Expert Advisory Details

PAU experts' tips for the cultivation of sugarcane crop

Control weeds in the planted as well as ratoon crop. Due to prevailing hot weather conditions, sugarcane crop require frequent irrigations at 8 to 10 days interval. Apply 65 kg urea per acre to ratoon crop. Moisture conservation may be done by spreading mulch in between cane rows. Use rice straw/wheat straw/rice husk as mulch. This also checks the growth of weeds. For checking attack of black bug, spray 350 ml of Dursban/Lethal/Massban/Goldban 20 EC in 400 Iitres of water per acre. Direct the spray material into the leaf whorl for better results. Sugarcane mite can be checked by detroying Baru (Sorghum halepanse) weed growing nearby which is an alternative host for mite. Early shoot borer can be controlled by applying 10 kg Regent/Mortel/Rippen 0.3 G (fipronil) mixed in 20 kg sand or 150 ml Coragen 18.5 SC(chlorantraniliprole) or 2 litres of Durmet/Classic/Dursban/Markpyrphos 20 EC (chlorpyriphos) in 400 litres of water/ acre with sprinkler along the rows at post germination stage (about 45 days after planting). Earth up slightly and follow with light irrigation. These insecticides will also control termites. Sometimes iron deficiency appears in ratoon and planted crops on light textured and calcareous soils. The deficiency symptoms first appear on younger leaves as yellow stripes between green veins. Later, the veins also turn yellow. To control this, spray the crop with 1.0 kg ferrous sulphate dissolved in 100 litres of water. Two-three sprays at weekly intervals are sufficient.