Monton Tantasutthikul

Dumrongsak Deowanish

Jaroslaw Gorniak

Naveen Kulkarni

New Technologies to Improve Sugar Yield From Cane

Classification: PUBLICAgrifuture Conference, 2-3 December, 2019. Bangkok

Sugar Cane – one of the most efficient solar light accumulation systems on the Earth.

Source - GAMAYA

Key concerns/pain points of Sugarcane growers in Asia

Classification: INTERNAL USE ONLY

How to make sure, my cane is preferred by sugar mill? Sell earlier, get premium?

What if Sugar mill is not able

to take my harvest right

now?

I don’t need so many thin stalks.

How to deal with empty gaps in the

canopy?

How to produce more sugar?

Its so difficult to harvest crop laying flat on the ground!

How to minimize Lodging?

How to prevent sugar loss just before harvest?Can I improve Millable

stalk yield?

How to spray when crop is so high?

What can go wrong with Sugar Cane?

Germination

Exudation

Lodging

Rooting

Tillering

Regrowth

What can we do to make better planting Sugar Cane?

PGR for sugar accumulation and drought stress mitigation in sugarcane and anti-lodging on cereals and rice. Widely used on sugarcane and cereals.

Why Moddus in Sugarcane?

● Consistent increase of Pol across number of situations.

● Improved root development

● Improved tillering

● Potential to advance harvest for 20 days

● Improved maintenance of Pol, if harvest has to be delayed.

● Improved re-growth after harvest resulting in better sugar cane crops

● Proven to be efficient in all major varieties in Brazil

Trinexapac-ethyl

(growth regulator)

Moddus – benefits at each growth stage!

Trinexapac-ethyl(growth regulator)

Mode of action: Gibberellic acid inhibitor (GA-inhibitor)

Inhibits final step (GA20-GA1) in gibberellic acid biosynthesis pathway

Moddus is radiply absorbed through the foliage and stem and is translocated acropetally (upward) within the plant

How Moddus helps? – Physiological effects beneficial for Sugarcane

OH O

CO2CH

2CH

3O

● Gibberellins are known to regulate plant growth – cell elongation

● Moddus as other retardants is able to block synthesis of Gibberellins

● Shortens internal length & imparts strength in stem

Moddus does not stop crop growth, ………it re-directs it!

GA-inhibition leads to:

•Maintained green mass with reduced plant height

•Improved productivity

•Stronger stems

•Increased stress tolerance

•Reduced lodging

Moddus – Longer or thicker stalks?

• Thickening and increase of stems strength – more mechanical tissue

• Control of plant ripeness to prevent sugar loss for flowering.

• Increased concentration of sugar, proteins, chlorophyll and mineral components in upper plant part.

Nº Roots

UNTREATED

Number and distribution of roots in the frame cells. Moddus vs Untreated

(São Carlos Mill, S. Paulo)

Moddus – More roots, better crop.

Trinexapac-ethyl

(growth regulator) Moddus – Fiber or sugar?

With age sucrose gets harder to extract due to pith (bagasse, fiber waste)

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

0 15 30 45 60 75 90

% P

ol c

ane

Days after treatment

check

Moddus250

PoIarisation degrees (Pol). Comparison between Moddus and Untreated Check.

(São Paulo, Brazil), mean of 9 trials

12.2 - minimum Pol for harvest (Pol = % sucrose content)Maturation speed increased by Moddus 250Adequate sugar content by 45 DAT(untreated >60days)

Min Pol level

Moddus – Earlier harvest opportunity

Classification: PUBLIC AAA12

Why Moddus is Important for Sugarcane Growers in Thailand?

6 trials with use of Drone (conducted by Syngenta)

2 trials with use of YAMAHA Helicopter

(conduct by Naresuan & Kasetsart Universities)

Moddus improved sugar content has to be used late.New technologies of application: Efforts in Thailand.

Classification: PUBLIC AAA14

Moddus on Sugarcane: Drone application Trial Details

Sprayer Details

• Drone DJI MG1* (Standard Operating • Payload 10 L) • Operating Speed:3 m/s• Spray volume: 25 L./Ha (4 L./rai)

Spray Equipment

• Nozzle type: Flat fan (XR11001)• Spray Width:4 m (4 nozzles)• Droplet Size:XR11001: 130~250

μm• Flow rate:0.4 L/min (per nozzle)• Spray height:2.5 meters over the

top of plant

Locations

• NE: 2 Trials (Udonthani)• LN : 3 trials (Phitsanulok and

Kamphaengphet)• Central: 1 Trial (Suphanburi)• Variety: KhonKaen-3

Application Details:

2 variables: 1 – Application timing (2 levels: 30 and 60 Days Before Harvest)2 – Treatments (5 levels + Untreated Check)

1. Moddus 200 g ai/ha2. Moddus 250 g ai/ha3. Moddus 300 g ai/ha4. Competitive PGR 360 g ai/ha5. Standard HB used for ripening control

Assessments:

● CCS including Brix, Pol, Fiber and Purity at 60, 45, 30, 15 before harvest and at harvest

● Cane Yield at harvest

● Phytotoxic on sugarcane 0, 15 and 30 DAA.

