Sugarcane Crop Details for Exam

Sugarcane is a species of tall, perennial grass (of the genus Saccharum, tribe Andropogoneae) which is used to make sugar, ethanol and paper. The plants have thick, jointed, fibrous stalks which are rich in sucrose and amass in the internodes of the stalks. They are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall. Sugarcanes are a member of the Poaceae grass family, a group of commercially significant flowering plants that also contains numerous forage crops such as maize, wheat, rice, and sorghum. It is indigenous to India, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea’s warm tropical and temperate climates. The plant is also cultivated for the production of biofuel, particularly in Brazil where the canes can be utilised to instantly make ethyl alcohol (ethanol).

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About Sugarcane

Sugarcane, which is grown in tropical and subtropical climates, is the world’s greatest crop by volume, with 1.9 billion tonnes produced in 2020, with Brazil contributing 40% of the global total. Seventy-nine percent of the sugar produced worldwide is from sugarcane (most of the rest is produced from sugar beets). Saccharum officinarum as well as its hybrids are the source of around 70% of the sugar that is produced. All varieties of sugarcane can crossbreed, and the majority of the commercial cultivars are intricate hybrids. Specialised mill factories manufacture sucrose (table sugar) from sugarcane. It is used as a sweetener for drinks, finishing touch for cakes and pâtisserie, a preservative in jams and preserves, a raw material in the food sector, or it can be fermented to make ethanol. Falernum, rum, and cachaça are examples of products made from sugar fermentation. Reeds from sugarcane can be used to construct thatch, pens, mats, and screens in some areas. In Southeast Asia, including some island populations in Indonesia and nations in the Pacific like Fiji, the young, unopened flower head of Saccharum edule (duruka) is consumed raw, steamed, or prepared in numerous other ways.

History of Sugarcane

The Austronesian and Papuan peoples have long grown sugarcane as a crop. Prehistoric Austronesian sailors brought it to Polynesia, Island Melanesia, and Madagascar. In the period between 1200 and 1000 BC, Austronesian traders also brought it to southern China and India. Between the 6th and 4th centuries BC, the Persians and Greeks saw the fabled “reeds that make honey without bees” in India. They adopted sugarcane farming, which they later spread. Indian sugar, which was regarded as an opulent and precious spice, was first traded by merchants. Sugarcane plantations first appeared in the Caribbean, South America, Indian Ocean, and Pacific island countries in the 18th century. Large-scale immigration was largely fueled by the demand for labourers to work the sugar cane harvest, with some people freely accepting indentured servitude. Northern India is where crystallised sugar production first started. The earliest documentation of sugar manufacturing is found in Sanskrit and Pali manuscripts from antiquity. Muslim and Arab traders brought sugar from mediaeval India to the other regions of the Abbasid Caliphate, including the Mediterranean, Mesopotamia, Egypt, North Africa, and Andalusia, around the 8th century. Sugar was a component of the triangle trade that involved New World raw commodities, European manufactured goods, and slaves during colonial times.

India has been growing sugarcane since the Vedic era. Sugarcane farming is first mentioned in texts from India between 1400 and 1000 B.C. It is now generally acknowledged that the Saccharum species originated in India. The cultivated canes can be divided into two main categories: (a) the thin, hardy North Indian kinds Saccharum officinarum S. Barberi, and (b) the thick, luscious noble canes. S. officinarum (a highly valued cane).

Sugarcane Climate Requirements

Temperature for various sugarcane growth phases: The various sugarcane growth phases are germination, tillering, early growth, active growth, and elongation. The ideal range for stem cutting germination (sprouting) is 32° C to 38° C. Below 25° C, it slows down and reaches a plateau between 30° C and 34° C. When the temperature rises above 38 degrees, photosynthesis slows and respiration picks up. However, relatively cool temperatures between 12° C and 14° C are preferred for ripening. The meteorological conditions present during the various crop-growth sub-periods have a significant impact on sugarcane productivity and juice quality. The best conditions for sugar recovery are dry, low-humidity days with plenty of sunshine, cool nights with significant diurnal fluctuations, and very little rain during the ripening phase. High sugar buildup is encouraged by several factors. The quality of the juice degrades due to climatic factors, such as extremely high or low temperatures, which also affect the quality of the sugar. The quality and quantity of the juice, as well as the sucrose content, are greatly harmed by insect pests and diseases that thrive in warm, humid climates.

