Introduction
Sugarcane has been grown by human beings for many years because of its many uses. It is a perennial grass that grows well in frost-free tropical areas. The crop is mainly propagated vegetatively with 30-40 cm long fresh cuttings. The crop has a cycle of between 10-24 months modern agricultural practices have made it possible to reduce the growing period of the plant crop as well as for the ratoon crops. The current sugarcane crop is an inter-hybrid cane breed to provide high sugar content (Moore et al. 10). Originally, the plant was used for chewing, but currently, it is almost exclusively grown for manufacturing products. Sugarcane is an agricultural renewable natural resource. It is ecologically sustainable and provides sugar, biofuel, fertilizer, fiber and other by-products. Examples of products from sugarcane include white sugar, brown sugar, jaggery, and ethanol. By-products include; molasses used by alcohol-based industries and bagasse used in paper industries as a raw material.
The crop varieties are developed and tested by various organizations, the Sugarcane Research Unit, USDA-ARS and the American Sugar Cane League. Among the characteristics that are checked in a variety include; Yield, harvestability, sugar content, pest and disease resistance. Some of the sugarcane varieties include HoCP96-540, which was released in 2003 (Gravois, 6). The variety is good for post-freezing processing and responds well to ripeners. Although it is resistant to smut and leaf scald, it is susceptible to ratoon stunting disease and brown rust. Another variety is the L 99-226, which was released in 2006. It is high yielding and moderately resistant to borers but susceptible to brown rust and smut.
Another variety is HoCP00-950, which was released in 2007 (Gravois, 6). The variety has very high sugar per ton. It also does well in the sandier well-drained land. Other varieties include L 01-283, which was released in 2008. It is susceptible to brown rust and cane borer. The L 01-299, L 03-371 is an early maturing variety with high sugar per ton. HoCp 04-838 variety was released in 2011. It has excellent harvesting characteristics, resistant to stalk borer and freeze tolerant.
Sugarcane production worldwide, in the USA and California
Sugarcane is a crop that is grown worldwide in areas that can provide sunny, warm and moist climate as well as deep, fertile and well-aerated soils. As a tropical and subtropical crop, sugarcane does well from latitude 36.7 degrees north to 31.0 degrees south. The altitude ranges from sea level to a little over 1000m. The plant is a long duration crop and encounters all weather seasons (Moore et al. 4). The crop requires between 1100 to 1500 mm of rainfall adequately distributed throughout the months with the majority during the vegetative growth months. The ripening period should be dry. The leading countries include; Brazil, India, China, Thailand, Pakistan, Mexico, Colombia, Philippines, United States of America and Indonesia. Brazil is the lead producer at approximately 740 million tons per year.
Sugarcane production in the USA
In the USA there are about 900,000 acres of sugarcane harvested every year. The sugarcane generates about one-two billion dollars in annual revenue. The largest sugarcane producing state in the USA is Florida followed by Louisiana. Texas and Hawaii have almost equal production. Florida produces approximately 15 million tons which are estimated as half of the country’s total sugarcane production (Roka et al. 50). Louisiana produces about 12 million tons. The amount of sugar produced in the US is estimated at 7 million metric tons per year.
Production in California
Although sugarcane is not among the widely grown crops in California, it has been cultivated in the Imperial Valley for decades. The place is suitable because it has suitable rich alluvial clay loam soils that are deep. It also has access to irrigation water from the Colorado River Basin. The highest yields that have been recorded were at about 47 tons of cane per acre per harvest. California has several sugarcane factories and refineries such as the California and Hawaiian Sugar Company and the California Ethanol Power. Although still under development there are plans to engage in large scale production of sugarcane for the production of ethanol in California.
Common Cultural Practices
Sugarcane establishment begins with selection seed-cane which is as disease free as possible. It should also be fresh, genetically pure, and pest free. Mechanical planters are used to reduce stalk damage. In some instances, some farmers use cane setts for planting instead of whole stalk planting. The majority of the farmers prefer to establish the crop in a nursery before transferring it to the main field. In cases where they are planted straight into the farm, the seed-canes are planted in furrows which are either v-furrows or 18-24 inch trenches. The crop rows are spaced between 0.06-1.5m apart. The planting rate is less than one ton per hectare. The seed-cane is then covered with less than four inches of soil so as not to interfere with germination and yields (Gravois, 14). Farmers who use irrigation in sugarcane production also set up the drips during planting time.
