EFFECT OF PLANTING AND BUD PLACEMENT POSITION ON AGRONOMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAITS OF SUGARCANE (SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM L.)

Different planting techniques influence the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of sugarcane. This study focused on the hypothesis that altering sett spacing and bud placement position significantly improves sugarcane yield and quality. The experiment was conducted during the periods, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, under field conditions at the Sugarcane Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, Tandojam, Sindh, Pakistan. The sugarcane variety, PSTJ-41, was used for the study in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Spacing between setts included S-1 = end to end, S-2 = 15 cm, S-3 = 22 cm, and S-4 = 30 cm. Bud placement position consisted of B1= buds up and down, and B-2 = buds faced to ridge. Analysis revealed that sett spacings and bud placement positions significantly (P < 0.05) affected almost all the studied agronomical, physiological, and qualitative sugarcane traits. Enhanced sugarcane sprouting (%), crop growth rate (gm(-2)day(-1)), leaf area index, cane length (cm), internodes cane(-1), millable canes (000 ha(-1)), Brix (%), commercial cane sugar (CCS %), and cane yield (t ha(-1)) were observed with setts plantation of a distance at 30 cm apart. In the case of bud position, B-2 showed maximum growth, yield, and best quality attributes. The highest and desirable mean values of the various parameters were documented in the interaction of 30 cm sett spacings x buds faced to ridges regarding interactive effects.