes, which i)Grow resistant varieties: Co 724,
 cannot be easily pulled; dead heart CoJ 67, Co 1158, Co 1111
reddish brown in colour; parallel row
of shot holes in the emerging leaves ii) Collect and destroy the egg
and red tunnels in the midribs of masses
leaves; bunchy top appearance due to
the growth of side shoots. Larva bores iii)Release the parasite, Isotima
into the midrib of unfolded leaves and javensis Rohn against 3rd or 4th
mine their way to the base. broods of top borer

iv) Apply 30kg Carbofuran 3%

granules followed by irrigation in
July

Larva: Smooth, white or cream

coloured with a red coloured mid-
dorsal line and yellow head. Adult:
White coloured moth (with a buff
coloured anal tuft in the abdominal tip
of female).
4 Pyrilla i)Pyrilla is the most damaging pest that i) Collect egg masses which are laid
consumes sugarcane leaf. on lower surface of the leaves and
ii)Adults and nymphs are both destroy them.
extremely energetic, leaping from leaf ii) Earthing up in the month of May
to leaf at the slightest disturbance. and June and application of
iii)They absorb the leaf's cell sap and fertilizers at the premonsoon season
produce honeydew, which attracts the is a very good for control of early
black fungus. shoot borer.
iv)The feeding turns the leaves yellow, iii) Eliminating grows from the
giving them a scorched, withered stubble once in month of April may
appearance covered in black crust, help in decreasing the accumulation
v) this pest appears April-May and of pests.
again in August and September.

➢ Yield:

The harvesting yield come nearly after 11-12 months crop while in north
India 400-500 q/ha. and18 months crop of south India is 1000-1200 q/ha.
➢ Maturity and harvest:

➢ Ripening of sugarcane refers to rapid synthesis and storage of sucrose in the stalk
➢ Accumulation of sugar in the stalk starts soon after completion of
elongation phase
➢ Glucose produced during photosynthesis is not utilized for conversion but
stored as sucrose
➢ When the concentration exceeds 16% in the juice and 85% purity the
cane is said to be matured
➢ As the crop advances in maturity:
o Water content decreases
o Sucrose content increases
o Reducing sugars decreases
▪ Both organic and inorganic non-sugars also decreases
o At peak maturity sucrose content is at maximum and non-sugars at
minimum
➢ Assessing maturity:
o Use of hand refractometer - Brix reading

▪ If delayed
• Sucrose content decreases
• Non-sugars increases
• Fibre content increases

M‚ jhuk j‚;
lgk;d çksQslj lg dfu"B oSKkfud, lL; foKku
M‚- dyke —f"k egkfo|ky;] fd'kuxat & 855117
fcgkj —f"k fo'ofo|ky;] lckSj