Improving the germination of sugarcane and the control of pineapple disease

Planting is the most expensive operation on a sugarcane farm, and the success of the plant crop can affect yields throughout the crop cycle. Germination failures associated with billet planting have been caused by damaged and/or short billets and pineapple disease. The fungicide difenoconazole (Score®) did not stimulate germination and was no better than propiconazole (Cane Set! Treatment®) for the control of pineapple disease. Heat shrink coating of setts in 20 flm low-density polyethylene failed to protect the setts from pineapple disease. Polyethylene coating of short-hot-water treated setls significantly improved control of pineapple disease, especially if the setts were also treated with fungicide. Short-hot-water treatment (52°C for 10 min) consistently improved the speed of germination. Application of phosphorus to cane to be used for planting, eight weeks before planting, significantly improved the speed of germination and the early vigour of plants. In this experiment, nitrogen did not stimulate germination. Future research is needed to confirm the response to phosphorus on different soil types and to further develop innovative ways of protecting setts from pineapple disease.