Description
Book SynopsisFrom enhancing the flavour of food to providing a substrate for fermentation, sugar is renowned worldwide for its importance as a commodity. For many centuries sugarcane has been cultivated and developed, and we now have a huge range of crop varieties.
Table of ContentsForeword.
Preface.
An Introduction to Sugercane.
The origins and spread of sugarcane; Movement and development of the noble canes; The ancestry of cultivated sugarcane; The early commercial cane varieties; The botany of sugarcane; Cultivation of sugarcane; The production of sugar; Research; Developments in the twentieth century; References.
Plant Improvement of Sugarcane.
Introduction; Germplasm; Cross-pollination; Selection; Breeding objectives; Future options; Conclusions; Acknowledgements; References.
Diseases.
Introduction; Principles of disease control in sugarcane; Selection of varieties for disease resistance; Fungal diseases; Bacterial diseases; Viral diseases; Phytoplasmal diseases; References.
Pests of sugarcane.
Introduction; Stalk borers; Soil pests; Sap feeders; Leaf feeders; Vertebrate pests of sugarcane; References.
Sugarcane Agriculture.
Introduction; Systems of cultivation; Yield; Ratoons and ratooning; Land preperation; Seedcane production; Planting; Ratoon management; Weed control in sugarcane; Irrigation and drainage; References.
Sugarcane Agronomy.
Soil management problems; Site selection; Clearing; Planning and layout; Field design; Land preperation; Nurseries; Commercial planting; Crop management; Crop control; Harvest; Field factors and cane quality; Ratooning; Monoculture; Specialty crops; Inter-cropping; Basic economics; References.
Harvest Management.
Pre-harvest burning; Green cane harvesting; To burn or not to burn; Unplanned cane fires; Fire control measures; Fire control equipment; Reaping and transport; Cane storage; Co-ordination and control of harvesting; References.
Cane Payment Systems.
Introduction; Different types of cane payments systems; Payment for which sugar products?; Incentives to improve technical performance; Sampling and testing of cane; Systems based on the average quality of growers' cane; Incentives to expand production; Impact on incentives for different socio-economic groups; Recent performance of cane payment systems; Conclusion.
Project Planning.
Introduction; The role of the consultant; Pre-feasibility study; Feasibility study; Further reading.
Author Index.
Subject Index
