From,

Dr. Santosh Singh

Assistant Professor & Head
Dept. of Agronomy
Government Degree College
Jakhini, Varanasi (U.P.) India
E-mail- santosh_gdc@rediffmail.com
mobile no-09415081332

Date 04/09/2016

To,

Managing Editor,
H.N0 498, Vill- Kakarmatta (South), Post- D.L.W, Dist-Varanasi 221005(UP)
INDIA
Subject : (a) Paper Entitled "MANAGEMENT OF SUGARCANR IN

INTERCROPPING SYSTEM "

Dear Editor,
Kindly find enclosed herewith one copy computer type double space on one side of the
manuscript of our research paper entitled as above for the favour of publication in your
esteemed journal of agriculture,
Kindly acknowledge the receipt of the paper.

With regards,
Sincerely yours
(Dr. Santosh Singh)
Assistant Professor & Head
mobile no-09415081332

MANAGEMENT OF SUGARCANR IN INTERCROPPING SYSTEM

SANTOSH SINGH
Assistant Professor
Department of Agronomy
Government Degree College, Jakhini, Varanasi -221305
INTRODUCTION
Sugarcane is a long duration cash crop cultivated an about 5.15 M ha
(2009-10) of area and occupies the field for 12 month or more in the country.
It is cultivated in the country, broadly under two climatic condition i.e.
subtropical and tropical. The subtropical and tropical region contribute 60
and 45% Area and 45 & 55% of the total production, respectively. In
subtropical region Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Assam,
W.B. and part of M.P. are the important cane growing states and in tropical
region Maharastra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, A.P. Gujarat, Orissa & Kerala are
main sugarcane growing states. Uttar Pradesh alone has about 22.00 lakh ha
area under sugarcane.
The objective of Intercropping in sugarcane is to increase the
agricultural production & productivity through more intensive cropping
system by increasing the pressure of plant population, and exploit the three
valuable natural resources (radiant energy, soil & space) by growing short
duration crop. It brings farmers additional income and reduce the cost of
cultivation. Several crops identified as rennumerative and compatible to
grow with autumn and spring sugarcane.
Management practice to be followed with the intercrop concerned .
However some of the important basic considerations are.
1. Spacing of sugarcane rows.
2. Spacing to be followed between sugarcane & intercrop rows.

3. Intra or within row spacing of Intercrop.

4. Number of Intercop rows.
5. Rate and time of manuring.
6. Inter cultural operation.
7. Harvest of Intercrop.
8. Intercrop residue management.
Level of Adoption :
Although several sugarcane based intercrop combinations have been
found better than their sole crops and sequential cropping but they could not
get the optimum favour of the cane growers to the desired extent. Separate
statistics is not available for the area under different sugarcane based
cropping systems in the state of UP. However experience acquired by the
officers of the Directorate of Sugarcane Development through various field
visits to different sugarcane growing areas of the U.P. shows that the area
under sugarcane based intercropping is not substantial. As per their
estimation / observation gained during these field visit this is 5 to 8% only.
Adoption constraints :
1. Growing of an additional crop in sugarcane required additional labour
and labour availability becoming scare & costly.
2. No concerted effort made to popularised intercropping system thrust is
mainly on sugarcane by the extension agencies (sugar factory and cane
staff). Besides they are not well equipped to give the information to
the farmar regarding Intercropping technology.
3. The intercrop management is some what an in convenient practice
which affect, irrigation, fertilizer management, weed control practices,
interculture operation etc. of sugarcane.
4. Constrant related to Autumn planting,

(i)

Narrow Planting Period.

(ii)

Non availability of vacant field.

3

(iii)

Harvesting during cooler month.

(iv)

Non availabity of sufficient quantity of quality seed material.

Some popular (Zonewise) crop rotation in Uttar Pradesh :

Zone
A. Rabi Season :
Zone I
Saharanpur. Biznaur, Muradabad, Rampur, Barelly,
Pilibheet, Lakhlmpur, Bahrich, Shravasthi
Zone 2
Muzaffar Nagar, Meerat, Bulandsahar, Gaziabad,
Baghpath, Gautumbudh Nagar.
Zone 3
Muradabad, Biznaur, Badaun, Rampur, Barely,
Philibhit,
Zone 4
Agra Mandal
Zone 5
Kanpur Mandal, Barely Mandal, Shahjahanpur,
Allahabad Mandal,
Zone 6
Bundel Khand
Zone 7
Gorakhpur. Deoria, Basti, Gonda, Balrampur,
Bahrich
Zone 8
Faizabad, Ambedakar Nagar, Barabanki, Sultanpur,
Pratapgrah, Varanasi, Gazipur, Jaunpur, Azamgarh,
Balia, Mau,
Zone 9
Mirzapur, Sonbhradhra,
B. Spring Season :
Zone 1 to 9

crop rotation
Sugarcane + Lentil

Sugarcane + Lentil

Sugarcane + Lentil

Sugarcane + Lentil
Sugarcane + Lentil

Sugarcane + Lentil
Sugarcane + Lentil

Sugarcane + Lentil

Sugarcane + Lentil
Sugarcane + Moong
Sugarcane + Urd

Suggestion for making intercropping more popular :

Inspite of several constraints intercropping is feasible in sugarcane by

choosing intercrop, crop varieties and suitable crop management practies
spacialy with the autumn and spring planting sugarcane which has the ample
scope to intensify cropping and sugarcane productivity. In this regards
following suggestion may be helpfull in increasing the adoption of sugarcane
based intercropping and its subsequent sustainence in real farming situation.
1. Planning from Kharif season or planning should be in advance.
2. Agronomic adjustment.
3. Selection of intercrop and its variety.
4. Availability of quality seeds.
5. Refinement of Technology.
6. Ensure marketing of Main crop & Intercrop.
7. Intercropping in autum harvested ratoon.
8. Sugarcane spacing and No. of rows of Intercrop in associations.
9. Strengthening of extension efforts.
A thorough consideration of real farming situations prevailing along
with active participation of the farmers is essential for increasing the
adoption and sustenance of intercropping technology. Experience gain
through the field visit has shown that the complete technology developed and
transferred to the farmers without considering the whole production system
is not viable for large scale adoption by the farming communities in the rural
areas due to in sufficient of fund and lack of linkage among the farmers &
extension worker. Therefore it is necessary for making transfer of inter
cropping technology more effective through training to extension workers.
The importance of proper training of cane growers has also not received due
attention. So far Although some training programmes may be undertaken by
the cane development department and research institutions, the scope and
coverage of these are rather limited. Small farmers having family labour at

their command should be targeted and encouraged to intensify their cropping

by adopting sugarcane based intercropping technology.
Reference :
Kalara, A. N.; Verma, Ashok; and Srivastava, T. N. 1975. Companion
Cropping of sugarcane and weeds pest problem and How to tackle it.
Sugar News 7 (7) : 11-12.
Mishra, S.R.; Ram, R.S. and Singh, Kisan 1989. Effect of intercrop on
dispersal of smut spores in sugarcane fields. Indian J. agri. Sci. 59
(2) : 114-117.
Verma, R. S. ; Motiwwale, M.P., Chauhan R. S. and Tiwari, R. K.
1981 Studies on intercropping of spices and tojbacco with autumn
sugarcane. Indian Sugar 31 (7) : 451-56. ,
The Hindu Survey of Indian Agriculture Zoo.