Kolkata: Improving sugarcane production will help in prosperity of the farmers and other stakeholders associated with the sugarcane cultivation. Currently, the prime concern of cane growers and the sugar industry is to achieve higher sugarcane productivity and higher sugar recovery, both of which support maximum economic returns. The wider spatial and temporal variations in soil characteristics are the major constraint for achieving the maximum cane productivity.
While speaking at the 77th Annual Convention and International Sugar Expo happening in Kolkata, Dr. Ram Kushal Singh – Senior Breader & Sugarcane Consultant and Ex Head, Biotechnology & Sugarcane Breeder at Sugarcane Research Institute, Shahjahanpur has expressed his views that, “Few sugar mills in eastern Uttar Pradesh had faced various constraints earlier in sugar production with respect to environmental constraints like: water logging, non-availability of quality seed due larger area occupied by rejected varieties, late planting, non synchronised tillering, lack of 50-60 percent suitable early maturing varieties, sustainability of crop, uneconomic ratoon crop, low sprouting in winter seasons, sucrose losses in field due to delay in cut to crush and also constraints in sugar mechanization due to low land holdings.
The major factor responsible for lower productivity were lack of proper varietal balance with high sugar and high yielding varieties, un-balanced an delayed application of fertilizer, inadequate irrigation resources and uncared ratoon crop which has around 50% of the total cane area.
Improved premium early maturing high sugar varieties could played a major role in increasing sugarcane and sugar productivity. Theses sugarcane varieties are generally selected under optimal conditions. Hence, those varieties may not be able to tolerate the unfavourable weather conditions of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Over the years, the Indian Sugar Industry lacks sustainability of sugarcane, sugar production and profitability. Keeping in view the prevailing sugarcane production technologies can be improved by adopting sustainable sugarcane production technologies and premium early maturing sustainable high sugar varieties having multiple resistance against prevailing diseases and pests.
Recovery can be improved further by maintaining first, second and third ratoon with CoS 08272 in about 50 per cent area of these promising varieties dominated by CoS 08272 with better crop husbandry, wider spacing, reducing cut to crush losses and adopting maturity wise harvesting schedule.”
“Sustainable sugarcane cultivation is possible by adopting suitable sugar yield increasing varieties and cost reducing technologies. CoS 08272 – an elite early maturing, high sugar, high plant and ratoon yielding wonder variety of sugarcane for Uttar Pradesh having moderately resistance against multiple diseases and pests. It is a farmer friendly and industry loving variety. Nowadays, Co238 is badly affected by multiple diseases specially with red rot incidence and pests. It is the need of the day that we have to think about true replacement of Co 0238 with an elite early maturing variety CoS 08272” he added.
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