Weed management is also part of the cultural practices of growing sugarcane to prevent competition for light, nutrients, water and infection with diseases and pests. Weed management is done through agronomic practices such as timely cultivation (Bakker, 240). Herbicides are used to control weeds in sugarcane farms. The application is made promptly to increase their effectiveness. Another cultural practice is water management. Irrigation is critical if the crop is to achieve the expected yield per acre. The amount of water to irrigate with depends on prevailing weather conditions, the variety, and the stage of growth of the crop. Fertilizer application is also another cultural practice (Glyn, 231). Sugarcane requires reasonable amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium for optimal production. The high costs of fertilizers cause farmers to adopt different fertilizer application routines such as fertigation, skipping planting fertilizer or reducing the amount of top dressing.
Earthing up is also a cultural practice done about three times during the crop's growth cycle. The practice is done to promote root proliferation, soil aeration and preventing lodging as well as for weed control. Detrashing is also common which involves the removal of dry and green bottom unwanted leaves. Other practices include propping, and water shoot removal depending on the condition of the crop in the field.
Harvesting and Marketing
Sugarcane harvesting is a timed issue because it is done at the peak of maturity not under-age and not over-age. Some farmers use ripener applicators such as glyphosate ripener. The cane is cut at ground level to include the sugar-rich bottom internodes and also de-topped at the appropriate height to eliminate the immature internodes. The cane is cleaned through the removal of leaves, roots, and trash. Harvesting in developing countries is mainly through manual harvesting but in developed countries it is mechanized. The produced cane is sold to factories which crash it and produce different products.
Yields and Prices Commonly Received
The crop yields vary significantly from region to region not only because of the weather but also because of the varieties and the management (Johnson & Richard 264). Among the highest recorded yields are in the US and Australia where fully mechanized crops yield up to 150tons/ha. The average yield per acre is about 40tons. The price per ton varies from year to year and ranges from $25 to $45 per ton (Roka et al. 51).
Pests and Diseases
Sugarcane is attacked by several pests and diseases that have a significant effect on yields. The conditions include; leaf scald where the leaves of young plants show yellowing and bleaching, it is controlled by planting resistant varieties. Another example is the Mosaic disease which is controlled by resistant varieties (Bakker, 251). Ratoon stunting controlled by proper crop management. Smut is a common disease that is characterized by the black structure at the apex; it is controlled by planting resistant varieties. Other diseases include the red rust and the brown rust, white stripe and yellow leaf. Pests that attack sugarcane include; stalk-borers, the early shoot borer, internode borer and top-borer. Other pests are the scale insect, pyrilla and white fly. There is a wide range of pesticides that are used to control pest infestation in addition to planting pest-resistant varieties.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Sugarcane is a crop that has been produced by man for many years and will continue to be produced because of the broad range of products it can generate. Sugarcane is an important cash crop that generates a good share of revenue not only for the USA but also for other countries in the world. Continued research has made the current varieties more resistant to diseases and pests and increased yields significantly. Sugarcane production has been associated with environmental degradation which proper cultural practices seek to reduce.
Works Cited
Bakker H. Sugar Cane Cultivation and Management. New York: Springer Publishers. 1999. Print
Gravois Kenneth. Sugarcane production Handbook 2014. LSU-AgCenter: Research and Extension. 2014. Web. 5 Jun.2016.
Glyn, James. Sugarcane (2nd ed.) New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell Publisher. 2004. Print
Johnson, Richard & Richard Edward. “Sugarcane Yield, Sugarcane Quality, and Soil Variability in Louisiana.” Agronomy Journal 97. 3(2005): 760-771. Web. 5 Jun. 2016.
Moore, Paul & Botha Frederick. Sugarcane: Physiology, Biochemistry, and Functional Biology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2014. Print.
Roka Fritz, Leslie Baucum, Ronald Rice, & Jose Alvarez. “Comparing Costs and Returns for Sugarcane Production on Sand and Muck Soils of Southern Florida, 2008-2009.” Journal of American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists 30: 50-66. Web. 5 Jun. 2016.
