Growing Sugar Cane for high yields

February 2011
Yoram Krontal

Growing Sugar Cane for High Yields

February 2011

Yoram Krontal

Factors influencing yields

New technologies

Plant Soil Climate

Potential Yield

Human resources

Growing cane for high yields

Project planning and design Plot design spacing and length

Use of innovative products

Selection of varieties suitable for drip irrigation Quality of implementation process Quality of growth substrate Quality of seeds and planting

Quality of system installation

During crop growth Drip irrigation as a delivery system Harvest & post harvest

Natal Farm - Sao Paulo State, Brazil

The five principles of growing sugar cane for high yields

Soil Preparation Soil Fertility Variety & Seed Quality Quality of Planting Irrigation

Selection of dripper for best plot design

Low flow dripper Argentina 60 ha 4 years old Brazil 10 ha 4 years old Senegal 1100 ha to be installed
180
160
141 151 118 123

140 120
Yield T/ha

100

92
62

80
60 40 20 Planted cane 1 ratoon Planted cane 1 ratoon Planted cane

1 ratoon

DRIPNET PC 22135 1,0l/h

DRIPNET PC 22135 0,60l/h

Control

Low flow dripper

Row Length & Traffic Control:

A yield of 125 tons/ha results in about 24 kg/cane

per 1 m of row length (0.4 x 1.4m planting distance).

A mid-size wagon carries 12 tons of cane; 12,000 kilos of cane per wagon. Assuming 24 kg/meter, the result is 500 m rows and lateral

length. If we plan the plot at this length, one wagon

per row will suffice, thus avoiding unnecessary soil compaction.

Distribution of dripper type & flow in various countries

Streamline 1.6 L/hr 4% Streamline 2.2 L/hr 5% Dripnet PC 0.6 L/hr 9%

Typhoon 3.0 L/hr 9% Dripnet PC 1.0 L/hr 32% Typhoon 1.9 L/hr 9%

Typhoon 1.6 L/hr 18%

Dripnet PC 1.6 L/hr 14%

The use of Dripnet PC (0.6; 1.0; 1.6) is 54% from the total

Distribution of dripper spacing in various countries

Light soils dripper spacing (cm) Heavy soils dripper spacing (cm)

90 cm 9% 70 cm 9%

30 cm 9%

40 cm 27%

40 cm 44% 50 cm 56%

50 cm 46%

Dripper spacing of 50 (cm) is the most common in heavy and light soils

Wall Thickness
Mil of inch
mm (~)

10

12.5 15

20

25

35

40

0.15 0.2 0.25 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.90 1.00 Sensitive to soil insects Resistant to soil insects

Sensitive to rodents

How to look for high production varieties

Cane quality & Yield
Cane yield Sugar content Fiber content

Reaction to Diseases & Pests

Smut Mosaic Rust Borer Nematodes

Agronomic Characteristics
Stalk population (at harvest) Stalk mass (at harvest) Stalk height (at harvest) Stalk elongation Flowering Lodging

Reaction to Water Stress

Growth during drought Ratooning after drought Waterlogging / poorly drained soils

Nutrition
Nitrogen use efficiency Aluminum tolerance

Germination
Speed Reliability

Ripening treatments
Ethrel Glyphosate

Ratooning Ability
Speed
Reliability

Harvesting
Best months

Carryover

Varieties suitable for mechanical harvest

Erect cane

Resistance to treading

(traffic control)

Ratooning Ability - Traffic control

Difference between two varieties in response to poor traffic control Yield reduction at 1st Ratoon
Planting 1st Ratoon 2nd Ratoon
200 188 182 170 150 Ton/ha 177 140

135

100

50

0 Mdias 3250 5181

Lack of high production varieties is a limitation factor

for drip viability

Yield (t/ha)

Stage 1 Selection from existing commercial varieties Stage 2 Selection from filed trail release

250 202 200 163 150 166 134 140 145 151 184 186 163

139
109

142 119

143

120

124

126

100

Plant

Plant

Plant

Plant

Plant

Plant

Plant

Plant

Ratoon

Ratoon

Ratoon

Ratoon

Ratoon

Ratoon

Ratoon

Ratoon

Plant

RB863129 RB72454

RB971755 RB98710 RB951541 RB867515 RB931003 RB93509

RB92579

Variety trial in Brazil before release Variety trial in Honduras from existing commercial varieties

