Level 3 sugarcane breeding fields help increase sugarcane yield and quality

(Baonghean.vn) - After a period of planting sugarcane on level 1 and level 2 breeding fields, Nghe An Sugarcane Company Limited is now continuing to plant sugarcane on level 3 breeding fields. This is the method that many farmers are learning and following.

In 2005, the grass shoot disease only appeared sporadically in some areas of the NASU raw material area; in 2007, the disease broke out violently, spreading throughout the raw material area with the infected area reaching up to 50%; many fields were severely affected by grass shoot disease, sugarcane yield decreased by 50-70%, sugarcane quality decreased sharply, as a result, farmers were left empty-handed, factories lacked raw materials to operate.

Summer-autumn sugarcane planting in Nghia Duc - Nghia Dan

To deal with the grass sprout epidemic, the People's Committee of Nghe An province announced the epidemic and issued a support policy for farmers to destroy diseased sugarcane and replant with disease-free varieties with a value of 2.5 million VND/ha; the sugarcane company supported 2 million VND/ha and invested in lending money to farmers to plant sugarcane. In addition, leading scientists came to Nghe An to study and determine the cause of the disease, propose management measures to maintain and stabilize the raw material area...

Thanks to the synchronous and drastic implementation of many measures, especially farmers buying disease-free seeds from localities where sugarcane has not been affected by grass shoot disease, NASU's sugarcane output reached more than 1 million tons in two consecutive sugarcane pressing seasons, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014, and the factory has enough raw materials to operate. This is the dream of many sugar factories in Vietnam.

To increase the competitiveness of sugar products produced by the company with sugar imported from other countries when Vietnam commits to join the WTO and TPP, and to increase income for sugarcane farmers in the raw material area, Nghe An Sugarcane Company Limited has built and implemented the project "Improving and enhancing the productivity and quality of NASU sugarcane", with many contents.

In particular, the project to produce 3-level disease-free sugarcane seeds to effectively control diseases transmitted through cuttings, especially sugarcane weed disease; quickly multiply good sugarcane varieties that have been confirmed through basic and field trials in Nghe An to provide to sugarcane farmers. Because sugarcane seeds are the first step, the most basic premise for implementing scientific, technical and cultivation measures in the initial intensive cultivation process to increase sugarcane productivity.

The policy of growing sugarcane on level 3 seedling fields in the summer-autumn crop issued by NASU has many incentives for sugarcane farmers. In photo: VUsing sugarcane raw materials from Nghia Phu (Nghia Dan). Photo: PV

Mr. Ngo Van Tu - Deputy General Director of Agriculture said: In 2015, the company started renting land 50 km away from the factory, never planted sugarcane to ensure isolation from disease sources, built sugarcane breeding fields level 1. Sugarcane cuttings were carefully selected, cut into nodes, treated in hot water to eliminate pests and diseases before planting. In the 2015 autumn crop, the company harvested sugarcane on level 1 fields, with an average yield of 55 tons/ha and planted 40 hectares of level 2 breeding fields. Through inspection and evaluation of sugarcane on level 1 and level 2 breeding fields, all met the requirements of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the quality of sugarcane breeding fields.

The policy of planting sugarcane on level 3 seedling fields in the summer-autumn crop issued by NASU has many incentives for sugarcane farmers: Buying sugarcane seeds at low prices, lending money to transport sugarcane seeds from NASU seedling fields for planting, and supporting 4 million VND/ha after planting sugarcane. The summer sugarcane planting period ends before July 20 so that the sugarcane has time to grow and develop to sell seeds in the spring crop next year.

Mr. Cao Thanh Binh, Nghia Mai commune, Nghia Dan said: After harvesting the spring-summer watermelon crop, the family rented a plow, received seeds and started planting on an area of ​​1.5 hectares. The quality of the sugarcane variety is very good, the sugarcane stalks are large, long, not mixed with other sugarcane varieties; free of pests and diseases. After planting the cuttings, the sugarcane is watered enough, it will definitely germinate quickly and evenly after planting. I have prepared more NPK15-7-15 fertilizer to take care of it according to the factory's issued process; by next spring, the sugarcane yield can reach 50-55 tons/ha after 9 months of planting, the family will have an income of 60-70 million/ha from selling sugarcane seeds. With this method, the land is rotated, replenishing the nutrients that are lacking after many years of growing sugarcane; the family has more income.

Mr. Graham - Director of Research & Development added: NASU focuses on investing in and restoring sugarcane production on level 1 and level 2 breeding fields; level 3 sugarcane breeding fields will be linked to raw material areas and large sugarcane fields to serve as demonstration models, quickly transferring new varieties into production. Farmers can take advantage of soil moisture to plant sugarcane in time for the season, reducing sugarcane seed costs. To quickly multiply good sugarcane varieties, NASU continues to invest in purchasing tissue culture seeds from the Institute of Agricultural Genetics, and planting another 3.5 hectares of level 1 sugarcane breeding fields. Only when proactively having disease-free sugarcane seeds, can sugarcane yield and quality increase rapidly...

Vo Van Luong