Crop geometry optimization for sugarcane-based intercropping in a new planting technique of the sustainable sugarcane initiative in india

Field experiments were carried out at the Sirugamani, Sugarcane Research Station of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University India in 2016-17 and 2017-18. The studies were designed to optimize crop geometry and identify a suitable intercrop for a novel planting technique of the sustainable sugarcane initiative. Sixteen treatment combinations (intercrops and crop geometries) were replicated three times in a strip plot design. Four crop geometries such as 150 x 60 cm single row planting, 150 x 60 cm double row planting, 180 x 60 cm single row planting, and 180 x 60 cm double row planting were assigned to the main plot. The subplot, on the other hand was earmarked for sugarcane-based intercropping, which included sole sugarcane, sugarcane + greengram, sugarcane +blackgram and sugarcane +sunnhemp. The intercrops were grown in an additive series, with three rows of sugarcane planted at 150 cm and four rows planted at 180 cm row spacing. The crop received an average of 730.3 mm of rain over the trial period. The soil at the research site was a well-drained clay loam with low, moderate, and high nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium availability, respectively. A surface drip fertigation system was used to schedule the fertilizers and irrigation to the crops. By observing cane yield and yield-attributing characteristics at harvest, the impact of crop geometry and sugarcane intercropping in the sustainable sugarcane initiative method was investigated. In comparison to the majority of sugarcane-based intercropping, sugarcane+sunnhemp intercropping produced significantly more tillers at 120 days after planting i.e.150.60 x 103 and 88.88 x 103 tillers ha-1, respectively, in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Furthermore, growing sugarcane+sunnhemp intercropping yielded more millable canes (89.90x 103 and 1.43x 103) and cane equivalent yield (138.92 and 139.04 t ha-1) in 2016-17 and 2017-18. The 150x60 cm double row planting of sugarcane was found to be the best among the four crop geometries, yielding the highest cane equivalent yields of 132.85 and 152.56 tha-1 during plant I and plant II crops.