Increase Sugarcane Productivity Research Articles

Application of Linear Programming to Optimize Sugarcane Production and Sugarcane Farming Income at HGU Jengkol PT. Perkebunan Nusantara X

Sugar production in Indonesia is currently unable to meet domestic needs, even though the potential demand for domestic sugar is still relatively high. Therefore, targeted efforts are needed to predict the decline in sugar production. One of the efforts in that direction is to optimize sugarcane production of HGU Djengkol PT Perkebunaan Nusantara X. This research aims to maximize income and increase sugarcane production by optimizing the area per crop category/ This research was carried out at HGU Djengkol PT Perkebunan Nusantara X. This research will take place from October 2023 to November 2023. The data collected is in the form of secondary data, namely sugarcane production data and income for the 2022 growing season, climate/weather data, and area per crop category. The data analysis method used is Linear Programming using POM software for Windows. The results showed that optimization of the broad composition per plant category can increase the income of HGU Djengkol by 107%, with actual income of Rp. 26,974,475,108, - after being optimized to Rp. 28,817,240,000,-, to get maximum income, by eliminating the category of ratoon 2 plants with a combination of area per category of plants Pure PC 30%, PC BR, 5%, RT 1 35% and Lahan Bero 30%. can increase HGU Djengkol sugarcane production by 102% with actual sugarcane production of 100,488 tons after being optimized to 102,432 tons.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity and Fingerprinting of Sugarcane Varieties Using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) Markers

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) fingerprinting was chosen because of its high polymorphism, which enables precise analysis of genetic diversity, for the assessment of genetic variety among several sugarcane varieties. This method focuses on certain areas of the sugarcane genome and offers important insights into the distinctive genetic patterns and relationships between the many sugarcane types under study. To increase sugarcane production and resilience, crop development plans, breeding programmes, and conservation activities must be guided by the data obtained by SSR fingerprinting. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity and fingerprinting of eight sugarcane varieties (Isd 16, Isd 20, Isd 21, Isd 24, Isd 28, Isd 29, Isd 30, and Isd 31) using four SSR primers. A simple and efficient method for DNA isolation was employed, and the primers successfully amplified a total of 59 bands from the eight varieties. The results showed that the marker SMC687CS exhibited the highest number of alleles and genotypes per locus, followed by SMC336BS and SMC334BS, while SMC119CG showed the lowest. The highest PIC value was obtained from the marker SMC687CS, indicating its high level of polymorphism. The four SSR markers were able to distinguish 56.25% of all the cultivars evaluated, with the highest linkage distance recorded between the varieties Isd 24 and Isd 28. This study identified and classified the eight sugarcane varieties, indicating genetic differences among them that coincide with their field performances.

Increasing Sugarcane Production Eco-Efficiency: A DEA Analysis with Different Sugarcane Varieties

The development of new sugarcane varieties affects crop production positively. However, only some studies have investigated how the use of different sugarcane varieties reacts to the impact of climate change, and how to improve sugarcane production efficiency considering the use of different sugarcane varieties in the field. This research hypothesizes that it is possible to mitigate climate change’s impact on sugarcane production and improve eco-efficiency if the proper sugarcane varieties are chosen. The main objective is to analyze the influence of different sugarcane varieties on production eco-efficiency. An econometric study unveiled the main elements affecting sugarcane production in this research. Afterward, a data envelopment analysis determined the sugarcane varieties with more efficient production. The results indicated that climate impact on production was irrelevant when controlling for different sugarcane varieties. Furthermore, it was found that through correct variety choosing, it is possible to improve harvest efficiency. The outcome of this research contributes to achieving the United Nations SDGs 1, 2, 7, 9, and 15.

Analysis of competitiveness of sugarcane farming: A case study in Kampung Beru Village, South Sulawesi

The sugarcane based sugar industry is a source of income for sugarcane farmers and workers in the industry. However, farmers often complain about the high price and cost of farming, which result in a decrease in the quality of sugarcane. The survival of sugarcane farmers is threatened, including those in Kampung Beru Village as one of the largest suppliers of sugarcane for Takalar Sugar Factory. This study aims to explore the competitiveness of sugarcane farming based on competitive and comparative advantages. Data collection was carried out through interviews and focus group discussion (FGD) involving 76 farmers. Policy analysis matrix (PAM) was utilized for data analysis. The results showed that the private cost ratio (PCR) value, an indicator of competitive advantage, was >1 (1.048), suggesting that sugarcane farming does not have a competitive advantage. Domestic resource cost ratio (DRCR) as an indicator of comparative advantage had a value of >1 (1.795), indicating that sugarcane farming also has no comparative advantage. Sugarcane farming has extremely low competitiveness. Hence, the government is advised to increase sugarcane productivity by conducting campaigns to use superior seeds, increase the efficiency of production facilities, revise purchase price standards, and regulate the marketing system.JEL Classification A10; B40; B55

