Chapter 2

Review of Literature

An attempt has been made to review some of the recent work done in India and abroad pertaining to the information of the effect of planting methods and irrigation scheduling on

performance of sugarcane crop.

2.1 Soil water

2.1.1 Importance of water in sugarcane crop Water plays a vital role in the whole metabolic processes of the crop plants. It is an essential and major component of the body of living organism. It regulates photosynthesis and transpiration as well as the maintenance of body temperature of the plant. It also maintains turgor pressure of cells many of the macro and micro elements are available to the plants as water is a good solvent by nature. Like all other crop plants the rate of photosynthesis in sugarcane is also affected adversely under the condition of water stress. The rate of photosynthesis is often limited by the lack of water because of stomatal closure which reduces the supply of carbon dioxide (Nutman, 1937). Hartt (1939) concluded that photosynthesis occurred in sugarcane plant at or below the

Review of Literature .

permanent wilting percentage, but at much lower rate than moisture was readily available. Dillewijn (1952) reported that the total fresh weight of cane crop consists of more than 70 per cent water, leaving less than 30 per cent of dry matter. Thus, the ratio of water and dry matter is roughly 2.5 to 1.0. It is probable that every process in plant is more or less affected by water deficit. The rate of photosynthesis is often limited by lack of water because of dehydration of protoplasm reduces its photosynthetic capacity (Ensgraber, 1954). Ashton (1956) also stated that the dewlap growth in sugarcane stopped before there was wilt and caused reduction in the rate of photosynthesis. He further stated that when spindle growth stopped, there was about 25 per cent reduction in the rate of photosynthesis, and when moisture stress was greater then this led to still further reduction in the rate of photosynthesis. Also, decrease in leaf area due to lack of turgidity was severe, which decreased the photosynthetic surface and synthesis of food. Kramer (1959) reported that water was an important constituent of protoplasm. It contributes 85 to 90 per cent of fresh weight of actively growing plant parts. Rana et al. (2005) reviewed at Pantnagar, delayed irrigation might have lowered cell turgor pressure and consequently poor
Review of Literature .

proliferation of tillers. Thanki et al. (2000) also reported similar results. Verma (2001) from IISR, Lucknow reported that the rate of photosynthesis is affected by water stress, directly as a result of tissue dehydration and indirectly as a result of stomatal closure and its influence on gas exchange. The stomata which involve both in transpiration and photosynthesis when open to transpire, more carbon dioxide from atmosphere penetrate in to the plants for photosynthesis. Both process ceased when the stomata are closed under moisture stress conditions. Moreover, photosynthesis

depends largely on relative water content of leaves which in turn influenced by soil moisture content. Therefore, to maintain high photosynthetic rates over an extended period, it is essential to provide enough water to leaves.

2.2 Effect of irrigation scheduling

2.2.1 Effect of irrigation scheduling on growth of sugarcane Saini and Singh (1985) from Pantnagar, did not observe significant effect of irrigation treatments on germination. However, Toor et al. (1999) from Punjab, reported that germination of buds was significantly higher at IW/CPE ratio of 1.5 as compared to under 0.75, 0.375, 0.30 and 0.25 IW/CPE ratio. Singh et al. (1974) reported that irrigation at 85 per cent of available soil moisture during pre-monsoon period resulted in
Review of Literature .

higher number of tiller production as compared to irrigation at 40 or 50 per cent available soil moisture. Chavan et al. (1980) studied the effect of irrigation in Maharastra condition and observed that irrigation scheduled at cumulative pan evaporation of 75 mm gave significantly higher shoot, higher number of leaves and leaf area per plant than that of 125, 175 and 225 mm at all the crop growth stages. Singh and Reddy (1980) revealed that shoot height was adversely affected when available soil moisture declined from 60 to 20 per cent. Maximum shoot height was recorded when sugarcane crop was irrigated at 60 per cent available soil moisture regime. Kumar and Srivastava (1991) observed that number of tiller was not affected significantly by various irrigation schedules (0.5 IW/CPE ratio and 0.8 IW/CPE ratio). Sharma and Verma (1996) observed more plant height under irrigation scheduled at 0.8 IW/CPE ratio over 0.5 IW/CPE ratio. Sharma et al. (1996) noted that scheduling irrigation at 0.8 IW/CPE ratio produced higher number of tillers over 0.5 IW/CPE ratio. Toor et al. (1999) from Punjab, observed significantly higher number of tillers under irrigation scheduled at 1.5 IW/CPE ratio than that of 0.375, 0.30 and 0.25 IW/CPE ratio.

Review of Literature .

