EFFECT OF INTER-ROW SPACING ON SEED CANE YIELD OF SUGARCANE (Saccharum officinarum L.) VARIETIES AT METAHARA SUGAR FACTORY, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Improving seed cane yield per unit area is one of the agronomic practices to attain the benefit of sugarcane production. However, Sugarcane varieties currently under production have not been studied in terms of inter-row spacing requirements to maintain optimum seed cane yield at Metahara sugar factory. Hence, a field experiment was conducted at Metahara Sugar factory during 2022/23 to evaluate the effect of variety and inter-row spacing on yield and yield components of seed cane of sugarcane. Treatments consisted of three cane varieties (B52-298, “Key Shenkora”, and C 132/81) and four inter-rows spacing (85 cm, 115 cm, 145 cm and 175 cm) which were arranged in a randomized complete block design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The results showed a highly significant (p<0.01) difference in sprouting (%) and number of internodes among varieties, a highly significant (p<0.001) difference in tillering ha-1, Stalk height,stalk weight and stalk diameter among varieties. Similarly, tillering ha-1, stalk population and sett yield per hectare showed a highly significant (p<0.001) difference among inter-row spacings. Tillering ha-1 and stalk diameter showed a highly significant (p<0.001) interaction effect. The maximum sett yield per hectare of 602.48, 588.05, and 537.70 were recorded in the varieties” Key Shenkora”, C 132/81, and B52-298, respectively. Furthermore, the result also indicated the possibility of increasing seed cane for planting by 45.4% and 22% using 85cm and 115 cm inter-row spacing, respectively, as compared to currently used inter-row spacing (145 cm) for commercial planting. Seed cane yield grown at inter- row spacing of 85 cm and 115 cm greatly exceeded that of 145 cm inter- row spacing. Therefore, it is concluded that the narrow inter-row spacing of seed cane production should be used as better alternative for seed cane or sett yield increment at Metahara sugar estate.