Sugarcane Yield and Technological Ripening Responses to Chemical Ripeners

• Published in: Sugar tech : an international journal of sugar crops & related industries Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 285 - 291
• Main Authors: Karmollachaab, A., Bakhshandeh, A., Moradi Telavat, M. R., Moradi, F., Shomeili, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 01.06.2016; Springer
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Crop yields; Herbicides; Life Sciences; Phosphates; Research Article; Spraying and dusting in agriculture; Sugarcane; Brix; Invert sugar; Ripener; Ethephon; Pol; Glyphosate
• ISSN: 0972-1525; 0974-0740
• DOI: 10.1007/s12355-015-0400-3

The present investigation was carried out in Khuzestan province of Iran to evaluate the effects of chemical ripeners on the advancement of cane maturity (var. CP57-614) during incline phase. Three chemicals viz. Ethephon (2-Chloroethyl phosphoric acid), Glyphosate, and Fitomas M (a growth regulator) were applied as foliar spray on the crop using a small aircraft. The result showed that application of glyphosate increased brix, pol%, fiber, and recoverable sugar; however, its application reduced cane length and invert sugars and also showed marginal decline in the cane yield. The improvement in cane quality was more pronounced compared to the reduction in cane yield. Ethephon application had no impact on cane tonnage, and showed marginal improvement in pol per cent (3.3 %) and recoverable sugar (3.4 %) compared to untreated control. Fitomas-M had no effect on cane tonnage; on the contrary, it showed decline in pol%. Based on the large-scale trials done in Khuzestan province, it was demonstrated that 0.5 l ha −1 of glyphosate increased recoverable sugar to the extent of 10.60 % indicating that this treatment was most suitable for increasing sucrose content during incline period of crop maturity or early stages of harvest.