EFFECTS OF INTRA-ROW SETT SPACING AND VARIETIES ON YIELD COMPONENTS, YIELD AND QUALITY OF SUGARCANE (Saccharum officinarum L.) AT KESSEM SUGAR ESTATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract:

Sugarcane production affected by numerous factors, which subsequently reduce cane and sugar yield. Among those constraints, planting geometry is the most important one. To solve the problem, regarding intra-row setts spacing, research findings should be taken. However, research outputs concerning this aspect are not available at Kessem Sugar Estate. Therefore, effects of intra-row setts spacing on selected traits were carried out at this Estate with the objective of determining the effects of intra-row setts spacing, varieties, and quality of sugarcane on, yield, and yield components of sugarcane during the growing seasons of 2022/2023. The experiment was conducted randomized complete block design within a factorial arrangement; three sugarcane varieties (B52/298, NCo334, and C86/12) and four intra-row setts spacing (end to end of setts, 10cm, 20cm, and 30cm space between three budded setts) replicated three times. At closer (end-to-end and 10 cm) intra-row spacing, the number of tillers ha-1 , cane forming stalks ha-1 , millable canes ha-1 , number of internodes in cane, cane length, were recorded more than wider setts spacing (20cm and 30cm) and gave a significant difference(p