Improving resource use efficiencies of sugarcane at farmer field under arid environment

Abstract

Improving resource use efficiency of arable crops is necessary to meet increasing demands for food for burgeoning population. A two- years (2017 and 2018) field study was conducted under arid environment to explore the effect of diverse planting dates, irrigation regimes and nitrogen (N) levels on resource use efficiencies (radiation-use-efficiency, RUE; water-use-efficiency, WUE; and nitrogen-use-efficiency, NUE) of ponda sugarcane. Ponda sugarcane was sown under six sowing dates from April 05 to May 25 with 10 days' interval (experiment 1), six irrigation regimes i.e., 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 irrigations (experiment 2) and six N levels i.e., 0, 57, 114, 171, 228 and 285 kg N ha-1 (experiment 3). Maximum biomass, cane yield, RUETDM and RUECY were recorded for sugarcane planted on 25th May in both years. Likewise, maximum biomass, cane yield, RUETDM, RUECY, WUETDM and WUECY were observed with 16 irrigations significantly similar with 20 irrigations. Moreover, optimum rate of N application was 228 kg ha-1 to get higher biomass, cane yield, RUETDM, RUECY, NUETDM and NUECY and WUE in both years. Nonetheless, biomass and cane yield, RUETDM, RUECY, WUETDM, WUECY and NUETDM and NUECY were slightly higher during 1st year of study. In summary, ponda sugarcane planted on May 25 with optimal inputs may be a viable option to get higher resource use efficiencies and cane yield under irrigated arid environmental conditions.