Sugarcane cultivation: climate, propagation, pests and harvest

INTRO

• main industry
• family : Poaceae
• Saccharum officinarum
• varieties : juice cane & commercial

CLIMATE & SOIL

• 25-30ºC
• low rainfall (100mm/year)
• 2 month dry weather before harvest
• loamy soil
• pH 4.0-8.5

PROPAGATION

• stem cutting
• 30cm length, 3-5 nodes
• 6-8 months old plants

FIELD PLANTING

• distance
  • 1m x 2m
  • 5000 plants/ha
• hole
  • 45cm x 45cm x 30cm
• technique
  • planted horizontally

PEST & DISEASES

• pests
  • stalk borer
  • termites
  • mealybugs
• diseases
  • red rot
  • smut
  • Fiji disease

HARVESTING

• juice cane : 8-10 months
• commercial cane : 12 months