Adoption of farm management information systems (FMIS): The case of Brazilian sugarcane farmers

Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) have been adopted by farmers for planning, monitoring, and controlling agricultural operations. These systems are at the core of the digital farming revolution and can improve the technical, economic, and environmental efficiency of farming. This study evaluates the factors that influence the decision to adopt FMIS by sugarcane farmers in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A survey of 131 sugarcane farmers provided cross-sectional farm-level data for the 2018/19 crop year, which were analyzed by a logit regression model. The decision to adopt FMIS is positively affected by farmers’ level of education, private advisor, access to rural credit, off-farm income, farm size, and use of forward contracts. FMIS adoption is associated with risk-averse farmers as part of a risk management strategy. The results can help farmers in their decisions to adopt and both policymakers and FMIS suppliers in their strategies to foster FMIS diffusion. FMIS diffusion can increase sugarcane production efficiency resulting in positive shocks to sugar and ethanol production, which are key components of Brazil's rural development and energy strategies.

THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF SUGAR CANE MANUFACTURE, PT MADUBARU YOGYAKARTA

The Indonesian sugar industry is one of the plantation industries which is considered a commercial and strategic commodity. However, the national sugar industry has decreased in meeting national sugar needs. This decrease was due to internal problems and external problems in the sugar industry. Sugar Cane Manufacture, PT Madubaru is the only sugarcane-based private company in Yogyakarta. The study aims to identify internal and external factors that influence the development of PT Madubaru and analyze alternative strategies for the development of Sugarcane Manufacture Madukismo Yogyakarta. Sampling technique used is a purposive sampling method with 38 respondents consisting of eight experts and 30 internal company employees. The analytical method used is the Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix (IFE), External Factor Evaluation Matrix (EFE), and SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). The results show that the strategic position of Sugar Cane Manufacture, PT Madubaru development is in quadrant II (two). The strategic position shows that the strategy is directed at efforts to improve the weaknesses (Weaknesses) of PT Madubaru in order to be able to seize opportunities (Opportunities) that exist. The alternative strategy that can be applied in the development of PT Madubaru are increasing cash inflows by opening creditors and outside investors, Raw processing Sugar to reduce the Cost of Production, continuing to work with Bina Sarana Tani to find new varieties to increase sugarcane productivity, expand markets with market penetration, Raw process sugar to optimize plant capacity, process Raw sugar to optimize sugar production and diversify products to increase funds.

Identifying Institutions and Strategic Programs to Increase Sugarcane Production in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

The decline in the productivity of the national sugarcane commodity has become an issue in the last ten years. When domestic demand for sugar is increasing, the decline in productivity indicates a crisis in sugarcane production. At the same time, the involved institutions and strategic programs to encourage sugarcane production have not been well identified. The research aims to determine the institutions that are expected to play a role and the strategic programs that are prioritized in increasing sugarcane production in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. This study uses Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) to formulate complexity, hierarchy (levels) and classification among elements. The results showed that of the 14 sub-elements of the acting institutions studied, five institutions were key actors for increasing production, namely banking institutions; universities; agricultural, plantation and fisheries offices; industry, trade, cooperatives, & Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs') offices; and private companies. Then, from the 13 sub-elements of the strategic programs, there are five strategic programs that also serve as the key programs, namely extension/assisting farmers; addition of plantation labor; providing access to capital; variations of profit-sharing and buying systems of sugarcane; and accuracy of time and adequacy of the supply of raw materials to the mills. This means that these institutions must play an important role, as well as strategic programs that must be carried out effectively to address the issue of sugarcane production in the country. Thus, researchers recommend involving all stakeholders in conducting strategic programs with the key actors as the leading driving institutions.

Dynamics of Growth, Instability, and Spatial Distribution of Sugarcane in the Major States of India

The current study examined growth and instability in terms of area, production, and yield in India's leading sugarcane-growing states. The study used secondary time series data of the acreage, production, and yield for the main sugarcane-growing states in India from 1998-99 to 2018-19. The findings showed that the sugarcane area contributed more to output than yield. Production showed the highest level of instability, followed by area instability and yield. The highest LQ for sugarcane was observed in the state of erstwhile Uttar Pradesh, followed by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Since it was not significantly increasing sugarcane production, there is a need to adopt improvised techniques to boost yield.