Thanki et al. (2000) from Navsari, Gujarat, observed that irrigation treatments did not influence the plant height significantly though higher plant height was recorded under 0.75 IW/CPE ratio as compared to 0.50 IW/CPE row ratio. Mathew and Varughese (2005) from Kerala, reported that adequate supply of soil moisture under all furrow and alternate furrow irrigation have favoured the root proliferation and

penetration, thereby covering large soil root volume. 2.2.2 Effect of irrigation scheduling on yield attributes and yield of sugarcane Chavan et al. (1980) working at Maharastra, observed that crop irrigated at 75 mm cumulative pan evaporation recorded thicker canes, with more number of internodes than those irrigated at 125, 175 and 225 mm cumulative pan evaporation at all the crop growth stages. Prasad et al. (1983) from Bihar, reported that irrigation at 22 days interval increased the cane girth, number of millable canes and cane yield as compared to two irrigations at 45 days interval. Singh et al. (1984) from IISR, Lucknow, reported that four irrigations applied at seedling emergence and at first, second and third order of tillering resulted in higher cane yield. Saini and Singh (1985) observed that yield parameters were not influenced by irrigation treatments. However, crop receiving
Review of Literature .

irrigation at 60 per cent depletion of available soil moisture produced 10.0 and 9.8 per cent more cane and biological yield respectively, than that of control. Singh et al. (1986) from Pantnagar, reported that crop planted at closer row spacing of 60 cm and receiving two irrigations one on 45th and another on 75th day after planting produced the maximum millable canes and cane yield. Yadav and Prasad (1987) reported shorter internodal length of the cane stalk due to moisture stress. Phogat et al. (1987) while studying the effect of irrigation on sugarcane observed decreased number of millable canes and cane yield with increase in moisture stress from 0.9 to 0.5 IW/CPE ratio under Haryana condition. Yadav and Prasad (1988) from IISR, Lucknow, reported that cane yield decreased significantly with increased in moisture stress. In 25 per cent available soil moisture regime, cane yield was about 28 t ha-1 less over 75 per cent available soil moisture regime. Sinha et al. (1989) revealed that sugarcane crop irrigated at IW/CPE ratio of 1.1 recorded significantly higher cane yield and number of millable canes that those irrigated at 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 IW/CPE ratio.

Review of Literature .

Kumar and Srivastava (1991) from Karnal, observed number of tiller were not affected by various irrigation schedules, though the cane yield and millable cane were significantly higher under 0.8 IW/CPE ratio than 0.5 IW/CPE ratio. Gupta and Yadav (1992) noted that cane length was influenced significantly when irrigations scheduled at 100 mm and 150 mm cumulative pan evaporation. Lal (1992) from IISR, Lucknow, reported that irrigation at 75 per cent available soil moisture regime increased the cane yield by 121.94, 79.0 and 40.8 per cent over unirrigated, 25 and 50 per cent available soil moisture regimes, respectively. Gupta and Yadav (1992) reported that the cane yield was the highest under 150 mm cumulative pan evaporation treatment due to more number of thicker and taller canes. However, the differences in yield due to different irrigation treatments were not significant. Gulati et al. (1995) from Orissa, reported that crop irrigated at 1.2 IW/CPE ratio recorded highest cane yield. However, it was at par with the 1.0 IW/CPE ratio. Singh et al. (1997) from Dehradun, noted that maximum cane yield was recorded with IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 followed by IW/CPE ratio 1.2. However, the yield differences were not significant. The yield was found to be increased by 17.7, 46.2, 58.5
Review of Literature .

and 54.9 per cent with IW/CPE ratios of 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2, respectively, over rainfed condition. Ramesh and Mahadevaswamy (1999) from Coimbatore, observed that irrigation of sugarcane at 50 per cent depletion of available soil moisture (DASM) through out crop period (no drought) recorded significantly higher cane length, single cane weight, number of millable canes and cane yield than either severe drought (withholding irrigations) or moderate drought (irrigation at 80 per cent DASM) during formative phase of crop. Toor et al. (1999) reported that sugarcane crop irrigated at 1.5 IW/CPE ratio recorded significantly higher number of millable canes, commercial cane sugar and cane yield that those irrigated at 0.375, 0.30 and 0.25 IW/CPE ratio. Thanki et al. (2000) observed significantly higher number of millable canes at IW/CPE ratio of 0.8 as compared to 0.5 IW/CPE ratio. Singh (2001) while studying the effect of irrigation scheduling on sugarcane observed that crop given irrigation at 1.2 IW/CPE ratio recorded significantly higher cane yield than that of 0.6 and 0.9 IW/CPE ratio. Mathew et al. (2005) from Kerala, noted that among the methods of irrigation all furrow irrigation invariably showed its superiority in respect of number of millable canes, cane length,
Review of Literature .

cane weight resulted in the highest cane yield compared to other irrigation management practices. Rana et al. (2005) from Pantnagar, reported that irrigation schedule had significant influence on cane yield. Highest cane yield was obtained with irrigation applied at 1.2 IW/CPE ratio, being 8.1 and 14.1 per cent higher than that irrigation applied at IW/CPE ratio of 0.8. 2.2.3 Effect of irrigation scheduling on produced by cane crop and juice quality total sugar

