Agronomic performance of sugarcane cultivated under quantities of sugarcane straw on the soil surface

Abstract

Mechanized harvesting has become increasingly common in the sugarcane production system. The sugarcane straw removed by mechanical harvesting could be converted into ethanol or be used to generate electricity by burning the material. At the same time, it is important to determine the amount of biomass that could be removed from the soil surface without damage to the cane crop. The agronomic performance of sugarcane was evaluated by growing the variety RB92579 under different amounts of sugarcane straw on the soil surface, in the first and second years of cane crop growth. An experimental randomized block in a split-plot design was used with four replications. In the first year the plots received five amounts of straw (0.0, 4.5, 9.0, 13.5, and 18 Mg ha -1 ), and six assessments (60, 120, 180, 240, 300, and 360 days after planting) were made in the subplots. In the second year, the plots received the same amount of straw and four assessments (60, 120, 240, and 540 days after the regrowth) in the subplots. Biometric indexes, components of production, and crop yield were evaluated. The data were submitted to variance analysis and polynomial regression (p < 0.05). Increasing amounts of sugarcane straw deposited on the soil surface reduced the number and diameter of stalks at the beginning of crop establishment and the number of leaves for the first year. The maximum productivity of stalks was achieved by maintaining on the soil surface 9.6 Mg ha -1 of straw in the first year and 4.7 Mg ha -1 of straw in the second year of cane crop production. Key words: Biomass. Green cane. Harvesting without burning. Saccharum spp. ResumoA colheita mecanizada está cada vez mais presente no sistema de produção de cana-de-açúcar. A palhada retirada durante a colheita pode ser convertida a etanol ou utilizada para geração de energia elétrica por meio da queima, sendo importante determinar a quantidade desta biomassa que pode ser removida, sem que haja prejuízos à cultura. Objetivou-se avaliar o desempenho agronômico da canade-açúcar, variedade RB92579, cultivada sob diferentes quantidades de palhada da cultura na superfície do solo, em cultivo de primeiro e segundo ciclo. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, com parcelas subdivididas no tempo, com quatro repetições. No primeiro ciclo as parcelas receberam cinco quantidades de palhada (0,0; 4,5; 9,0; 13,5 e 18 Mg ha -1 ) e seis épocas de avaliação (60, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360 dias após o plantio -DAP), dispostas nas subparcelas. No segundo ciclo,

Multilocation Straw Removal Effects on Sugarcane Yield in South-Central Brazil

“…In the past few years, the straw removal effects on sugarcane yield have been investigated in different locations in south-central Brazil [5,12,14,15]. However, there is no consensus about the sugarcane yield responses to straw removal.…”

Sugarcane straw removal for bioenergy production: implications on plant and soil responses

“…Our findings are consistent with recent studies also conducted in central-southern Brazil . Oliveira et al (2016) The effect of straw removal on stalk yield was similar at both mills. Nevertheless, at the Univalem mill the highest stalk yield was obtained under smaller amounts of straw compared to the straw amount that induced the highest yields at the Bom Retiro mill.…”

“…According to , the maintenance of 10 Mg ha -1 of sugarcane straw was enough to sustain plant growth and yield in an Oxisol. In the same soil type, Oliveira et al (2016) observed the highest stalk yields under 9.6 and 4.7 Mg ha -1 of straw retained for the cane-plant and first ratoon cycles, respectively. Variation in the minimum amount of sugarcane straw needed to sustain soil and plant yields likely depends on soil type, crop management, topography and climate conditions Seebaluck and Leal, 2015;Carvalho et al, 2016;.…”

Soil physical attributes and sugarcane biomass production under soil management and straw removal

“…found that 4-9 Mg ha -1 of straw left on the soil is adequate to maintain the crop productivity. Oliveira et al (2016) verified that to increase cane yield it is necessary to maintain 9.5 Mg ha -1 and 4.7 Mg ha -1 of straw in the first (1st ratoon)…”