Irrigation Frequency, Rate and Period for Sugarcane in the Central Plain

Abstract

Irrigation frequency, rate and period directly affect yield and cost of sugarcane production.  A series of experiments was carried out to investigate responses of sugarcane to these factors at Chai Nat Field Crop Research Centre during the 2000-2003 growing seasons. The highest yields were obtained with irrigated every after 60 and 90 mm cumulative pan evaporations. These irrigation frequencies showed no significant differences in yields among themselves, but irrigation applied every after 60 mm cumulative pan evaporation attained 58.8. 41.6 and 59.3%  higher  yields than with no irrigation  for  experiments  carried  out  in  2000/01,  2001/02  and  2002/03,  respectively.  The responses of U-thong and K 84-2000 varieties to irrigation rates were similar.  Irrigation applied at the ratio of irrigation water to evaporation, IW/E of 1.2 (IW/E 1.2) gave no significant difference in yield with IW/E 0.6 to 1.0. IW/E 1.2, however, increased yields by 22.55, 46.7 and 35.7% when compared with no irrigation for experiments conduction in 2000/01, 2001/02 and 2002/03, respectively. It was also found that far highest yields were obtained with irrigation applied during the periods of crop establishment and vegetative growth, or vegetative growth and yield formation, or from crop establishment to yield formation.  These irrigation periods showed no significant differences in yields among all treatments bus irrigation applied from crop establishment to yield formation produced 57.2 and 39.2% higher yields than with no irrigation for experiment carried out in 2001/02 and 2002/03, respectively.  Stalk height and stalk number were major component determining yield differences among irrigation frequencies, rates and periods.