Inter-Cropping with Sugarcane

Sugarcane is a long duration crop and normally occupies the field for a period of 12 months. The large inter row spacing in the cane crop, provides excellent opportunity to grow suitable inter crop.

Advantages of Inter-cropping :

There are several advantages in introducing inter-crop in sugarcane

 

1. Growing of an additional crop with sugarcane, the gross productivity  of the land per unit area increases.

 

2.The practice of inter cropping leads to better utilisation of efficiency of land.

 

3.Due to the complete coverage of the soil surface with continuing vegetation, the cost of inter- culture operation is also reduced due less growth of weeds.

 

4.The growing of two crops over the same areas also reduce the cost of cultivation by way of field preparation.

 

5.Leguminous inter-crops provides additional benefits of Nitrogen Fixation   Green Manure. A number of crops can be grown successfully as inter-crop in sugarcane like Mustard, Green Gram, Cow Peas, soybean, Onion, Coriander, Ladies finger, Tomato, Potato, Lentil, Garlic, Pea, Carrot, Radish, Palak, Sugar beet etc.

Intercropping
Drip-Irrigation

Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation is important and economical in the area of restricted irrigation facilities. Crop irrigated with a volume of water which is almost close to the consumptive use of the plants, thereby losses like percolation, run-off and evaporation are minimised.

 

Advantages:

1. High water use efficiency

2. Crop stresses can be minimised

3.Ferti-irrigation is possible which result in saving of applied  fertilisers.

4.Low running cost

5.Suitable for sandy soils

6.Less weed problem

7.Reduction in losses through transpiration.

8.Increased yield

9.Application of Fungicide / Pesticides with irrigation water

Bio-Compost

The Bio-compost is prepared following Biostil process by mixing distillery effluent in press mud and after decomposition used as manure.

Advantages:

1. Increase the soil fertility

2. Increase the water holding Capacity

3. Control the pH of Soil

4. Increase the yields of Crops

5. Permeability and aeration of soil are also enhanced

Compost of bio
Vermi-Compost-disadvantages

Vermicompost

The term “Vermicompost” means the use of earthworms for composting organic residues. Earthworm can consume all kinds of organic matter and they can eat as much as their own body weight per day.  The Excreta of earthworms are rich in nutrients (N, P,K, Fe and Mg etc) and also in bacterial and actinomycetes population.

Advantages Vermicompost:

1. Increase the soil fertility

2. Increase the micro-organism in soil

3. Increase the water holding Capacity

4. Control the PH of Soil

5. Increase the yield of Crops

6. Permeability and aeration of soil are also enhanced

Deep Boring

The irrigation resources are very limited in the nearby areas of plant which in turn affect the cane yield of the area.

The majority of the farmers are in small and marginal category therefore they are unable to develop irrigation resources.

The company has provided interest free loans to the farmers for the development of irrigation resources in mill area.

During the period of three years around 2000 deep borings were installed in nearby areas of our plants.

deep-boring
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Mechanisation of sugarcane and Implement Distribution

Mechanisation of sugarcane cultivation is need of the day to address to the problems of sustainable production and productivity of sugarcane crop.

Mechanisation is also useful in time and labour saving.

Cane growers are being educated to change their mind-set towards machine culture for sugarcane cultivation.

Training-cum-demonstration programme are being organized on regular basis by associating cane growers and sugar industry. So concerted efforts on all fronts will make sugarcane mechanization a profitable venture.

We have distributed Trench Planter, Cultivator, Mini Tractor, Tripller Trollies, Spray Machines, M.B.Plough, Rotavator , Power weeder etc to the farmers of our command area.

Trash Mulching

Sugarcane trash mulching is a highly useful technique to conserve soil moisture and reduce the impact of moisture stress and atmospheric drought. Mulching the inter row space with 5-7 c.m. thick layer of dry leaves of sugarcane is quite effective. About 8-10 tonnes of sugarcane trash per hectare is required. Mulching in ratoon is more convenient than in the plant.

Advantages of Trash Mulching:

1. Improve the fertility of soil after decomposition of dry leaves.

2. Conserve the soil moisture

3. Reduce the evaporation from the soil surface

4. Moderate soil temperature

5. Improve germination and better tiller survival and growth

6. Check the weed population

7. Reduce the frequency of irrigation

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Trench Planting

In this system ‘U’ shaped furrows or trenches of about 25-30 cm depth are formed by using tractor drawn ridger / trench planter.

Ridges and furrows are opened at 120 cm spacing. In the initial stages, the germinating cane crop gets adequate soil moisture from the sub-soil and good crop stand is established. During later stages, the trenches serve as drainage channels.

Paired row system of planting is becoming popular in recent years. In this system the space between a pair of two rows is reduced by bringing them closer and the spacing between adjacent pairs of rows is increased.