Hand weeding, earthing up, detrashing and propping are the special field operations required for sugarcane production hence its cultivation is a labour consuming and expensive. Mini tractor attached with rotoweeder is highly efficient in removing weeds. Besides weeding mini tractor can also do Earthing up which is very much important field operation indirectly manage the weeds and insects and strength the plant form from lodging during its maturity phase. By using mini tractor on field operations like weeding and earthing up totally we can reduce the cost to Rs. 30,200/ha. Besides this mini tractor attached with rotovator can also shred the sugarcane trashes after harvest for ratooning, instead the farmers practice of burning.
Sugarcane is one of the most important commercial crop of sugarcane cultivated for sugar in an area of 0.35 mha and a production of 35 mt with a productivity of 100t/ha in Tamil Nadu. Sugarcane is one of the crops which needs more care and inturn require more field operations for its growth and development. More labours are required for its cultivation during its crop growth period. Hand weeding, earthing up, detrashing and propping are the special field operations required for sugarcane production. Earthing up is the important field operation done for reducing lodging and pest like borers and white grubs in sugarcane. During the crop growth period to reduce the weed pressure 4 weedings has to be done at 30 days interval up to 120 DAP, which is the critical crop weed competition period for sugarcane. Atrazine was sprayed at 1k/ha on 3 DAP and which will be active for 21 days in reducing the weed emergence. Either a POE or hand weeding has to be done to arrest the weed growth. The choice of POE is narrow only limited selective herbicides are available to kill emerging weeds.
Mini Tractor, Multiple Roles, Sugarcane Farming
