Investigating the optimum density of plantation of noble Saccharum Officinarum canes under certified organic context using leaf area index
2024
Vitrac, Marotea | Teai, Taivini | Shili-Touzi, Ines | Maunas, Laurent | Goebel, François-Régis
Noble sugarcanes are used in several cases of rum production and have a specific agronomic behavior as their morphologic characteristics are different from those observed in modern cultivars. Their height and tillering don't allow good yields under conventional methods of cultivation. They produce less stalks than modern cultivars on the same plant. Therefore, to get the same quantity of stalks per unit of surface, the population density has to be changed from standards. To study the impact of different densities on the cultivation of noble canes, the leaf area index (LAI) of noble and modern varieties was measured to know their capacity to cover the soil and prevent weed development. The cultivar To re'are'a (S. officinarum noble variety) was used with good agronomic potential, on an experimental plot of 4 000 m2 where two densities of plantation from 20 000 to 40 000 plant per hectare were compared, under the same cultivation standards. The doubled density plots showed better LAI (4,52 compared to 2,25 for low density), which increased month after month. Indeed, biomass yields were also higher (108,0 compared to 47,5 t/ha for the low density). Doubling the density of this noble cane could be a good agronomic practice to explore some better schemes of cultivation, adapted to organic agriculture. A special focus will be put on an intergeneric hybrid of Saccharum officinarum x Miscanthus floridulus called To 'a'eho (LAI = 6,65) to investigate the management of weeds inside the row.
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