నైరూప్య

Successful Ratoon Management in Sugarcane

SM Prasanna and PS Pattar

Ratooning is a unique natural trait associated with most of the crops like banana, red gram, cotton, Jowar, sugarcane; however, it is commercially explored in sugarcane and banana in the Indian context. The characteristic features of ratoon crop is such that when the shoot portion is harvested the remaining root system being intact will result in fresh tillers from secondary shoots and another crop can be harvested during the following year. In this manner, nearly 2-3 crops can be harvested without much risk and uncertainties. The ratio of the maiden crop and the ratoon crop is 1:3, that is to say only about 25 per cent is maiden crop and bulk of the area is under ratoon crop. Apparently, the ratoon crop deserves much higher attention and care in the present scenario to boost the productivity of sugarcane.