Relationship between Change Management and Sugarcane Productivity in Sugar Factory Cane Catchments Areas in Kenya

The study sought to determine the relationship between change management and sugarcane productivity in 13 sugar factory cane catchment areas in Kenya. The philosophical foundation of this study was positivism. Cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A sample of 478 respondents were used where 400 were farmers and 78 were the factory leaders. A simple regression model was used to test the statistical significance. The findings show that when change management is held constant, sugarcane productivity will remain at 0.714. A unit increase in change management will increase sugarcane productivity in sugar factory cane catchments areas in Kenya by the rate of 0.751. The null hypothesis of the study was change management has no significant relationship with sugarcane productivity in sugar factory cane catchments areas in Kenya. Since, the p value was less than the critical value 0.05, the study rejected the null hypotheses and thus change management has a significant relationship with sugarcane productivity in sugar factory cane catchments areas in Kenya. The study concludes that, to achieve varied goals, managers need more than fragmentary ad-hoc change programmes dealing only with present sugarcane productivity challenges. They need change management methods to prepare for upcoming organizational competitive difficulties. The study provides significant information for managers of the sugar companies on the need to implement appropriate change management policies and practice in organizations. The study confirms that change management has a significant effect on productivity of the sugar factory cane catchment areas. Keywords: Change Management, Productivity, Sugarcane Factories

English

Microbial inoculant containing cells of Nitrospirillum amazonense is a recent technology that has been used in association with pre-sprouted seedlings to sustainably increase the productivity of sugarcane. This study aimed to assess the sensitivity of the rhizobacterium N. amazonense to the herbicides imazapic and indaziflam and the effect of this inoculation and herbicide treatments on sugarcane pre-sprouted seedlings. The In vitro sensitivity of the N. amazonense to the herbicides was assessed using the minimum inhibitory concentration technique (first assay). In this research, we evaluated imazapic (200 g a.i. ha-1) and indaziflam (100 g a.i. ha-1) at five doses: recommended dose (1×D), twice the recommended dose (2×D), one and a half of the recommended dose (1.5×D), half the recommended dose (0.5×CD), a quarter of the recommended dose (0.25×CD) and control treatment. The sensitivity of N. amazonense to imazapic and indaziflam applied at commercial doses on autoclaved soil was assessed in the second assay. The bacterial population count was performed using the most probable number technique (McCrady Table). The third assay assessed five herbicide treatments (clomazone (720 g a.i. ha−1), imazapic (200 g a.i. ha−1), tebuthiuron (800 g a.i. ha−1), indaziflam (75 g a.i. ha−1), sulfentrazone (800 g a.i. ha−1) and control without herbicide) applied in pre-planting of pre-sprouted seedlings of the variety RB 966928 in the presence and absence of the inoculant N. amazonense. The results showed that the presence of indaziflam did not interfere with the In vitro growth of the bacterium N. amazonense, regardless of the dose. Imazapic caused significant inhibition of bacterial In vitro growth from the recommended dose (200 g a.i. ha-1). The N. amazonense count in the soil of treatments that received indaziflam and imazapic application did not differ compared to the soil without herbicide. The pre-sprouted seedlings of the variety RB966928 showed high sensitivity to the herbicide imazapic, regardless of N. amazonense inoculation. Clomazone, tebuthiuron, and sulfentrazone did not interfere with the growth-promoting effect of N. amazonense. The results showed that the recommended dose of the herbicides tested does not impair the growth promoting effect of N. amazonense, and the inoculation of the pre-sprouted seedlings does not alter their sensitivity to herbicides, although the selectivity of the seedlings is differential among herbicides. Therefore, it may be concluded that the combined use of these technologies is a viable alternative to increase sugarcane productivity in a more sustainable way. © 2022 Friends Science Publishers

Crop resilience to climate change: A study of spatio-temporal variability of sugarcane yield in a subtropical region, China