Sugarcane Soil Requirements

The best soil for growing sugarcane is considered to be well-drained loamy soil with neutral soil reactivity (pH 6.5 to 7.5), sufficient nutrients, and no soil compaction. With a minimum depth of 45 cm and without any detrimental salts or nutrient deficiencies, the soil should be loose and friable. The physical characteristics of the soil heavily influence cultivation methods. The preparation of the site for planned sugarcane production would be relatively easier in loamy soils with stable and crumb structures, limited to standard ploughing and construction of ridges and furrows at the necessary spacing. Where the soil is hard due to a clayey composition, more extensive preparatory cultivation procedures such as deep-ploughing or chiselling would be required prior to the construction of furrows. Sugarcane has the capacity for deep rooting to a depth of over 5 metres, and the crop may withstand droughts to a significant extent when grown in deep soil. The soil should have a bulk density of less than 1.4 mg/m3 and a porosity of roughly 50%, with air and water occupying the soil almost equally at field capacity. The growth and spread of roots would be challenging in soils with bulk densities of more than 1.5 mg/m3.

In order for rain or irrigation water to be easily absorbed and any excess water to drain away quickly, the soil mass ideally should have rapid surface penetration rates and free internal drainage. The ground water table should ideally be at a depth of at least 1.5 to 2.0 m below the surface. A rising water table can cause restricted drainage, which will negatively impact the roots by causing anaerobic conditions. Sugarcane prefers damp soils but cannot tolerate standing water. More expert soil management techniques would need to be used when soil conditions are not optimal. With the right management techniques, sugarcane may be cultivated in very coarse as well as very clayey soils.

Sugarcane Farming Techniques

There are mainly four planting techniques used in sugarcane farming, and they are as follows:

1. Ridge and Furrow Method: This is the most popular method of sugarcane cultivation in Maharashtra. In this procedure, the ridges and furrows are made using a ridger, keeping 105 cm space between furrows in light to medium soil and 120 cm space between furrows in heavy soil. The principal and auxiliary irrigation channels are opened at the proper distance. The first sets are laid on the top ridge’s end and afterwards planted in furrows using one of two techniques termed the wet method or the dry method.
   1. Wet Method: When using this technique, light to medium soil is used. Before planting, the field undergoes irrigation. Sets are planted by firmly pressing them into furrows 2.5–5 cm deep using the hands or feet. By facing the buds on the sides, the sets are arranged end to end.
   2. Dry Method: In dense soil, this technique is used to prevent forcing the setts deeply into the ground. By positioning eye buds on the sides and putting sets in the furrow end to end, the soil is then covered over them. The field is irrigated once the planting is finished.
2. Flat Bed Method: In North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, etc., sugarcane is planted using the flatbed method. Flatbeds are prepared, and the area is ploughed, harrowed, and levelled. Rows of cane sets are arranged on flatbeds, end to end. Depending on the type of soil, a gap of 60 to 90 cm is maintained between two rows. To a depth of 2.5 to 5 cm, they are pounded into the ground with their hands or feet and then covered with earth. Care should be taken during planting to ensure that buds face outwards; otherwise, lower buds won’t be able to germinate. Where there is an abundance of moisture, this technique is used. The rainy season is when earthing-up operations are carried out.
3. Rayungan Method: For the planting of adsali sugarcane, the Rayungan method is used in the fields along rivers in the Kolhapur district. During the monsoon season, cane fields in these places frequently flood, which has an impact on germination. Set cannot be planted directly in the field area in such circumstances. In nurseries that are built up in high-lying areas of the farm in the months of June and July, single bud sets are planted vertically. When the threat of floods has passed, the sprouting sets are transplanted in the main field after six weeks.
4. Trench Method: Both Mauritius and Jawa use this technique. About 90 to 120 cm apart and 22 to 30 cm deep, trenches are constructed. Manures are added to the loosening bottom soil. The trenches’ centre is filled with earth and the sets are positioned there. After planting is complete, irrigation is applied. Large cane clumps are produced using this technique, which does not lodge when tied together. Wild animal harm is also lessened. Since this procedure did not produce satisfactory results with Indian cultivars, it is not used in India.

