Response of sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid complex) varieties to various planting geometry

A field experiment was conducted at Sugarcane Research Institute, Bihar, Pusa (Samastipur) during spring season of 2012–13 on sandy-loam soil, to examine the performance of sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid complex) varieties to different planting geometries. The treatments comprised 4 planting geometries, viz. 120, 150, 30: 120 and 90 cm row spacing as main plots with 4 varieties, (‘BO 139’, ‘BO 153’, ‘CoP 9301’ and ‘CoLk 94184’) as sub-plots and replicated thrice in split-plot design. Millable canes were significantly higher at 90 cm row spacing (1,18,200/ha) as compared to wider row spacing of 150 cm (68,900/ha). The maximum cane yield (91.7 tonnes/ha), net returns (169.5 × 10³/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.64) were obtained under 90 cm row spacing, being higher to the tune of 1.8, 3.0 and 4.3; 24.1, 34.4 and 30.7; 49.1, 77.3 and 69.2% over 30: 120, 120 and 150 cm row spacing respectively. There were no significant differences due to 90 and 30: 120 cm row spacings. Among the varieties, ‘BO 153’ gave the highest number of millable canes (117.8 × 10³/ha) whereas in respect of cane diameter, number of nodes/cane and single cane weight ‘BO 139’ was superior to ‘BO 153’. The variety ‘BO 153’ indicated significant superiority to rest of the varieties in terms of cane yield (89.8 tonnes/ha) resulting in significantly higher net returns (165.7 × 10³/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.61). However, significantly higher sucrose content in juice was recorded by the variety ‘CoP 9301’ (17.81%) followed by ‘CoLk 94184’ (17.46%) and the lowest was with ‘BO 139’ (16.82%). Sugarcane should be planted at 90 or 30:120 cm (paired row) row spacing and variety ‘BO 153’ may be adopted to enhance productivity of sugarcane.