Effect of planting rows and intercropping on physiological parameters of sugarcane under sustainable sugarcane initiative

A field experiment was conducted at Sugarcane Research Station, Sirugamani during the first plant crop 2016-17, effect of planting rows and intercropping on physiological parameters of sugarcane under SSI. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design with three replications. The main plot treatments comprised of crop geometry viz., M1- 150 x 60 cm Single row planting, M2- 150 x 60 cm Double row planting, M3- 180 x 60 cm Single row planting and M4- 180 x 60 cm Double row planting. The sub plot treatments were S1-Sole crop of Sugarcane, S2-Sugarcane + Greengram (Co 8), S3-Sugarcane + Blackgram (VBN 5) and S4-Sugarcane + Sunnhemp (Co 1). The intercrops were raised in additive series viz., 3 rows under a row spacing of 150 cm in sugarcane and 4 rows under 180 cm. The recommended schedule of drip fertigation for SSI was followed by using surface drip irrigation system. The physiological parameters of sugarcane like absolute growth rate, crop growth rate and chlorophyll index were observed under SSI. The results revealed that raising physiological parameters recorded higher absolute growth rate, crop growth rate and chlorophyll index, double row planting with sugarcane with sunnhemp (M2S4).