Ratoon

Stage 3 during the breeding process

50

Main varieties in use with drip irrigation

Country West Africa Brazil Brazil Soil type Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Main Variety SP - 711406 RB 92-579; RB 85-7515 RB 92-579; RB 85-7515

Honduras
Honduras Thailand Hawaii Mexico Mexico India India Peru Peru Australia

Light / Sandy Soil

Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Light / Sandy Soil

CP 722086
MEX 69290 K 200; LK11 HSPA 7750; 3567;7052; 4153 CP 72 2086; ATEMEX 96-40 CP 72 2086; ATEMEX 96-41 CO-86032; Cov-94101 CO-86032; Cov-94102 CC8592; Chicama 32; H69; MEX 73 KQ228; Q208; Q183

Light / Sandy Soil

Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil

Light / Sandy Soil

Medium / Heavy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil

Soil Preparation during the wet or the dry season

Soil Fertility
Soil Analysis Base fertilization Liming Gypsum

Case study: Use of drip in acidic soils

Project: Luiz Fernando Feltre So Paulo Brazil Drip project area: 36 ha. First ratoon: 123 ton / ha Rain-fed: 50% less Rainfall: 1400 mm/year, from October to March Soil Latossolo vermelho escuro Soil pH 4.5 5.5 Clay 75%, type Kaolinite 1:1 Hydraulic conductivity 10-1 10-2 cm/sec. High precipitation causes leaching of the soil cations: Ca++ Mg++ K+; and water dissociation: H2O H+ + OHResulting in acid soils Fertilizers in use: Urea

Treatment Liming 5 ton/ha

Projects in Arid regions sandy soils

Project: Ingenio Laredo (Peru)

Area: 3500 ha. Soil: 99% sand Rain: 10 mm/Year Yield: 180 ton/ha Without irrigation no production!

Soil pH in drip projects in various locations

Country West Africa Brazil Brazil Soil Type Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Soil pH 5-6 6 - 6.5 5-6

Honduras
Honduras Thailand TEXAS TEXAS

6.5 - 7
6 - 6.5 5-6 7.5 7

50% of the projects located in acid soils (pH below 7) and 50% in alkaline soils (pH above 7)

HAWAII
Mexico Mexico India India

5.3 - 6.5
5.5 - 6.5 5.5 - 6.5 6.5 - 8 7.2 - 8.5

Medium / Heavy Soil

Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil

Peru
Peru Australia Australia

8
7.5 7 7-8

Light / Sandy Soil

Medium / Heavy Soil

Roads and Drainage

The area must include optimal roads and transportation division, as well as a suitable drainage system that may also include an underground drainage system in some spots

Key Factors for Project Success

20% Wine Grapes Installation Sugar Cane 80% Installation 80% Irrigation & fertigation management 20%

Management

raiser

Furrowing Machine

One lineTwo linesThree linesWork output, Tractor size

Three - Iron beams : keeping a distance between the burying shank, furrowers and depth control wheels

Bogamoyo Tanzania one line furrowing

with a 3 line option

Brazilian Furrowing Machine

deep furrowing 2 lines injection base fertilization

Maple, Peru 3 line injection, furrowing at second stage

Semi-automatic Planting Points for consideration:

Time from planting to system pressurization & germination is critical

Fully automated planting

Harvest for seed Direct from the field No nursery

No seed treatment

Some modifications need to be done in the harvester for bud protection

Elevator protection

Rubber protection

Knife protection

Entrance protection

From the harvester directly to the planting machine

Planting depth in drip projects in different locations

Country West Africa Brazil Brazil Honduras Honduras Thailand Soil Type Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Planting depth (cm) 10 15 - 20 20 - 25 15 15 10 burying machine Netafim 1 line Netafim 2 & 3 lines Netafim 2 & 3 lines Client 1 line planting machine Client 1 line planting machine Client 1 line planting machine

Texas
Texas Hawaii Mexico Mexico India India Peru Peru

Light / Sandy Soil

Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil Light / Sandy Soil Medium / Heavy Soil

