How to grow sugarcane?

Sugarcane is not only rich in sugar and water, but also contains vitamins, fats, proteins, organic acids, calcium, iron and other beneficial substances. It is the main raw material for the sugar industry and plays an important role in increasing farmers' income and promoting economic development. Let’s learn how to plant sugarcane.

1. Variety selection

Select sugarcane varieties that are high-yielding, disease-resistant and adapted to the local climate. Choose sugarcane shoots that are free of pests and diseases and have thick and uniform stems as seedlings, and avoid using sugarcane with pests and diseases.

2. Seed soaking

Select healthy double-sprout seedlings and soak them in clean water or 2% lime water for 1-2 days to enhance the drought resistance of the seedlings and eliminate diseases and pests.

3. Reasonable density planting

Planting density is 5-6 sugarcane seeds per 100 cm, ensuring that there are 3000-3500 double-bud seedlings per acre and the number of effective stems reaches 4500-5500 plants.

4. Row spacing and planting depth

Keep the row spacing at 90-100 cm and the planting depth at about 5 cm to facilitate ventilation, light transmission and field management.

5. Seeding method

Use double rows of air-to-air planting to ensure that the buds face both sides. Lightly press the seedlings into the soil and then cover and compact them.

6. Site selection and mechanized farming

Choose a site with well-drained, fertile soil. If the previous crop was sugarcane, the sugarcane heads need to be broken and the land plowed 35-40 cm deep to keep the soil fine and flat.

7. Line spacing and line opening

Adjust the row spacing according to water and fertilizer conditions, 1-1.2 meters on flat land and 0.8-1 meter on sloping land, and ensure that the row direction is parallel to the contour lines.

8. Field management and fertilization

Seedling-raising fertilizer: Apply 15 kg/mu of urea in combination with weed control after emergence.

Fertilization during the growing season: Combined with soil cultivation, apply 100 kg/mu of superphosphate or calcium magnesium phosphate, and 10 kg/mu of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer or potassium chloride.

Foliar fertilizer and balanced fertilizer: According to the growth of sugarcane, spray foliar fertilizer in time to promote balanced growth.

9. Pest control

Agricultural prevention and control: adopt healthy cultivation, reasonable density planting, scientific management, choose pest-free sugarcane shoots for planting, and remove dead seedlings in time.

Physical control: Take advantage of the pests' tendency to move toward light and use high-frequency insecticidal lamps to lure and kill adult insects.

Chemical control: Carry out targeted control during the peak pest season and pay attention to the dynamics of pest occurrence.

The above are the key points of sugarcane planting. Planting sugarcane is a meticulous process. From seed selection to harvesting, every step is crucial. Planting sugarcane requires comprehensive consideration of seed selection, land preparation, field management, and pest and disease control to ensure healthy growth and a good harvest of sugarcane.