Advancement of start of harvest: impacts and corrective measures
Code (CO)MSI08P4308
Author (AU)Koonjah, S
Nayamuth, A R
Mangar, M
Title - English (ET)Advancement of start of harvest: impacts and corrective measures
Thesis-Parent title (TH)Yang-Rui Li et al (eds), Meeting the challenges of sugar crops and integrated industries in developing countries: Proceedings of the International conference IS-2008, Al Arish, Egypt, September 11-14, 2008. Egypt: International Association of Professionals in Sugar and Integrated Technologies (IAPSIT)
Document Type(DT)book chapter
Date of publication (DP)2008
Source (SO)p.467-471
ISBN (BN)977-17-6086-6
Language of text (LT)En
Language of summaries (LS)En
Abstract (AB)Trials were implemented to assess the response of the crop towaards advancement of harvest by two to four weeks. Based on these data any potential loss in sugar production was quantified. The suitability of the early varieties was obtained and the possibility of enhancing maturity through application of cane ripeners investigated. Seven fields situated under three varieties classified as early maturers and grown under commercial conditions were chosen for the study in 2002. Variety M 52/78 was present at four sites, R 575 at two sites and R 573 at one site. A complete ramdomized block design with four replicates was adopted and the treatments consisted of three harvest dates namely mid-May, end-May and mid-June. the latter standing as the normal harvest time. Advancing of the start of harvest seriously reduces sucrose productivity through a lower sucrose content stemming from the harvest of relatively immature cane earlier in the season. The resulting losses in sucrose productivity averaged 9.4 percent and 18.8 percent for all trials when harvest was advanced by two and four weeks respectively. Artificial ripening, corrected this negative impact in most cases. It is recommended to treat all fields harvested early in the season to enhance ripening, improve sucrose content and make good for the losses in sugar productivity.
Descriptors - English (DE)sugarcane
sucrose content
harvest date
early maturing varieties
variety M 52/78
variety R 575
variety R 573
ripeners
yields
Descriptors - Geographic (DG)Mauritius
Sort Key 1(K1)Sugarcane: Physiology
Sort Key 2 (K2)Yield physiology
Date record entered (DA)2008-11-19
Location (LO)LIB
Processing status (PS)CAT
Number of copies (NC)1
MSIRI Staff (MS)PHYS