Effect of intra-row spacings, fertilizer levels and planting materials on yield and economics of pre-seasonal sugarcane under drip irrigation

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at, Rahuri during the seasons 1999–2000 (plant cane) and 2000– 2001(ratoon cane). The study reveled that the yield of cane with 90 cm intra-row spacing was significantly superior over 30 and 60 cm intra-row spacing The application of 125 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) recorded significantly higher cane yield than 75 and 100 per cent RDF. The low operational cost and high yield resulted into increased gross and net returns of sugarcane at 90 cm intra-row spacing and proportionately the B: C ratio over 30 and 60 cm spacings. The increase in gross returns by application of 125 % RDF to sugarcane over 75 and 100 % RDF were 23.21 and 8.79 per cent higher and the net returns were 48 and 16.25 % higher when data were pooled over the seasons, respectively. The application of 125 % RDF recorded maximum B:C ratio of 2.50 on pooled basis. The over all operational cost of sugarcane planted by tissue cultured plantlets was 214 per cent higher than the polybag settling in first planting season, but in ratoon, no marked difference observed in operational cost. The gross monetary returns realized by plantation of polybag settlings were higher to the tune of 21.87, 14.40 and 18.18 per cent and the net monetary returns were 370.39, 20.43 and 195.41 over plantation of tissue cultured plantlets in plant and ratoon seasons and on pooled data basis, respectively. The plantation of polybag settling recorded maximum value of B: C ratio as compared to tissue cultured plantlet cane.