● # plants (15 Day after ratoon emerging)

10

15

20

200 250 300 200 250 300 -

Moddus Moddus

App. at 2 months before harvest App. at 1 months before harvest Untreated

C.C.S. at 15 days before harvest

Classification: CONDIFENTIAL

Average of 6 fields trials

Rate (g.ai/hai)

C.C

.S.

Moddus @300 g ai./ha applied 1 month before harvest provide c.c.s. increase 1.04 at 15 days after application

CV% = 6.02

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

200 250 300 200 250 300 -

Moddus Moddus

App. at 2 months before harvest App. at 1 months before harvest Untreated

% POL at 15 days before harvest

Classification: CONDIFENTIAL

Average of 6 fields trials

Rate (g. ai/ha)

%P

OL

Moddus @ 300 g.ai./ha apply at 1 month before harvest provided the best %POL increase over untreated check (1.39%)

Samples analyzed in Dept of Agriculture, Suphanburi

CV% = 4.53

10

15

20

25

200 250 300 200 250 300 -

Moddus Moddus

App. at 2 months before harvest App. at 1 months before harvest Untreated

% BRIX at 15 days before harvest

Classification: CONDIFENTIAL

Average of 6 fields trials

Rate (g. Ai./ha)

%B

RIX

• 1 month before harvest is better than 2 months

• Moddus @300 gai/ha is better over untreated at 1 month before harvest

CV% = 3.26

3000

5000

7000

9000

11000

13000

15000

17000

19000

200 250 300 200 250 300 -

Moddus Moddus

App. at 2 months before harvest App. at 1 months before harvest Untreated

Moddus on Sugarcane: Yields (kg./rai) at harvest

Classification: CONDIFENTIAL

Average of 6 fields trials

Rate (g. ai./ha)

Yie

lds (

kg

./ra

i)

All treatment provided no significant yield improvement over untreated check

CV% = 20.43

10

20

30

40

50

200 250 300 200 250 300 -

Moddus Moddus

App. at 2 months before harvest App. at 1 months before harvest Untreated

No. of plant/hill at 15 days after ratoon emerge

Classification: CONDIFENTIAL

Average of 6 fields trials

Rate (g. ai./ha)

No

. o

f p

lan

t/ h

ill

All treatment provided %No. of plant/hill not significant with untreated check

Moddus @250-300/ha at 2 month before harvest gave trend more no. of plant at 15 days after ratoon emerge

CV% = 20.43

Interaction of Moddus with key varieties grown in ThailandHelicopter application: Naresuan University

Classification: INTERNAL USE ONLY

Sugarcane Variety

CCS increment over UTC

30 DAA 45 DAA 60 DAA

U-Thong12 2.24 2.94 2.49

Khonkaen3 2.08 2.25 1.66

KpK98-51 -1.13 2.9 1.03

LK92-11 1.51 1.95 1.32

• Moddus @ 250 gai/ha provided maximum increase in C.C.S. at 45 days after application

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

U-Thong12 Khonkaen3 LK92-11 KpK98-51

C.C.S. C.C.S. C.C.S.

CC

S

Classification: PUBLIC AAA21

Performance of Moddus @250 gai/ha on Khon Kane-3 variety Helicopter application: Kasetsart University

CC

S

Moddus on Sugarcane by Drone application.

30 DBH

Summary report of 3 protocols for Moddus on Sugarcane

Drone Application: Moddus @ 300 g.ai./ha apply at 1 month before harvest increased increase C.C.S. = 1.04, %POL = 1.39% and %brix = 0.75% over Untreated

Naresuan University: Moddus @250 gai/ha apply at 2 months before harvest by YAMAHA

helicopter can increase C.C.S. 1.95 – 2.94 at 45 days after application on Key Sugarcane

varieties

Kasetsart University: Moddus @250 gai/ha apply at 2 months before harvest by YAMAHA helicopter increased C.C.S. up to 3.51 at 30

days after application

Classification: PUBLIC AAA24

Classification: PUBLIC AAA25

Back up Slides

Seedling growth

Germination TilleringStem elongation

BootingEar emergence

FloweringMilk development

Dough development

Ripening

GS10-GS19GS00-GS09 GS20-GS29 GS30-GS39 GS40-GS49 GS50-GS59 GS60-GS69 GS70-GS79 GS80-GS89 GS90-GS99

Cytokinins (cell division) Gibberellin (cell elongation) Etylen (ripening) Abscissic acid (senescence)

Auxins (tropisms – geo, photo etc)

Plant hormone system. Continuous balance dependent on weather.

Moddus – essential use details

● Applications should be made when cane reaches full physiological maturation

● Harvest should happen ca 45-70 DAA when the difference of Pol reaches the maximum.

● Resulting gain of sucrose may reach 0,9 % Pol which represent 680 kg of sugar in one

hectare

● For late varieties, when rain starts and mature plants start to re grow, Moddus reduces the

speed of growth and delays sucrose loss.

● Proven to be efficient in all major varieties in Brazil

Trinexapac-ethyl

(growth regulator)