Increasing sugarcane production to meet sugar industry demands is a major challenge facing agricultural sector in a more vulnerable environment to climate change in subtropical China. Numerous studies have shown the impact of climate change on sugarcane production, but most of these studies were conducted in a plot or catchment scale without assessing the impacts at regional scale. In this paper, climatic elements of temperature, rainfall, and radiation data, simulated by 28 global climate models, were evaluated using the Taylor chart. The two greenhouse gas emission scenarios, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, were used to generate climate changes in the region. Combined with the spatial analysis method, the spatial and temporal variation of temperature, rainfall and radiation in Guangxi region from 2010 to 2100 were studied. A validated APSIM-sugarcane model was selected to simulate sugarcane yield at 22 research stations in Guangxi region under different RCP scenarios in the future, and to analyze the three research stages (2030s: 2021-2040; 2060s: 2051-2070 and 2090s: 2081-2100). The spatio-temporal changes of aboveground biomass weight (DM), sugarcane stalk and sucrose (S) yields of the years 2021-2100 were compared with those in the base years (1961-2010), and the effects of climate change on sugarcane yield were quantified. On average, the DM yields were projected to increase by 3.6 and 4.7 and 5.8 t ha−1 for RCP4.5 and 2.9, 5.4 and 8.5t ha−1 for RCP8.5 in 2030s, 2060s and 2090s as compared to 1961–2010, respectively. Similarly, the projected increase in S yields were 5.2, 7.0, and 8.3 t ha−1for RCP4.5 and 4.3, 7.2 and 10.8 t ha−1 for RCP8.5 in the respective future years in comparison with baseline years. The results showed that sugarcane yield had no significant relationship with changes in solar radiation, but the yield had significant correlations with rainfall and temperature changes. Combine changes in radiation, rainfall, temperature and elevated CO2 might be accounted for 69 and 76% changes in sugarcane DM and S yields, respectively, across the entire location. An increase in temperature caused a little increase in sugarcane yield, while an increase in rainfall increased sugarcane yields significantly, but decreased when it exceeded a certain limit. On the other hand, the S yield increased with increase in temperature at constant radiation, but decreased when the radiation exceeded a certain limit. Temperature changes only caused S yield increase when radiation and temperature increased simultaneously. The effects of temperature and rainfall on S yield were similar to those on biomass yield. The effects of radiation and rainfall on S yield showed that both rainfall and radiation increased S yields, but the amplitude was limited. Therefore, to mitigate climate change in the future, supplemental irrigation can be used to increase soil moisture content to improve sugarcane yield.

Relationship between Change Management and Sugarcane Productivity in Sugar Factory Cane Catchments Areas in Kenya

The study sought to determine the relationship between change management and sugarcane productivity in sugar factory cane catchments areas in Kenya. The philosophical foundation of this study was positivism. Cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A sample of 478 respondents were used where 400 were farmers and 78 were the factory leaders. A simple regression model was used to test the statistical significance. The findings shows that when change management are held constant, sugarcane productivity will remain at 0.714. A unit increase in change management will increase sugarcane productivity in sugar factory cane catchments areas in Kenya by the rate of 0.751. The null hypothesis of the study was change management has no significant relationship with sugarcane productivity in sugar factory cane catchments areas in Kenya. Since, the p value was less than the critical value 0.05, the study rejected the null hypotheses and thus change management has a significant relationship with sugarcane productivity in sugar factory cane catchments areas in Kenya. The study concludes that, to achieve varied goals, managers need more than fragmentary ad-hoc change programmes dealing only with present sugarcane productivity challenges. They need change management methods to prepare for upcoming organizational competitive difficulties. The study provides significant information for managers of the sugar companies on the need to implement appropriate change management policies and practice in organizations. The study confirms that change management has a significant effect on productivity of the sugar companies of organizations Keywords: Change Management, Productivity, Sugarcane Factories

Micronutrient nutrition in sugarcane: a brief review

Sugarcane is a crop of worldwide economic value used in sugar, electricity, and alcohol production. This review demonstrates the importance of the main micronutrients and their respective effects on the development and yield of sugarcane. Micronutrient deficiency is one of the limiting factors in sugarcane productivity in producing regions. This deficit is related to several aspects, such as fertilizer use with low micronutrient levels, increased agricultural productivity, and decreased productivity levels of soil organic matter. Thus, proper fertilization management can circumvent the limiting factors such as the foliar application of boron and soil fertilization of zinc, both resulting in greater stem production. Molybdenum increases biological nitrogen fixation in sugarcane and contributes to the accumulation of N in the plant. Iron and manganese are involved in chlorophyll content and dry matter accumulation in sugarcane. In this review, we show the contributions of fertilization with microelements to the development of the sugarcane sector. In this perspective, more research is needed on micronutrient fertilization to increase sugarcane productivity in different soil and climate conditions.

