ABSTRACT
Abstract | Ratoon keeping of sugarcane is very popular in Pakistan for its better economic benefits however harvesting schedule of plant crop is essential since low temperature severely effects the sprouting of subsequent ratoon in cane growing areas. A field study was conducted on loamy soil during 2011-2013 at Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI), Faisalabad to explore the ratooning ability of five sugarcane varieties/clones under varying harvesting dates of plant crop using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split plot arrangements. The cane genotypes viz. S2003-US-704, S2006-SP-30, S2003-US-410, S2006-US-321 and HSF 240 (check) were kept in main plots whereas harvesting dates viz. 1st November, 1st December, 1st January, 1st February and 1st March of plant crop were placed in sub-plot in 2011-2012 and subsequent ratoon was harvested in January-2013. A highly significant differences were recorded among all the genotypes and harvesting dates for number of sprouts, millable ecane, striped cane yield and sugar yield. The HSF 240 exhibited better yield and qualitative characteristics than others. Whereas, subsequent ratoon of plant crop harvested on 1st February was found to be superior among all harvesting dates for most of traits and genetic potential of genotypes. It was also found that the ratoon crop yield was highly dependent on the number of sprouts which were significantly varied among harvesting dates and the genotypes tested as well (R2=0.998 & 0.994, respectively).
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