Table 3 Varieties grown in wider row spacing
S. no. Particulars Varieties Average Co 94012 Co 92012 Co 91017 Co 86032 1 Area harvested (in ha) 16.89 16.00 3.17 29.10 65.16 2 Cane supplied (in t) 21.52 19.52 42.5 42.94 88.24 3 Average yield (t/ha) 127.41 122.00 134.07 147.56 135.43 4 BMT results i. Brix 17.70 16.80 17.96 17.98 17.61 ii. Pol (%) 14.20 13.90 15.00 15.24 14.59 iii. Purity (%) 82.53 81.00 83.00 84.36 82.72 iv. Recovery (%) 10.43 9.43 10.73 11.15 10.44
Table 4 Advantages of wide row planting (N = 30)
S. no. Advantage No. of respondents % Rank 1 Mechanized intercultural operations 28 93.33 I 2 Reduced cost of cultivation 28 93.33 I 3 Increase in cane yield 27 90.00 II 4 Could use trash shredders 27 90.00 II 5 Possibility of multiple ratooning 26 86.67 III 6 Stabilization of cane productivity 25 83.33 IV 7 Saving in seed cost and other input cost 25 83.33 IV 8 Healthy economic shoots 24 80.00 V 9 Good crop stand 24 80.00 V 10 Increase in profit returns 23 76.67 VI 11 Interim income due to intercropping 15 50.00 VII 12 Soil enrichment (trash mulching, intercropping) 12 40.00 VIII 13 Possibility of mechanical harvesting 6 20.00 IX
Wide row was popularized as a technology highlighting the concepts of feasibility for mechanized cultivation and increased yield. But, the respondents have also realized its other advantages as multiple ratooning, stabilized cane productivity, healthy crop stand and possibility of intercropping.