Zahra Ajribzadeh, Salim Farzaneh, Mahmoud Shomeili, Hamidreza Balouchi, Raouf Seyed Sharifi, Aziz Karmollachaab,
Volume 12, Issue 1 ((Spring and Summer) 2025)
Abstract
Objective: Commercial sugarcane cultivation is often associated with high production costs due to the extensive use of planting material, energy waste, long cultivation periods, rapid deterioration of cuttings after bud establishment, labor-intensive operations, frequent machinery use, and heavy applications of fertilizers and pesticides. This study evaluated the efficacy of pelleting lateral buds from sugarcane stalks to produce single-bud seed pieces suitable for mechanized cultivation at the Sugarcane Development, Research, and Training Institute in Khuzestan, Iran.
Methods: A split-plot experiment, based on a randomized complete block design with three replications, was conducted in 2021 at the Sugarcane Development, Research, and Training Institute (SDRTI) in Khuzestan, Iran. The factors considered were different planting dates—16 August (D1), 16 September (D2), and 17 October (D3)—as the main plots, and pellet types (A1: starch + peat + micro-combi fertilizer; A2: starch + peat + nutritional compounds + potassium silicate + carbendazim fungicide; A3: single-bud without pellet; and A4: 50 setts without pellet as the control) as the subplots.
Results: Pelleting single-bud seeds, particularly in treatment A2 planted in September, significantly enhanced crop establishment. It increased the emergence percentage by 56% and the emergence rate to 2.85 sprouts per day compared to the control. Pelleting also improved growth and quality indices more effectively than the other treatments.
Conclusions: Pelleting single-bud sugarcane seeds with nutrient-enriched coatings improves emergence, supports early crop growth, and facilitates mechanized cultivation. This technique supports mechanized planting by enhancing nutrient delivery and moisture retention at the bud level, contributing to more sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective sugarcane cultivation.
Highlights:
- Using treatment A2 for pelleting significantly boosted the emergence rate of sugarcane single buds by providing essential nutrients.
- Planting in September along with pelleting improved the early growth and establishment of sugarcane plants.