15 - 20
15 - 20 10 - 15 10 - 15 10 - 15 15 - 20 15 - 20 10 10 - 15 Client planting machine 2 lines client/Netafim 1 line client/Netafim 1 line Netafim 1 line Netafim 1 line Netafim 2 lines Netafim 2 lines

Australia
Australia

Light / Sandy Soil

Medium / Heavy Soil

15
15

Client + GPS 2 lines

Client + GPS 2 lines

Seed depth Ridge height Relation between the seed and the drip lateral
Soil natural surface

After covering bed about 5 cm high

5cm 10 - 15 cm
15 - 20 cm

40 cm

Seed Quality
Nursery available seed material:

1. Time from harvest to planting

2. Seed treatment

Poor seed quality

Low germination rate

excess ? of seeds

Healthy seed production

Laboratory for tissue cultures Mother plants Plant Hardening

Commercial nursery

Greenhouse for seedlings

Planting quality

Dual row 0.4 x 1.4m Number of buds for 1m = 9 min to 13 max (depends on the planting methods and germination rate) for germination of 9 buds per m
Number of buds per ha = 100,000 to 130,000 Number of buds per m2 = 10 - 13 Seed quantity = 8 to 12 tons/ha
Planting date

Nurseries

Selecting Variety

Covering implements
Depth control Compact roll

No No Pas geen

Covering & ridge height in various soils

Application of Vinasse and Humic Acids

Nematidcide Application via Drip (Pratylenchus brachyurus and Meloidogyne incognita) Nematidcide: Furadan 350g/l Dose: 6 L/ha
10/3/10 before treatment 14/4/10 after treatment

Ripening treatment via drip Ethrel

Data : 24/04/2009 Variedade : 7515 Seo: 6 Talho: 58 RB86 Descricao dos Intens : Leitura do Brix Leitura Sacarimtrica Peso do Bolo mido Fator de polarimetria Pol Pureza Fibra Coeficiente Pol do Caldo Fator de recuperao Clculo do AR% Clculo do ATR gio/Desgio

Data : 25/04/2009 Variedade : 7515 Seo: 6

NETAFIM

Talho: 24 RB86 Descricao dos Intens : Leitura do Brix Leitura Sacarimtrica Peso do Bolo mido Fator de polarimetria Pol Pureza Fibra Coeficiente Pol do Caldo Fator de recuperao Clculo do AR% Clculo do ATR gio/Desgio

FAZ. PARTIDO

18,70 66,87 146,38 0,24 16,19 86,55 12,80 0,94 13,30 1,03 0,71 143,29 28,23

13,80 42,56 138,17 0,25 10,51 76,15 11,22 0,95 8,83 0,90 1,64 111,90 0,14

Use of Drip as a Delivery System

Country Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Commercial Furadan Actara Reagent Thiodan Active Carbofuran Tiametoxam Fipronil Endosulfan (prohibited to use) Purpose Nematode Insect Nematode

Brazil
Brazil Honduras

Rynaxapir
Beauveria bassiana (fungi) Karate

Chlorantraniliprole
Biological CYHALOTHRIN BROCA GIGANTE insect

Honduras
Honduras Honduras

Prowl
Igrant Glifosat one and 2-4D

Herbicide for maturation

Herbicide for maturation Herbicide for maturation

Mexico
Mexico India Brazil Brazil Brazil

Chloropyriphos (fungi)
Vydate Organic fertilizer Vinasse mill flushing water Etral

Biological
Oxamil Nematode Fertilization Fertilization water Source Ripener

Harvest Spacing for Traffic control

Single row 1.5 x 1.5 Dual row 1.4 x 0.4

Spacing of wagon & intermediate wagons

3.6 m

3m

Link to file

New John Deere harvester for high yields, harvesting dual row cane at 1.6 x 0.9 m
Higher yields Reduced over-stepping Reduction of drip system cost Not suitable for all soil types

Drip lines 2.5m apart 2.5m 0.9 m 1.6 m

Mechanical Harvest
Ridge height

Depth control sensor

Changing knife

Harvesting Method Distribution in Drip Projects in Various Countries

Mechanical Harvest
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Manual Harvest

Caterpillar or Wheels

Collecting trash for energy

Summary & Discussion

Agro spacing planting depth, ridge height
GPS Time from burying planting ready for germination Order of installation Rodents & insects recommendations for wall thickness