Sugar Cane Cultivation

SUGAR CANE WITH THE MULTIPLOW

In Agricultural Systems, soils constitute an essential natural resource, generator of inputs and raw materials, as well as services to ecosystems and the environment and within, forming a fundamental part of the human being, the animal and plant kingdom.

Soils as a natural carbon sink are determinant in the regulations of Carbon Dioxide (CO²) emissions and other greenhouse gases and their incidence in climate regulation.

Agriculture is considered one of the activities of man that causes the most damage to the environment, due to the conventional system of soil preparation for cultivation used for a long time, where the technology of turning over the soil layers causes the carbon captured in the sink (soil) is transferred to the atmosphere as Carbon Dioxide (CO²).

 COMPACTION OF SUGAR CANE SOILS. Consequences.

Soil compaction has been considered the main problem of degradation of the structure of agricultural soils worldwide, and is considered one of the threats that affect the health of sugarcane soils, which is aggravated every year. years with the activities of conventional preparation of the same and with the activities pre and post-harvest in some cases with high mechanization, which increases the density and degradation of the chemical-physical and biological structure of the same, affecting root development and the transport of elaborated sap to the aerial part of the plant, decreasing its development and reducing its genetic expression and therefore its productive potential.

PLOW FOOT

The negative effects on crops caused by “Plow Foot” are very recurrent and known, which corresponds to a hard layer located at a depth of between 15 and 40 cm, which is produced by the recurring passage of plows that turn the soil, such as disc or moldboard plows. At the lower support point of said plows, a hardness is generated that reaches thicknesses between 8 and 10 cm or more and is impenetrable to the root. The plowed surface also hinders the passage and infiltration of water, which causes excess humidity, a decrease in the absorption of nutrients, less growth of the aerial part of the plant and the consequent reduction of the productive potential.

THE MULTIPLOW in the decompaction of soils and elimination of the “Plow Foot”

The technology used in THE ECOPLOUGH BUTTERFLY and the horizontal cutting of the soil layers, as well as the elimination of discs and moldboards, eliminate the compaction of agricultural soils and restore their characteristics. Likewise, the damaging “Plow Foot” generated by this type of soil preparation is eliminated.

STUBBLE MANAGEMENT IN SUGAR CANE.

The loss of organic carbon (C) from sugarcane soils in the form of carbon dioxide (CO²), methane (CH4) or carbon monoxide (CO) contribute to global warming, however, farming systems based on a high incorporation of residues to the soil and reduced tillage tends to accumulate more carbon in the soil than is lost to the atmosphere. These systems have the potential to increase carbon retention by providing a prospective way to mitigate the increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO²)

Knowing which are the main inputs and outputs of carbon, it is possible to assess the retention and potential loss of carbon from soils in the short term. Soil-atmosphere carbon exchange and stubble management are important to provide sustainable solutions by mitigating carbon loss.

In sugarcane (Saccharum spp) the burning of crop residue (stubble) can contribute to the reduction of soil organic carbon (SOC). In turn, the use of stubble for energy cogeneration is promoted without considering the impact of soil fertility.

STUBBLE MANAGEMENT WITH CONVENTIONAL TILLING.

The use of conventional implements in the preparation of land for cultivation buries the stubble and leaves the soil bare, which causes great effects such as:

• Drying of soils. They accelerate moisture loss through evaporation, leaving the surface exposed to the proliferation of weeds, which compete with the crop, stealing nutrients, water and light. When the soil dries up; it also compacts and forms cracks that break the roots and delay the tilling and development of the stems.
• They acidify the soil. Pathogenic fungi proliferate.
• Bare soil exposes macro and microorganisms to the effect of solarization that sterilizes the soil.
• Loss of Oxygen, Humidity and microbial life conditions of the soil.

THE MULTIPLOW

THE MULTIPLOW contemplates a more powerful and complete design to assume work in all types of soils for sugarcane cultivation and constitutes a new concept of tillage: it is a versatile implement that can carry out soil preparation and cultivation tasks. , such as: breaking, crossing, furrowing, sub soiling, weeding cultivation, hilling cultivation, cultivation and fertilization, etc., substituting various tillage and cultivation implements. To carry out these tasks, it has a set of accessories that allows it to adopt different work configurations, depending on the work to be carried out.

STUBBLE MANAGEMENT WITH THE MULTIPLOW.

THE MULTIPLOW is the technology that provides correct stubble management in sugarcane cultivation, leaving the soil covered and allows excellent stubble management on the soil surface, maintaining its structure, oxygenation and humidity, converting sugarcane fields into water reservoirs and natural nutrient bio factories, all of which reduces costs, increases yields in tons of cane and converts them into sugar, increasing fertility and decreasing dependence on external inputs that make production more expensive.

• The optimal tillage depth for soils dedicated to sugarcane is around 30-40 centimeters, which is the depth where the greatest amount of physiologically active root mass develops its activity and where there is a greater productive response of the crop with less costs.

