Adoption of Trench Method Cane Planting and its Role in Increasing Cane Yield and Sugar Recovery in Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The production of sugarcane depends on number of factors, and one of the most important factors is method of planting. During recent years, trench method of planting has been spreading in sugarcane growing areas of Indian sub-tropics due to its inherent characters of enhancing cane and sugar productivity per unit area. Research Institutions and state cane department also emphasize through various schemes for adoption of trench method of cane planting to the farmers. The total cane area of Uttar Pradesh in 2022–2023 was 2.85 million ha. (more than 50% of country) and 109.8 million ton cane was crushed during the season 2022–2023 by all 118 sugar mills which situated in all three zones of U.P. Therefore, a study was conducted in all three zones of Uttar Pradesh, to know the adoption level of trench planting method and its impact on sugarcane yield and recovery. Three districts, i.e., Lakhimpur, Bahraich and Meerut were selected purposively for the study. Two sugar mills from each districts, i.e., total six sugar mills and three village from each sugar mills, i.e., 18 villages were selected for the study. Thus, a total 180 sugarcane farmers from 18 villages were selected on the basis of land holding size (ten farmers from each village). Study revealed that 23.33% respondents have adopted trench planting method in central zone, while 18.33% respondents in western zone and 28.33% respondents adopted trench planting method in eastern zone due to significantly higher germination, good tillering and better yield. Moreover 10% respondent in central zone, 11.66% in western zone and 18.33% respondents in eastern zone are partially adopted trench planting method. Study showed that educational status is directly affecting the adoption level because education status of eastern zone was higher than other zone. The study revealed that there is increasing trend in the adoption of trench method of planting in Uttar Pradesh, India. The total cane area of trench planting method was 0.133 million ha in 2018–2019 in U.P., which increased in 2019–2020 0.467 million ha and after that it is increased 0.538 million ha in 2021–2022 and now it is 0.625 million ha in 2022–2023. Resultantly, the farmers are now gradually shifting from conventional planting to trench planting with the overall adoption percentage of 23.33%. Farmers have also accepted that about 50% irrigation water can be saved in trench method as compared to conventional method of planting which paves the way for getting higher cane yield (40 t/ha)with improvement in sugar recovery (0.53 unit).