Sugarcane Physiology

Sugarcane is a tall perennial grass that can reach heights of 5 or 6 metres. The root system, stalk, leaves, and inflorescence are the four main components of the plant. Sett roots and shoot roots, two different forms of fibrous roots, make up the root system. “Millable cane” is another name for the stalk. It grows from a bud on a different stem piece that was inserted for vegetative propagation. Setts, which contain one or more buds, are the stem segments used for planting. When the bud germinates, it produces a primary stalk from which a secondary stalk develops, which triggers the tillering process. The sugarcane stalk is made up of numerous unique nodes and internodes. It is the plant’s above-ground part that bears leaves and flowers.

The cane plant’s leaves develop alternately from the nodes on the opposing sides of the cane stalk. The length and width of the leaf blade, which can range from one to one and a half metres, are five to seven centimetres. Depending on the variety and nutritional health of the plant, the colour of the blade can range from yellowish-green to very dark green. The upper surface of the midrib has a groove and is conspicuous. Typically, leaf margins have serrations. An open panicle is the inflorescence of sugarcane commonly known as the “arrow.” It is at least 30 centimetres long and tapered. The spikelets are arranged racemosely, with the youngest flowers at the top and the oldest at the bottom. Over a few days, the blooms unfold one after the other. Despite having both male and female organs, not all flowers produce pollen that is fertile.

Sugarcane Crop Development

Sugarcane is a C4 plant with the potential to create enormous amounts of biomass due to its high efficiency in absorbing solar energy and the most efficient converter of solar energy. Although it can be challenging to distinguish between each phase’s different duration, sugarcane has basically four growth phases. The stages of growth are:

Germination Stage

The germination stage lasts from planting to the point at which buds have fully germinated. Germination begins in 7 to 10 days in field conditions and typically lasts for 30 to 35 days. In sugarcane, germination refers to the vegetative bud’s activation and subsequent sprouting. Both internal and environmental factors can affect how a bud develops. The soil’s temperature, aeration, and moisture content are considered external variables. The bud health, sett moisture, sett decreasing sugar concentration, and sett nutrient status are internal elements.

Tillering Stage

Tillering begins around 45 days into the crop’s lifespan and can extend up to 120 days. Tillering ensures that the crop has the right amount of stalks for a decent harvest. Numerous elements, including variety, light, temperature, irrigation (soil moisture), and fertiliser methods, have an impact on it. The most significant external component affecting tillering is light. During the tillering period, it is crucial that enough light reaches the sugarcane plant’s base. A physiological process called tillering involves the primary shoot’s compact nodal joints repeatedly branching underground. Typically, early-formed tillers produce heavier, thicker stalks. Tillers that have recently formed either die or stay young or short. The crop’s peak tiller population occurs between 90 and 120 days after planting.

Grand Growth Stage

Only approximately 40 to 50% of the created tillers survive to develop into canes that can be milled for 120 to 150 days. After that, under ideal conditions, the stalks grow quickly, nearly at a pace of 4 to 5 internodes every month. The availability of sufficient water, nutrients, and warm, sunny weather all contribute to the cane’s ability to elongate. In a 12 months variety, the grand growth phase can last up to 270 days. The actual cane development and elongation, as well as the consequent increase in production, occur during this crucial phase of the crop. In this stage, leaves are produced often, and they expand quickly.

Ripening Stage

The stage of sucrose production and accumulation known as the maturation and ripening period lasts for roughly three months. The maturing and ripening stage may be seen as lasting between 270 and 360 days. During this phase, sugar accumulates quickly and vegetative growth slows down. Simple sugars (monosaccharides like fructose and glucose) are transformed into cane sugar (sucrose, a disaccharide) as the fruit ripens. The bottom portion of the cane contains more sugars than the top portions because cane ripening occurs from bottom to top. Strong ripening conditions include lots of sunshine, clear skies, cool nights and warm days (i.e., more diurnal temperature variation), plus dry weather.