Rage (1952) reported that in Bombay-deccan irrigation intervals of 10 days till the onset of summer, 8 days during summer and 12 days for the rest of the period was most conducive to good sucrose formation as compared to longer intervals. Saini and Singh (1985) noted non-significant effect of irrigation on juice sucrose per cent. However, juice sucrose was higher when irrigation was scheduled at 60 per cent depletion of available soil moisture than that of 40 and 20 per cent depletion and control. Phogat et al. (1987) reported that irrigation levels of 0.9, 0.7 and 0.5 IW/CPE ratios had no significant effect on juice quality. Sharma and Gupta (1990) reported that juice content increased significantly with increasing level of irrigation from IW/CPE ratio of 0.75 to 1.5, however, sucrose content and purity coefficient were reduced drastically.
Review of Literature .

Kumar and Srivastava (1991) observed that sucrose per cent were not affected by various irrigation schedules of 0.8 and 0.5 IW/CPE ratio. Singh et al. (1997) observed that irrigation treatments did not influence substantially the pol per cent, brix and purity per cent of juice.

2.3 Effect of planting methods

Ultimate economic yield of a crop is function of initial plant establishment, survival, growth and the photosynthate distribution among the plant parts i.e. economic and non-economic. However, initial crop establishment and the growth during vegetative phase is largely determined by the seed quality, seed quantity and the method of planting. The method of planting is however, important for proper and most efficient utilization of resources light, water and nutrients. The effects of planting methods is, therefore, reviewed and summarized here under following heads. 2.3.1 Effect of planting methods on growth Yadav (1984) observed that flat planting produced

significantly higher number of tillers per hectare during 1977-78 and 1978-79 but trench planting produced higher number of tillers in 1979-80 as less desiccation caused by the drought conditions. Yadav and Singh (1986) reported that in conventional row planting system, maximum roots (about 69 per cent of the total)
Review of Literature .

were

found

to be

present

in a

closer

periphery

(45

cm

circumference and 15 cm depth) of the clump. 2.3.2 Effect planting methods on yield attributes and yield Shinde et al. (1983) found that millable canes were higher in conventional method of planting with three budded setts than planting single bud sett at 30 cm distance in row. Yang et al. (1983) observed that millable stalk population per hectare at harvest was greater in 125 cm single row than double row of spacing 40 cm apart with the spacing 200 cm between the centre of two double row. Yadav (1984) reported that during first two years of experimentation, flat method produced 4.7 to 8.3 and 42.6 to 69.9 per cent higher yield over trench and STP, respectively. However, in third year trench method out yielded flat method of planting by 16 and STP by 119 per cent. Yadav (1984) found no significant differences in number of millable canes between flat and trench planting method. Hsia et al. (1986) reported that planting deep in furrows helped the crop to absorb more soil moisture and nutrient and was responsible for increased millable stalk. Devraj and Shanmugsundram (1987) reported that the cane yield can be improved by adopting paired rows of 40/80 cm spacing compared with conventional planting of 80 cm rows.
Review of Literature .

Kumar and Naidu (1992) from Karnal, reported that cane yield at harvest was higher with furrow than flat method of plantings. Yadav (1993) from IISR, Lucknow, reported that the double row of geometry produced higher number of mother shoots, tillers and millable canes than other row geometries. Ramesh (1997) from Coimbatore, observed that the planting geometry of 60/90 cm paired rows and planting of 2-budded setts was superior with reference to both cane yield and water saving compared with conventional 90 cm uniform planting. Ramesh (1998) from Coimbatore, observed that sugarcane planting in 60/90 cm paired rows resulted in higher number of millbale canes, cane yield as compared to either 90 cm uniform rows or 60/120 cm paired rows. Gupta et al. (2004) from IISR, Lucknow, reported that yield in double row planting method, was 15 per cent greater than that found in conventional flat planting method. Singh (2009) from Indian Sugar Mills Association, New Delhi, reported that higher cane yield of sugarcane was recorded under all the five planting techniques as compared to conventional late planting. Maximum cane yield was obtained in Alternate pit planting within furrow and parallel double row planting. 2.3.3 Effect of planting methods on juice quality
Review of Literature .

Yadav (1984) found that quality characters were not affected significantly by the different methods of planting. Ramesh (1997) reported that higher commercial cane sugar percentage was recorded in 60/90 cm paired rows which was at par with 90 cm uniform rows in 1992-93, whereas, the differences were not significant in 1993-94 season. Ramesh (1998) reported that planting sugar cane in 60/90 cm paired rows produced higher sugar yield compared with either 90 cm uniform rows or 60/120 cm paired rows.

Review of Literature .