Yield and Quality of Some Sugarcane Varieties as Affected by Row and Hill Spacing of Seedlings

Abstract

The study was conducted in 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 seasons at Shandaweel Agricultural Research Station (latitude of 26 33° N and longitude of 31 41°E), Sohag Governorate, Egypt on a plant-cane grown and its 1st ratoon seasons. The main objective was to assess the advantage of growing some sugarcane varieties, using seedlings instead of cane cuttings, on their yield and quality. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a split-plot arrangement with three replications (r=3). Analysis was carried out using the computer "MSTAT-c", Eighteen treatments were applied, comprising  combinations of three sugarcane varieties: Giza 2004-27 (commercially called G-4), Giza 2003-47, (G-3) and the commercial cultivar G.T.54-9 (C9 as a chek], These varieties were assigned to the main plots, while nine combinations of two row spaces (100 and 120 cm) and three hill spaces for cane transplants (30, 40, and 50 cm) were randomly allocated in the sub plots. Results showed that the tested sugarcane varieties varied significantly in stalk height, diameter and number of millable canes/fed, stalk weight kg/plant, cane and sugar yields (tons/fed), brix, sucrose, purity and sugar recovery percentages in both seasons. Sugarcane G.2004-27 variety exhibited the superiority in stalk weight (kg/plant) and cane yield while, sugarcane G.2003-47 showed a significant superiority in the brix, sucrose, and purity and sugar recovery percentages in both seasons. Data show that increasing row spacing from 100 to 120 and hill space 30, 40 to 50 cm significantly on stalk height, diameter and number of millable canes/fed, stalk weight kg/plant, cane and sugar yields (tons/fed), brix, sucrose, purity and sugar recovery percentages in both seasons. Under conditions of the present work, growing promising sugarcane variety G. 2004-27 in rows of 100 cm apart with 30 cm seedlings can be recommended to get the maximum cane yield/fed, this is due to its superiority over the other two varieties in number of millable canes/fed and stalk weight kg/plant  under Sohag Governorate.