Influence of sea weed bioformulations on improving yield of plant and ratoon crop of sugarcane

The effect of seaweed bio-formulations on the growth and development, quality and yield response of plant and ratoon was tested in the papular variety Co 86032 by conducting field experiment during 2017–18 at farmer's field (Plant crop) in larger scale and ratoon crop experiment conducted at Bannari Amman Sugar factory, Sathiyamangalum. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with four replications. The foliar spray of Seaweed bioformulations namely, LBD @ one ml/L, LBD @ 0.5 ml/L, LBS 6 @ one ml/L was given thrice during formative phase (30, 60 and 90 DAP) of plant and ratoon crop. The results of both the experiments indicated that the foliar application of seaweed formulations with different concentrations significantly improved growth parameters and yield attributes compared to control plants. In plant crop, among the seaweed extract formulations tested, LBS 6 @ one ml/L recorded comparatively higher yield attributes viz., internodes length (24.7%), cane length (26.2%), cane thickness (16.2%), single cane weight (10.0%) and cane yield (105.5 t/ha) compared to control with 23.5% increase in yield over control. This treatment also recorded higher economic net returns (Rs. 1,13,702 ha⁻¹) with benefit cost ratio of 1.60. In ratoon crop, Among the seaweed extract formulations tested, LBS 6 @ one ml/L recorded significantly higher the plant height (253 cm), LAI (4.21), SPAD value (38.4) and total dry matter production (81.3 tones/ha), yield attributes and cane yield (154.9 tones/ha) compared to other treatments studied. It was found that sugarcane cane yield was increased significantly by 19.1% over control. This treatment also recorded higher economic returns (Rs. 2, 43,706/ha with benefit cost ratio of 2.23).