THE MULTIPLOW allows a substantial increase in yields in sugarcane cultivation due to the renewal of crop roots and the return of soil characteristics.

• Reduction of up to more than 60% of the expenses for irrigation, fertilization, herbicides and fuels.
• THE MULTIPLOW makes it possible to maintain high yields in sapling plantations, doubling the useful life of the vines and avoiding the enormous expenses caused by new plantings.
• Increase in soil fertility by breaking down the stubble and incorporating between 4,000 and 7,500 kg of C/ha

When the residue is left in the field, Oliveira et al. (2002), in Brazil, indicate a potential contribution from stubble of 6260 kg of C/ha and 64 kg of N/ha. Robertson and Thorburn (2007) indicate values between 3,000 and 5,000 kg C/ha and 27 to 55 kg of N/ha in the RAC of sugarcane. Digonzelli, et al., (2011) report between 3800 and 5700 kg of C/ha and between 6 and 52 kg of N/ha released from the RAC. In relation to potassium, Wood (1991) reports a concentration of 0.51% in the sugarcane residue, which represents an initial quantity of 86 kg of K/ha. Oliveira et al. (2002) reported a content of 66 to 138 kg of K/ha in the fresh RAC of sugarcane. In Brazil, they mention a release of 93% of the K contained in the residue after 11 months in the field. Digonzelli et al. (2011) found a release of between 67% and 79% of the K content of the RAC. In that same work, these percentages of K release meant between

40 and 45 kg of K/ha, lower values than those found in the present work. The results of this study show a significant release of nutrients from the decomposition of the RAC that could, in the medium term, have practical implications for crop nutrition and lead to the modification of the doses of fertilizers that must be provided to the system. productive.

• With THE MULTIPLOW, all the preparation and cultivation tasks can be carried out with a single implement, doubling the productivity of the tractors and reducing the time needed to prepare the land by more than 60%.

WEEDING WITH THE MULTIPLOW.
Weeding is a very important task to eliminate competition for nutrients in crops and in the case of sugar cane it is also very relevant. Mechanical weeding, in addition to not contaminating the environment, is very effective and economical, especially in medium and large extensions.

With the use of THE MULTIPLOW, weeding is done much more efficiently and economically.

COMPACTED AND EXTREMELY DRY SOIL

With conventional implements, the work between the rows of the crop is carried out with sections of discs and with harrows, which fragment the runners and rhizomes of the weeds, which increase their propagation.

Comparison in sugar cane: Fields worked with the traditional technology (left photo below) Fields worked with THE MULTIPLOW technology (right photo below) in the USA.

The stones on the surface of the traditional plot and the lighter color, denotes a very intense washing and dragging of sediments after a 2-inch rain event that occurred two days before the photo. After planting there were more than two months without rain and a frost occurred.

The soil worked with THE MULTIPLOW has a more intense black color, better water collection and storage without dragging. Due to the above, an intense green color, more vigor and greater growth of the crop are observed.

SUGAR CANE CULTIVATION WORKS WITH THE MULTIPLOW.

The work of The MULTIPLOW in the cultivation work after the harvest, prunes the old roots, controls weeds and oxygenates the soil, creating optimal conditions for the nutrition and development of the plants, covering the soil with stubble and carrying out a weeding work that does not allow the propagation of weed runners and rhizomes, also lowering production costs.

Returning the structure to the soil increases the useful life of the vines, because it keeps the soil spongy and covered with stubble, increasing their fertility, reducing the application of external inputs that damage the environment and make production more expensive.

For the work of renewing vines, it is recommended to carry out a pass with THE MULTIPLOW, in the same line of the previous planting, immediately after the harvest, simultaneously achieving in a single work, the horizontal cut of the soil and the elimination of compaction and vines from their roots.

With The Ecoplow Butterfly, the process is carried out in an approximate period of 3-5 days with optimal management and use of humidity, time and stubble.

Once the soil has been cut and loosened, the furrowers are attached, which are also used for the simultaneous work of weeding and tucking before closing the field, ensuring that the crop develops while preserving the necessary conditions and free of weeds.

Draw the new furrows in the same direction as the previous plantation, but in the street that this one occupied, with the aim of taking advantage of the organic matter contributed by roots and stumps and the nutrients accumulated from the previous cycle in this area.

The MULTIPLOW allows a substantial increase in yields in the cultivation of sugarcane, as well as a reduction of up to more than 60% of the expenses for irrigation, fertilization, herbicides and fuels.

The MULTIPLOW allows you to maintain high yields in sapling plantations, doubling the useful life of the vines and avoiding the enormous expenses caused by new plantings.

With The MULTIPLOW, all the preparation and cultivation tasks can be carried out with a single implement, doubling the productivity of the tractors and reducing the time needed to prepare the land by more than 60%.

The correct tillage of the soil and its mineralization constitute the basis of the productivity of the crops, which will be reflected in the health of these and the productive results.