PJB-2023-220
ANALYSIS AND RESCHEDULING OF CONVENTIONAL CROP HARVEST PROGRAM BASED ON THE PERFORMANCE OF NATIONAL ELITE AND EXOTIC SUGARCANE CULTIVARS
Muhammad Munir
Abstract
In spite of appearing at appropriate location for sugarcane production a significant improvement in sucrose recovery and sugar yield is yet to achieve in Pakistan. Owing to shortage and high production cost, the country is presently facing huge sugar crunch. In this study sugarcane genotype and the conventional milling schedule (late December to March ending) appearing largely responsible are addressed. For the purpose elite as well as exotic cultivars available in the country (21) were planted during September (2016) and February (2017) under CRB Design at Chashma Right Bank Canal command area D.I.Khan, Pakistan. Initially September and February plant crops got evaluated for varietal performance. Juice quality indices commonly appraised were measured fortnightly harvesting the sugarcane crops during October to March. The parameters of commercial implications like varietal productivity, efficient production period (EPP) and cane/ sugar yield were also determined. Based on superior performance fourteen cultivars were further studied during two subsequent ratoons in 2018-2020. The trend in sucrose recovery was examined from October to March encompassing the period of conventional harvest schedule. The averaged productive tenure (@ ≥ 9.5% sucrose recovery) from plant to ratooned crops of all the cultivars was found to cover the period from mid October to mid February hardly. The cultivars HSF-240, CSSG-676, MCP-421, CP-87-1628, CP-77-400, HoSG-2875, CP-72-2086, HoSG-1257 and CP-85-1491 were found outstanding possessing EPP (3.79 to 4.84 months), productivity (11.57-16*10-1) and sugar yields (11.30-13.71 tons/ha) at commendable ranges. Varieties like CP-80-1827, CPF-243, CP-65-357, Mardan-92 and CPF-246 being less productive were screened out. The delay in milling seems responsible for huge financial loss to farmers, industry and the country at large. Under conventional harvest schedule (late December to March), only 50 % of the crush duration was utilized economically even with outstanding cultivars. The sugar production can become double by rescheduling the milling session to much earlier. This magnitude can be enhanced many folds cultivating superior sugarcane varieties and harvesting them during the most productive period from October till February ending. The investigation is equally worthwhile for sucrose manufacturing nations world-wide exceptionally for sub-tropical latitudes.
Keywords: Sugarcane varieties, harvesting time, cane and sugar magnitudes, growers, industry.
To Cite this article:
Download
