EFFECT OF DRYING OFF PERIOD ON CANE YIELD AND QUALITY OF SUGARCANE (Saccharum officinarum L.) VARIETIES DURING COOL SEASON AT WONJI SUGAR ESTATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Sugarcane quality is the prominent factor that determines sugar recovery and productivity in sugar industry; so that managing cane sugar content is crucial. Improper drying off period for different soil management groups is the recurrent problem in sugar factory while undertaking pre-harvest cultural practice, which severely affects cane and sugar quality parameters. The field experiment was conducted at Wonji Sugar Estate during the 2022/2023 cropping season to determine the effect of drying off period on cane yield and quality of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L) varieties during cool season. The varieties NCo-334, N53-216 and L-188 were used under the five levels of drying off periods (20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 days) in a split plot design with three replications by putting the varieties under main plot and the drying off levels as sub plots. The required data were collected at the end of each drying off periods accordingly. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that drying off period significantly influenced soil moisture content (p < 0.01), also highly significantly (p < 0.001) influenced quality parameters (brix%, pol%, and sucrose %) and sugar yield. The highest mean value of brix (21.52), pol % (20.67) and sucrose% cane (14.61) were recorded from 50 days of drying off period. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction between varieties and drying off periods on cane yield, brix, pol% and sugar yield whereas stalk count, plant height, soil moisture content and sucrose % cane were shown significant difference on main effects. Brix, pol, sucrose and sugar yield were significantly increased with increasing level of drying off period up to 50 days of drying off period. Therefore, the optimum drying off period at which maximum yield obtained was found to be 50 days for heavy black soil cycle.