Sugarcane Crop Diseases

Numerous pathogens affect sugarcane, including ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma sacchari caused sugarcane green shoot disease, whiptail disease or sugarcane smut, Fusarium moniliforme-caused pokkah boeng, Xanthomonas axonopodis-caused gumming disease, and Colletotrichum falcatum-caused red rot disease. Sugarcane mosaic virus, maize streak virus, and sugarcane yellow leaf virus are examples of viral infections that impact sugarcane.

Sugarcane Growing Environments

The countries that cultivate sugarcane are located between the latitudes of 36.70° north and 31° south of the equator, spanning tropical and subtropical regions. With the exception of chilly, hilly regions like Kashmir Valley, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh, sugarcane is grown across India between latitudes 80º N and 33º N. The states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Pondicherry, and Kerala are included in sugarcane agroclimatic zone 4 (peninsular zone) and zone 5 (coastal zone), which make up the tropical sugarcane region. The subtropics constitute about 55% of the nation’s total cane area. This region includes Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

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Sugarcane Economy

1.87 billion tonnes of sugarcane were produced worldwide in the year 2020, with Brazil providing 40% of that total, India producing 20%, and China producing 6%. In 2020, 26 million hectares were used for sugarcane farming globally. 2020 had an average global sugarcane crop output of 71 tonnes per hectare, with Peru leading the way with 123 tonnes per hectare. Small experimental plots in Brazil have shown yields of 236 to 280 tonnes of cane per hectare, which is higher than the theoretical maximum yield of sugarcane, which is around 280 tonnes per hectare per year.

Top 10 Sugarcane Producing Countries

• Brazil
• India
• China
• Thailand
• Pakistan
• Mexico
• Colombia
• Indonesia
• Philippines
• United States of America

Top Sugarcane Producing States in India

While Uttar Pradesh has historically been the largest sugarcane-producing state in India, other states are catching up.

1. Uttar Pradesh
2. Maharashtra
3. Karnataka
4. Tamil Nadu
5. Bihar
6. Gujarat
7. Haryana
8. Andhra Pradesh
9. Punjab
10. Uttarakhand

Major Sugarcane Producing States in India

Image Credit: farmer.gov.in

Indian Sugarcane Growing Zones

In general, sugarcane cultivation in India can be divided into two main agro-climatic regions: tropical and subtropical. Nevertheless, five agroclimatic zones have been determined, primarily for varietal development. They are:

1. North Western Zone
2. North Central Zone
3. North Eastern Zone
4. Peninsular Zone
5. Coastal Zone

Tropical region shared approximately 45% of the nation’s total sugarcane production, with an average yield of 77 tonnes/ha (2011-12). About 55 percent of the total area and sugarcane production, respectively, were in the sub-tropical region, with an average productivity of about 63 tonnes/ha (2011-12).

Sugarcane as a Food

Most cuisines and well-known dishes are made straight from sugarcane in the nations where it is grown. Some examples are:

• Chewing raw sugarcane to release the juice
• Fresh juice from sugarcane, extracted by hand or using small mills, is combined with a little lemon juice, ice, and other ingredients to create this popular beverage.
• Jaggery is historically made by vaporising juice to create a thick sludge, cooling it, and then moulding it in buckets. In South Asia, this solidified molasses is known as gur or gud. To lessen caramelization and brighten the juice’s colour, modern processing partially freeze-dries the juice. It is used as a sweetener when preparing classic dinners, desserts, and sweets.
• Cane juice crystallised into rock candy.

Sugarcane Nutritional Information

Sugarcane Health Effects

Other than the plant stalks itself, sugarcane juice is one of the purest kinds of sugarcane and retains the most vitamins and minerals from the plant. Compared to refined sugar, sugarcane has more vitamins and minerals. When consumed in moderation, sugarcane and its derivatives have a number of known health advantages. Consuming sugarcane water or syrup, chewing sugarcane, or both help alleviate urinary tract problems and enhance antioxidant levels. Diuretic qualities in sugarcane can help flush out extra salt and water to support healthy kidney function. Consuming sugarcane juice with lime and coconut water, according to studies, helps lessen the burning sensation that is induced by many types of urinary tract issues.

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