Intercropping of potato within sugarcane plants in a double row planting system under wet climate

Abstract

Growing sugarcane in a double row planting system is one way to increase the productivity and sugar cane yield. Intercropping within sugarcane crops can increase the growth and productivity of sugarcane. This study aims to increase the productivity of sugarcane by adding value to potato cropping. The study used Randomized Block Design, where the treatments ae as follows: sugar cane as a planting system (A), double castor planting system (PtoP 210/50 cm) with cuttings of sugarcane stem + potato’s (B); double distance planting system (PtoP 185/50 cm) with cuttings stem sugarcane + potato’s (C); double distance planting system (PtoP 160/50 cm) with cuttings sugarcane stem + potato’s (D); double distance wedge system (PtoP 135/50 cm) with cuttings of sugarcane stem + potato. The planting system (PtoP 110/50 cm) with cuttings of sugarcane stem without planting potato was considered as control (E). All planting systems were repeated four times. The results of the study showed that the agronomic growth of sugar cane crops in some planting systems is not different, but in C and D planting systems, the number of leaves and the number of tillers were higher compared to others. Potatoes crop production in planting systems C reached 11,880 tons ha-1, which is higher than the production of planting systems A (8,640 tons ha-1.) and planting systems B (8,400 tons ha-1). After combining the determining factors of sugar cane production, the C planting systems is recommended for development of sugarcane crops because is better than other planting systems. The population of sugar cane plants in the C planting systems reached 18,000 clumps of plants per hectare