Detrashing sugarcane stalks: The 1st critical step to the shift to organic farming in sugarcane Production

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: Nov 15, 2016
Keywords:
Detrashing, sugarcane Organic farming Trash farming Ratoon canes Stubble shaving

Main Article Content

Mendoza, T. C.
College of Agriculture, UP Los Baños, Philippines
Acuna, V. M.
Farm Manger- Arsenio Al Acuna Agricultural Corp.,Sta.Clara Subdv., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Santos, D. D.
SRA Visayas, R/D Station,La Granja, Negros Occ., Philippines
Sandoval, P.
Sugar Regulatory Adm., Diliman , Quezon City, Philippines

Abstract

Cane detrashing minimizes the bulky trash to be managed at harvest time (about 12-20 t/ha );facilitates cutting stalks close to the ground; eliminates the need for stubble shaving ;facilitates  piling the trash every other rows that  improves ratoon cane establishment; and ultimately increases sugar yield . Cane detrashing is the 1st critical step to no burning and  trash farming scheme and ultimately organic  sugarcane production. Planters who had practiced detrashing-cum- trash farming had adjusted their cultivation equipment to do interrow cultivation .Detrashing-cum-trashing farming is cost savings, improves soil properties, increase yield especially in the ratoon and  extend the ratoon cycle, dcrease the over all enrgy  input, and carbon emission in sugarcane production. Detrashing is an added cost but  the partial  net return is positive for the planters while it  provides jobs during non-milling months or non-harvesting months.It must be promoted to as many planters as possible. Government extension services must be planned to upscale its adoption. At least 420,000 ha are planted to sugarcane in the Philippines.

Article Details

How to Cite
Mendoza, T. C., Acuna, V. M., Santos, D. D., & Sandoval, P. (2016). Detrashing sugarcane stalks: The 1st critical step to the shift to organic farming in sugarcane Production. International Journal of Agricultural Technology, 12(6), 1057–1070. retrieved from https://li04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/IJAT/article/view/6693
Issue
Vol. 12 No. 6 (2016): November
Section
Original Study
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

References

Abrigo, C. C. (1981). Organic fertilizer from cane trash as soil ameliorant. Proceedings of the 28th Annual Convention, Philsutech. pp. 448-462.

Amre, D. K., Infante-Rivard, C., Dufresne, A., Durgawale, P. M. and Ernst, P. (1999). Case-control study of lung cancer among sugar cane farmers in India. Occupational and environmental medicine 56:548-552.

Briones, M. B. (2014). The role of mineral fertilizers in transforming Philippine agriculture.Philippine Institute Of Development Studies. Discussion Paper Series No. 14.

Cançado, J. E., Saldiva, P. H., Pereira, L. A., Lara, L. B., Artaxo, P., Martinelli, L. A., Arbex, M A., Zanobetti, A. and Braga, A. L. (2006). The impact of sugar cane–burning emissions on the respiratory system of children and the elderly. Environmental health perspectives 114:1-725.

Santos, D. D. and Mendoza, T. C. (2002). Determinants of sugarcane yields ion Agraraian reform communities in Negros occidental Philippines. Philippine Agricultural Scientist 85:114-121.

Demafelis, R. B., Mendoza, T. C. and Matanguihan, E. D. (2015). Carbon Foot print of Raw Sugar Production: Is Raw Sugar Carbon Positive or Negative. 62nd PHILSUTECH Annual convention held at Lahug, Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City.

Dosayla, R. D. (1994). The influence of trash on the yield components of sugarcane varieties. PHILSUTECH 41st Annual Convention, Cebu Plaza Hotel, Cebu City, pp. 198-203.

Hildebrand, P. E. (1981). Combining disciplines in rapid appraisal: the Sondeo approach Agricultural Administration 8:423-432.

Hill, N. M. and Patriquin, D. G. (1990). Evidence for the involvement of Azospirillum brasilense and Helicomyces roseus in the aerobic nitrogen-fixing/cellulolytic system from sugarcane litter. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 22:313-319.

Hodge, R. (1998). Soil organic matter: Its central position in organic farming. In Advances in Soil Organic Matter Research, pp. 355-363.

IPCC (2007). Climate Change 2007: Working group III: Mitigation of climate change. Retrieved from: http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg3/en/ch3s3-5-3-3.html.

Magdoff, F. and Weil, R. R. (2004). Soil organic matter in sustainable agriculture. CRC Press. 398 pp.

Mendoza, T. C. (1989). Development of Organic Farming practices for sugarcane based farms. Proc. IFOAM Seventh International Scientific Conference. Oagadogou, pp. 189-202.

Mendosa, T. C. (1990). Development of organic faming practices for sugarcane based farms. Agricultural alternatives and nutritional self-sufficiency: for a sustainable agricultural system that respects man and his environment: proc of the IFOAM Seventh Int Scientific Conference.

Mendoza, T. C. and Samson, R. (2000). Estimates of CO2 production from the burning of crop residues. Environmental Science and Management 3:25-33.

Mendoza, T. C., Samson, R. and Helwig, T. (2003). Evaluating the many benefits of sugarcane trash farming systems. Philippine Journal of Crop Science 27:43-51.

Mendoza, T. C. (2014). Reducing the carbon footprint of sugar production in the Philippines. Journal of Agricultural Technology 10:289-308.

Mendoza, T. C. (2015). Enhancing Crop Residues recycling in the Philippine landscape. Environmental Implications of Recyling and Recycled Products. Springer Science + Business Media Singapore. pp. 79-100.

Mendoza, T. C. (2016). Reducing the high energy bill and carbon footprint for an energy and climate change-compliant sugarcane production. SEARCA Regional Professorial Chair Lecture delivered.

Mudahar, M. S. and Hignett, T. P (1985). Energy efficiency in nitrogen fertilizer production. Energy in Agriculture 4:159-177.

Mui, N. T., van Binh, D. and Preston, T. R. (1997). On-farm evaluation of planting distance and mulching in sugar cane. Livestock Research for Rural Development 9:78-82.

Mui, N. T., Preston, T. R. and Ohlsson, I. (1997). Responses of four varieties of sugar cane to planting distance and mulching. Livestock Research for Rural Development 9:69-77.

Mulvey, J. J. and Rotchschild, H. (1983). Sugarcane farming – Is there a link with cancer?. Ecology of Disease 2:267-270.

Patriquin, D. (2000). Overview of N2 fixation in sugarcane residues: Levels and effects on decomposition. Zoology Department, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Strategies for Enhancing Biomass Energy Utilization in the Philippines. Resource Efficient Agricultural Production.

Pineda, F. A. (1956). Trash mulching improved the yield of sugarcane. PHILSUTECH Proceedings of the 196-198.

Poolchund, H. N. (1991). Aspects of occupational health in the sugarcane industry. Journal of the Society of Occupational Medicine 41:133-136.

Zamperlini, G. C. M., Silva, M. R. S. and Vilegas, W. (1997). Identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sugar cane soot by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Chromatographia 46:655-663.