Performance of Sugarcane Farming Ratoon System in East Java Province

The fulfillment of national sugar consumption needs cannot be achieved by domestic production. Increase sugar cane production to fulfill the availability of sugar in Indonesia, one of which in the central production area of East Java is still constrained by many sugarcane farmers who are doing ratoon system more than three times, so the productivity is low. This study aimed to analyze the performance sugarcane farming ratoon system in East Java by looking at technical efficiency and scale efficiency using the non-parametric approach of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Sampling in this study used multistage random sampling in Kediri, Malang, and Mojokerto Districts. The average total technical efficiency (TE CRS) of farmers with 1-3 ratoons is 0.754, the pure technical efficiency (TE VRS) is 0.817, and the scale efficiency is 0.926. The average TE CRS of farmers with 4-6 ratoons is 0.693, TE VRS is 0.814, and the scale efficiency is 0.860. For farmers who do more than seven ratoons, an average TE CRS is 0.609, TE VRS is 0.693, and scale efficiency is 0.894. The majority of sugarcane farmers at the research site have not been on an optimal business scale, namely in IRS conditions.

Problem confrontation of sugarcane farmers in Natore district of Bangladesh

The present study was conducted to explore the problems of sugarcane farmers in the selected areas of Natore district in Bangladesh. A total of 100 farmers were selected from Lalpur upazila of Natore district by using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through individual interviews during October to November, 2019 by using a structured interview schedule. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. The majority of the sugarcane farmers (80%) had medium problems in sugarcane cultivation. Among twenty problems, difficulty in getting sugarcane setts was identified as the most critical one, followed by low market price of sugarcane. The least important problem faced by the farmers was lack of labour for sugarcane cultivation. Correlation analysis revealed that credit received, input availability, and extension media contact were significantly associated with the problems of sugarcane farmers. The study indicated some opportunities for the policymakers to address the dominant factors i.e. credit received, input availability, and extension media contact for increasing sugarcane production. Moreover, credit facilities, supply of inputs, proper training and access to extension services could play a vital role in lessening problems in sugarcane cultivation.
 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 11(1): 101-108, June 2021

SYSTEM DYNAMIC FRAMEWORK: INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY OF SUGARCANE TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE CULTIVATION

Sugarcane as a raw material for producing sugar is a strategic agricultural commudity in economy and sugar industry. With the increase of population, the consumption and demand for sugar will also increase and this causes domestic sugar production to be unfulfilled. Some problem that arise in this commodity include sugarcane productivity and yields are not optimal, how to increase farmer’s income from the residue of the sugarcane harvesting. To achieve the basic need of domestic sugar, it is necessary to increase land productivity and sugarcane production in order to support the sustainable of sugarcane cultivation. The result of study show simulation scenario of intensification of the use of quality seeds, the productivity of sugarcane increased by 1.03% per year and increased sugarcane production in smallholder farmers’ gardens. PBN production increased by an average of 0.96% per year and PBS increased by an average of 1.52 per year. In addition, there is a scenario of utilizing residual crops in the form of silsage and biobriquette in year 2030. This study took a case study at PT. PTPN X Surabaya City which represents the East Java area. The harvested areas used in this study are People’s Plantation (PR), National Large Plantation (PBN) and Private Large Plantation (PBS). This study uses a key focus area of sugarcane cultivation to increase sugarcane productivity and production efficiency and support sustainable cultivation.

Prospects and challenges of conservation agriculture in Bangladesh for sustainable sugarcane cultivation

Sugarcane is an industrial crop globally used for producing biofuels and bioproducts and is the only source of white sugar in Bangladesh. However, labour-dependent cultivation and climate change are responsible for the higher production costs and lower yield of sugarcane, and these factors are barriers to sustainable sugarcane farming in Bangladesh. In this paper, the prospects of existing sugarcane farming practices are described, and some improved cultivation and management practices addressing the principles of conservation agriculture (CA) in overcoming these barriers are evaluated. Excessive tillage, burning of trash after harvesting, and mono-cropping have been identified as crucial factors that increase sugarcane production cost, deteriorating soil health, and decreasing cane yields. Several improved conservation tillage machines used for cereals, pulse, and other crops are becoming more accessible to farmers in Bangladesh, but these machines are not used for sugarcane crops. Minimum tillage can also be a resource-saving tillage option for cultivating sugarcane but is limited in sugarcane production owing to the absence of suitable machinery. However, the irrational removal and burning of the residue in the sugarcane farming systems may have adverse effects on the environment. Intercropping not only increases economic benefits but also minimises the negative impact of mono-cropping. We suggest that minimum tillage, residue mulching, and intercropping should be applied as profitable and sustainable cultivation practices in sugarcane farming. Therefore, both research and extension activities addressing the use of appropriate CA technologies, including conservation tillage machinery improvements, could help to achieve sustainable sugarcane farming in Bangladesh.

