Karnal: According to scientists from the Regional Sugarcane Research Institute, farmers will now need to change their traditional method of preparing sugarcane seeds. They will have to plant sugarcane seeds using scientific method to produce high-quality seeds that can increase the sugarcane yield by up to 2.5 times. This direct benefit will be experienced by the farmers.
Extensive research is ongoing regarding sugarcane varieties, but the lack of good and high-quality seeds is becoming a significant obstacle to increasing production. The conventional method of sugarcane seed preparation has emerged as a major hindrance since the farmers’ existing sugarcane varieties have become old and resistant to change. So far, farmers have been leaving some sugarcane in the fields for seed purposes, which results in planting the same sugarcane in those fields year after year. This leads to various diseases and pests infesting the same fields where the sugarcane or the seeds are grown.
Dr. S K Pandey, senior scientist associated with the regional sugarcane research institute, Karnal said, “Sugarcane yield can be improved if the cane farmers start producing their seeds using scientific methods. This can double their income. Farmers should start preparations for this from now as the sowing begins in October.”
