Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during spring 2009 at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar to explore the possibility of seed cane economy in spring planted sugarcane. Eighteen treatments consisting of three sett size (one, two and three budded), two seed rates (90,000 and 120,000 buds ha-1) and three sett treatment (carbendazim (0.1%), carbendazim (0.1 %) + gibberellic acid (100 ppm) and no sett treatment) were laid out in factorial RBD with three replications. Two budded setts resulted in significantly higher yield attributes but remained at par with one bud sett for cane length and with three budded setts for number of internodes per cane , number of millable cane and individual cane weight. One budded sett being at par with two budded sett attained significantly more cane girth. The cane yield was also significantly higher (71.2 t ha-1) in two budded sett that was 2 and 12.1 % more than three and one budded sett, respectively. High seed rate exhibited significantly more cane length and number of millable canes ha-1 but average cane weight was significantly higher in low seed rate (90,000 buds ha-1). Cane yield did not decrease due to reduction in seed rate. Sett treatment with carbendazim prior to planting proved better in terms of yield attributes and cane productivity.

Keywords: Spring sugercane, carbendazim, gibberellic acid, seed rate, sett, yield