Effect of natural farming on soil health and yield of sugarcane

A field experiment was carried out during 2014-16 (Plant cane) and 2016 - 17 (ratoon cane) at the research farm of Sugarcane Research Institute, Shahjahanpur to study the effect of plant geometry and natural farming on yield, and soil health. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The soil of experimental field had organic carbon (0.33%), phosphorus (9.20 kg/ha) and potash (106.6 kg/ha), pH (6.90), bulk density (1.12 g/cm3) with soil microbial population of 1.5×107 cfu/g. Experimental crop was planted with variety Co 05011 through one and three budded sett at different geometry as per treatment comprising five treatments. Experimental results showed that planting of three budded sett at row spacing of 240 cm with conventional practices (T1) produced significantly higher plant cane yield (63.97 t/ha) followed by planting of one budded sett at row spacing of 240 cm and bud to bud 60 cm spacing with natural farming (T2) with plant cane yield of 54.13 t/ha and intercrop yield of lahi (8.45 q/ha), lentil (1.74 q/ha) and moong (2.23 q/ha). However, significantly higher ratoon cane yield (69.89 t/ha) was recorded in planting of one budded sett at row spacing of 240 cm and bud to bud 60 cm spacing with natural farming (T2) ) followed by planting of three budded sett at row spacing of 240 cm with conventional practices (T1) with ratoon cane yield of 51.41 t/ha. Organic matter, available NPK and microbial population were found to be increased in natural farming treatments than that of conventional treatment.