PAU Holds One-Day Workshop On Sugarcane

Ludhiana, October 15, 2015: “To optimize the sugar production, and advice on export and import of sugar, Sugar Federations should come up with marketing intelligence cell for guiding and providing information regarding the international scenario,” said Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, while inaugurating the one-day “Sugarcane Workshop” at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). The workshop was jointly organized by the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, PAU and the Directorate of Sugarcane Development, Lucknow. Extension functionaries from the Sugar Federations of Punjab and Haryana states participated in the workshop.

Dr Dhillon emphasized on having more interactions among the sugarcane scientists, mills’ staff and extension functionaries of the state as well as the neighboring states. He stressed on enhancing seed cane multiplication through tissue culture techniques and popularizing biocontrol using parasitoids. He also highlighted the importance of a seed chain in quality seed production of sugarcane.

Dr Balwinder Singh, Director of Research, pointed out that the sugar industry was plagued with several problems due to short crushing season, sugar recovery between 9 to 9.5 per cent only, low yield of sugarcane, abiotic and biotic stresses, high cost of production, old and obsolete machinery of mills, and labour scarcity.

Dr M.C. Diwakar, Director, Directorate of Sugarcane Development, Lucknow highlighted the role of government policies in boosting the sugarcane cultivation. He also gave an overview of NFSM on cash crops and various schemes for popularizing the new technologies at the farmers’ fields.

Lectures on new varieties and technologies, recommended by PAU, were delivered by the experts. Dr K. S. Thind, Head, Plant Breeding and Genetics spoke on measures to improve the recovery sugar mills, and value addition for improving the fiscal health of the mills. He highlighted the role of varietal pattern in the state, especially, with the new releases CoPb 91, Co 238, and Co 118.

Dr Kuldeep Singh, Senior Agronomist, Regional Station, Faridkot highlighted the benefits of furrow irrigated raised bed technique, and sub-soiling (to break the hard pan of soil).

Dr Rakesh Sharda, Extension Specialist, Soil and Water Engineering shared his research experiences about drip fertigation in sugarcane in order to increase the yield and improve the water use efficiency.

Dr Manjeet Singh, Research Engineer, Farm Machinery and Power Engineering gave an overview of planting, interculture and harvesting machinery for sugarcane, the application of which would lower the cost of production and increase the profit.

Dr Bipen Sharma, Director, Regional Research Station, Kapurthala and Dr Rajinder Kumar, Assistant Entomologist dwelt on the new diseases and pests of sugarcane alongwith their identification and control measures.