Integrated planning for planting and harvesting sugarcane and energy-cane for the production of sucrose and energy

The main products obtained from sugarcane for the global market are sugar, ethanol and energy. Although the demand for these products is high, in Brazil there is no longer space to expand sugarcane cultivation due to other important food crops and environmental protection areas. Therefore, current research seeks ways to increase sugarcane productivity without expanding the planted area. Consequently, a type of cane with higher concentration of fiber has been developed and cultivated called energy-cane. This cane type has more fiber than sucrose in its composition, which makes it better for producing energy and ethanol and inappropriate for sugar production. To meet the demands for these three products, both energy-cane and sugarcane are needed, making the planning and decision-making more difficult in the energy-sugar sector. In this context, a mixed integer linear optimization model for the integrated planning of the planting and harvesting of sugarcane and energy-cane for a sugar-energy plant is proposed to determine an optimized planting and harvesting schedule, that aims to maximize the sucrose and fiber production in the cane fields. The model takes into account a flexible harvest period to meet the demands of the consumer market and respect the operational constraints of the company, which can cause variations in productivity. To solve real-life instances where exact methods fail, a heuristic based on the relax-and-fix and fix-and-optimize concepts is proposed. Numerical experiences with random instances were generated to test both the model and the heuristic. Feasible solutions with an error close to 1% were obtained, consuming one tenth of the CPU time, on average. Thus, the mathematical model and the heuristic method developed have great potential to support decision-making in sugarcane and energy-cane production planning.

Optimizing Sugarcane Planting Windows Using a Crop Simulation Model at the State Level

The planning of planting/harvest operations improves yield and economic returns of sugarcane production systems. This study aims to define homogenous regions and optimum planting dates for sugarcane using simulated water-limited yield in the state of Goias, Brazil. Yw was simulated using crop model and 24 planting dates across the year, including gridded weather data and soil water availability to the crop over the state in a grid cell size of 0.5 × 0.5°. The crop model was evaluated comparing simulated and measured yield tendency across planting dates. Homogeneous regions were obtained based on Yw, using the Ward’s method and Euclidean distance. The crop model was able to replicate yield tendency across planting dates. The clustering divided the state into four homogenous regions, where optimum planting period had different intervals due to the interaction with climate and soil. The optimum planting window had four dates for the region with lower Yw (105 t ha−1). The region with higher Yw (131 t ha−1) had the longer optimum window, with seven dates, but with the higher yield reduction (− 6%) than other regions (− 3%) when planting date was changed from 1st to 2nd better dates. This way, the results and the approach used in this study defines yield level and optimal planting dates, which can be apply to define harvest period and the area required to supply the sugarcane mill demands, leading to better machinery and labor work management, helping to elaborate mills and state-level strategies to increase sugarcane production.

Characteristics and land potential for sugarcane development in Blitar Regency, East Java Province

The expansion of the sugarcane planting area needs to be supported by land resource data, such as characteristics and land suitability maps to optimize sugarcane growth and production. The study aimed to evaluate the land suitability, the dominant limiting factor, and the land availability for sugarcane development in Blitar Regency. Land suitability assessment was conducted by matching between land characteristics and sugarcane growth requirements. The study showed that the dominant soil in Blitar Regency was Kambisol Eutrik, having moderate to very deep soil depth, well-drained, and medium to a fine texture. The suitability classes of the land in the Blitar Regency were mostly marginally suitable (S3) covering of 87,529 ha (97.11%). This type of land has limiting factors, i.e., rooting condition (poorly drained and slightly coarse texture), nutrient retention (CEC <5 cmolc kg−1, pH >8.0), nutrient availability (very low K2O), and erosion hazard (slope 8 to 15%). The rest were classified as moderately suitable (S2) covering 2,604 ha (2.89%). The study implies that the extensification areas of sugarcane area in Blitar Regency around 21,876 ha could be expected to increase sugarcane productivity and sugar production.