Strengthening care for sugarcane growing areas

Stick to the fields to take care of sugarcane

In the 2022-2023 sugarcane crop, sugarcane growers have high expectations that the sugarcane purchase price from the factory will remain the same as last year. Therefore, sugarcane growers in Tan Ky actively stay in the fields and take care of the sugarcane from the moment it sprouts.

This year, the weather is favorable, so the raw sugarcane area of ​​Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company is developing well. Photo: XH

Information fromSong Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Companysaid that due to the high price of sugarcane in the last crop year, along with the company's support policies, sugarcane growers made a profit; at the same time, many cassava areas were affected by pests and diseases, so farmers in Tan Ky district switched to growing sugarcane. Accordingly, in the 2022 - 2023 crop year, the company's raw sugarcane area increased to 3,200 hectares, higher than the previous year; of which 1,560 hectares were newly planted, while the newly planted sugarcane area of ​​the previous crop year was 766 hectares.

Mr. Nguyen Sy Hai - Head of Raw Material Production Department of Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company said that sugarcane is currently in the stage of growing and stretching, which is the right time for farmers to take care of it. In order for sugarcane to increase productivity and quality, bringing profits to sugarcane growers, farmers need to invest in proper care, and at the same time monitor pests and diseases on sugarcane to prevent them in time.

At this time, raw sugarcane in Tan Ky district is in the stage of growing shoots. Photo: XH

Accordingly, people need to do well.sugarcane care process: After planting 10-15 days, if it rains, you should loosen the crust. Weeding the first time combined with weeding, when the sugarcane has 4-5 leaves. Weeding the second time and fertilizing for tillering, using a hoe or buffalo, plowing 10-15 cm deep, lightly mounding the base. Promoting internode extension, combined with mounding the base helps the sugarcane grow favorably, preventing it from falling. When the sugarcane has internodes and is over 1m high, if there are new shoots (sugarcane sprouts or water shoots), they should be removed because these are ineffective shoots that will compete for nutrients with the main stems, reducing sugar content and being a place for pests and diseases to live and develop.

For sugarcane, after harvesting, it is necessary to clean the field thoroughly, bury or burn all dry leaves to kill pests and diseases, then use a sharp hoe to trim the high roots and remaining shoots. Plow the roots on both sides of the sugarcane row to fertilize according to the correct process and technique, then cover the roots, keep the sugarcane germinating, in the next stages we care for it like young sugarcane.

Focus on preventing white cotton fiber aphids

Mr. Nguyen Sy Hai warned that this year the weather is more favorable than previous years, sugarcane grows well, but there have also been some signs ofwhite cotton linton some sugarcane areas. To promptly prevent aphids on sugarcane, at this time the factory's agricultural team is actively following the area, grasping the situation of each sugarcane plot to promptly inform sugarcane growers, not allowing aphids to develop widely.

Agricultural staff of Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company regularly visit raw material areas to detect pests and diseases on sugarcane plants early. Photo: Xuan Hoang

White cotton aphids are one of the few dangerous pests on sugarcane, they easily develop in most sugarcane growing areas in Tan Ky in particular and in the province in general. Symptoms are that both adults and nymphs are concentrated on the underside of sugarcane leaves, sucking sap. If severe, it can cause sugarcane leaves to turn yellow, sugarcane plants to grow poorly, stunted, and sugarcane internodes to be shortened. In addition to causing serious yield losses, they also reduce sugar content in plants and reduce the quality of raw materials.

If the cuttings are taken from a field heavily damaged by aphids, they will lose their ability to sprout or will sprout very weakly. The stem sugarcane will lose its ability to sprout or will sprout very slowly and weakly. The sugarcane field will lose a lot of space, greatly affecting the honey and health of the sugarcane in the next stem sugarcane crop...

In addition, the secretions released by aphids still contain a lot of honeydew, which is a favorable environment for sooty mold to grow and cover the leaves, reducing the ability to photosynthesize to create organic matter to nourish the plant.

For young bedbugs, winged form: Newly hatched, dark green, at age 4, the mid-thoracic back lengthens. The hind thorax and dorsal abdomen have long waxy fibers, the mid-thoracic and hind thorax have wing buds. The antennae have 5 segments. Wingless form: Newly hatched, light yellow, later turns light green. At age 4, the back has many layers of white wax.

How to identify, female bed bugs that give birth to wingless babies: 2mm long body, back covered with white cotton-like wax. Body is yellow or yellow-green. Female bed bugs that give birth to winged babies: 2mm long body. Wings are 3.5mm long, transparent, covering the abdomen, degenerated wing veins. Head is black. Thorax is dark brown. Abdomen is black or dark green. Legs are black. Antennae are short and small with 5 segments.

To limit the damage caused by white cotton aphids, farmers need to take some measures: For fields with low density, it is necessary to strip leaves, weed to make it airy; stop nitrogen fertilization, increase potassium fertilization; cut out aphid nests to destroy them. For heavily infected areas, it is necessary to spray Victory 300EC, Anboom 40EC.

In the coming time, with the current alternating hot and rainy conditions, sugarcane will enter the sugar accumulation stage, which is a favorable condition for aphids to arise, spread quickly, and cause serious damage. Therefore, farmers need to actively visit the fields to detect and handle them promptly to prevent white cotton fiber aphids from developing into an epidemic, affecting the productivity and quality of sugarcane./.