Using pelleted lateral buds of sugarcane stalk as seeds with an approach to improve sugarcane yield components

Abstract Background Sugarcane cultivation today faces significant challenges, including high production costs of plant-material, labor-intensive practices, and inefficient use of available resources. Traditional methods rely on bulky stock cuttings, which are costly to transport and to store. It often results in poor sprouting. To address these issues, the study explored using pelleted lateral buds of sugarcane stalk as seed source, aiming to improve planting efficiency, reduce production costs, and to enhance yield though improved its components. The research problem focuses on developing a sustainable and mechanize approach in sugarcane cultivation, optimizing seed quality and planting technique to address challenges such as high production costs, labor-intensive practices, and inefficient resource use in current traditional methods. Methods The experiment was conducted in planting season 2021 in split-plots, randomized complete block design at experimental fields of Sugarcane and By-products Development Research and Training Institute (SBDRTI) of Khouzestan in Iran. Main-plot treatments were planting date (i.e. August 25 (D1), September 25 (D2), and October 25 (D3), 2021) and sub-plot treatments the pellet types: i.e. A1 (starch + peat + micro-combi fertilizer), A2 (starch + peat + nutritional compounds + carbendazim fungicide), A3 (single-bud without pellet), and A4 (control, i.e., 50 cm cuttings without pellet) in three replications. Results Findings revealed that pelleting lateral buds of sugarcane stalk, particularly in treatment expressed as D2A2 (i.e. September planting with A2 pellets) resulted in an increase in tillers density (13%) and stalks (19%) per hectare as compare to control. This, in turn, enhanced sugarcane yield by 11% i.e. 1.1658 kg m− 2. The study confirmed that pelleted single-bud cultivation on a suitable date can significantly improve plant establishment with increase in mill-able stalks, which boosted the overall yield of sugarcane. Conclusion This study highlighted the potential of pelleted lateral buds’ cultivation of sugarcane as a viable alternative over the traditional planting methods. The results suggest that this approach can reduce planting costs, improve resource efficiency, and enhance yield components. For future research, it is recommended to investigate long-term effects of pelleting on sugarcane ratoon crop exploring scalability of the method on large-scale mechanized cultivation.