EFFECT OF SPACING AND SEED PLACEMENT ON YIELD AND YIELD CONTRIBUTING CHARACTERS OF SUGARCANE VARIETY THATTA-10 UNDER AGRO ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF THATTA

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out to study the effect of inter row spacing and seed placement on yield and yield contributing characters of sugarcane variety Thatta-10 at National Sugar Crops Research Institute, farm Thatta during autumn 2003-04 and 2004-05. Inter row spacings were 0.75, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50m and two seed placement methods were overlapping set and double set. The experiment was conducted in spilt plot design using main plots (10x 15m) for spacing and subplot (5x15m) for seed placement with three replications. The recommended fertilizer dose of NPK at the rate of 275-112-175 Kg ha-1 was applied. Yield parameters viz number of millable canes, cane thickness, number of internodes per plant, cane weight, plant height and CCS% were influenced by inter row spacing and seed placement. Among the all row spacings tested, 1.25m was found best for obtaining maximum cane yield (143.032 tons ha-I) and sugar content (12.83%).