Water requirement
Depending upon the agro climatic conditions, type of soil, methods of planting and use of manures and fertilizers and sugarcane yield the water requirement varies.The hot weather associated with dry winds and drought increases the water requirement of the crop.
The crop sown in trenches needs relatively less water but sandy soils and application of more fertilizers increase the water uptake. On an average 1 ton cane needs about 60-70 tons of water or thin varieties of cane need 150 cm thick canes and need 200 cm water and Adsali planted canes 200 cm, in addition to 75 cm rainfall. The crop should be irrigated when available water reaches to 50% level.
The soil must have sufficient moisture at the time of sowing. First irrigation should be done when about 20-25% plant have germinated or about 20 days after sowing and the irrigations are given at 10-15 days interval during summer, 25-30 days interval during winter and if there is drought the crop should be irrigated during rainy season also as and when needed. The crop needs maximum water at tillering stage and during elongation or grand growth phase.
Under water logging conditions the root respiration becomes poor. Nutrients are leached down, activities of useful micro-organisms are reduced and the crop lodges down with an excessive branching. Thus the quality becomes poor along with very low crop yield. These all make it necessary to drain the excess water from the field.