OPTIMIUM INTER-ROW SPACING AND NUMBER OF PLOUGHINGS FOR TWO PROMISING SUGARCANE VARIETES

Abstract

The present work was conducted at El-Mattana Agricultural Research Station, Luxor Governorate during 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 seasons to assess the optimum inter-row spacing and number of ploughings for two promising varieties. The study included twelve treatments, which were the combinations among three enter-row spacing (80, 100 and 120 cm) and two ploughing treatments (two or three passes) for the two promising sugar cane varieties namely G.95-19 and G.95-21. Split-split plot design with four replications was used in both seasons. The obtained results showed that the examined enter-row spacing significantly affected the number of millable canes/fed, millable cane height and diameter, as well as total soluble solids, sucrose, sugar recovery percentages, cane and sugar yields/fed. The closest enter-row spacing (80 cm) gave the highest values of all studied traits. Moreover, insignificant difference was found between 80 and 100 cm inter-row spacing in the number of millable cane/fed, millable cane height, sucrose and sugar yield. Number of millable canes/fed, millable cane height, stalk diameter, total soluble solids and cane yield were significantly affected by ploughing number. Furthermore, practicing three ploughing passes resulted in the highest values of the aforementioned characters, except for stalk diameter. The promising sugarcane variety G.95-21 significantly surpassed G.95-19 the other promising one in number of millable canes/fed, millable stalk height, millable cane diameter, total soluble solids percentage and cane yield/fed. Under conditions of the present investigation, planting G.95-21 sugarcane variety in rows spaced at 100 cm along with three ploughings can be recommended to obtain the highest cane and sugar yield/fed.