Options for raising radiation use efficiency in the superhumid zone of Mauritius
| MSI05P4162 | |
| Koonjah, S S Nayamuth, A R | |
| Options for raising radiation use efficiency in the superhumid zone of Mauritius | |
| Lalouette, J. A., Bheenick, K. J. and Nundalallee, C. (eds), Proceedings, Seventh Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, 4-6 May 2005, Boname Hall, MSIRI, Mauritius. (Draft) | |
| book chapter | |
| 2005 | |
| p. 145-159 | |
| Réduit: Food and Agricultural Research Council | |
| In: Book of Abstracts. Seventh Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, 4-6 May 2005, Boname Hall, MSIRI, Réduit, Mauritius. p 30 (Proceedings available at http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/ncb/moa/farc/amas2005/pdf/MAS20051stDraft.pdf) | |
| En | |
| En | |
| Sugarcane production in the high altitude areas of Mauritius is limited by the relatively lower solar radiation regime compared to the coastal zone. Closer row spacing has been adopted in these regions to improve on light interception and increase radiation use efficiency. Equally important is the need to decrease intra-row competition, which in practice can be achieved through increasing furrow width and widening the placement of the cuttings in the furrow. The latter approach has not been encountered in the literature and the effect of increasing furrow width was assessed using commercial varieties with different canopy characteristics. Field trials were implemented at Eau Bleue and Belle Rive using three furrow widths. At Eau Bleue, the treatments also included two interrow spacings and three sugarcane varieties while at Belle Rive two planting densities were used on two varieties. Light interception was measured to assess conversion efficiency. At Eau Bleue, there was no significant difference in cane yield between the two interrow spacings. Sugarcane grown in the widest furrow gave the highest cane yield with an advantage averaging 5.9 t ha-1 over the narrowest furrow. This yield difference was more pronounced in varieties M 52/78 and R 579 compared to M 3035/66. Differences could not be definitely attributed to higher radiation interception. At Belle Rive, the best cane yield was obtained when furrow width was increased and planting density doubled. Sugarcane grown in the widest furrow at the higher planting density gave 7.5 t ha-1 and 12.8 t ha-1 more cane in varieties M 1400/86 and M 52/78 respectively than the narrow furrow at the commercial planting density. The higher cane productivity resulted from higher tiller densities, which contributed to a larger leaf area. The latter intercepted and converted more solar radiation into biomass giving a higher radiation use efficiency of 1.44 g MJ-1 compared to 1.21 g MJ-1 for the narrow furrow at the commercial planting rate. | |
| sugarcane radiation use efficiency furrow width planting density light interception competition | |
| Mauritius | |
| Sugarcane: Physiology | |
| 2005-05-03 | |
| En | |
| LIST | |
| PHYS |