[en] One-phase model have been reported to describing the simultaneous heat and mass transfer in a horizontal drum partially filled by sugarcane bagasse with attention to the loss of water promoted by the increase of temperature. Mass and energy balances were written in MatLab language and solved by finite difference method. Predicted temporal and spatial profiles of moisture content and temperature are shown. Experimental tests were carried out in a horizontal drum and the temporal profiles were obtained. Great adjustments between experimental and predicted data were observed, indicating that the model is able to describe the transport phenomena in this system. (Author)

[en] This article describes the results of a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) for traditional and organic cultivation of sugar cane in Valle del Cauca. Eco-scores obtained for each case, shown that organic cultivation is less harmful, in environmental terms, than traditional one. In the last one, the biomass burning process, made to facilitate the crop, is the principal environmental problem, while in the first one, it is the use of pollinaza, an organic fertilizer based on these results recommendations were made to obtain significant reduction in the impact of the sugar cane cultivation

[en] Screening for resistance against Colletotrichum falcatum was performed In 96 test lines of sugarcane by artificially inoculation method under field conditions for two consecutive years (1998-99). Out of these 96 cultivars, 43 were graded intermediately resistant and 53 intermediately susceptible on the basis of 0-9 scale. (author)

[en] Drought is the primary factor limiting sugarcane growth and physiological development under the climatic conditions of Pakistan; especially in those areas where without supplemental irrigation, productivity is not possible. Lack of detailed information regarding the performance of cane varieties under drought during formative stage and poor selection breeding program played key role in limiting cane productivity. The proposed study was conducted to investigate the genetic response of different cultivars viz., CSSG-676, CSSG-668, HoSG-795, HoSG-529, NSG-59 and HSF- 240 (standard) regarding the physiological development of sugarcane and its productivity at different irrigation co-efficient levels (100%, 80% and 60%). This study elucidates that moisture has a pronounced impact on the physiological attributes of sugarcane and proper irrigation scheduling with 20 no. of irrigations were reported best in-term of better germination (69.65%), leaf area index (7.13), crop growth rate (8.44), net assimilation rate (1.06) and chlorophyll contents (5.98). Similarly in case of genomic response, NSG-59 was reported significant best as compared to all other test cultivars in term of better physiological performance, showing significant higher leaf area index, crop growth rate, chlorophyll contents and water use efficiency that maximized the crop growth and resulted in higher net assimilation rate. Higher proline contents (1.59) produced in NSG-59 also made it best under drought conditions. (author)

[en] Effect of planting techniques and weed-crop competition periods on yield potential of spring planted sugarcane variety HSF-240 was studied at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with a split-plot arrangement, with four replications and net plot size of 3.6m x 10m. In the experiment, two planting techniques viz., 60 cm apart rows in flat sowing technique and 120 cm apart rows in trench sowing technique were randomized in main plots. Seven weed-crop competition periods viz., Zero (weed free), weed-crop competition for 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 days after sowing (DAS) and weedy check (full season weed-crop competition) were randomized in sub-plots. Sugarcane sown by trench method exhibited more leaf area index (LAI), average crop growth rate (ACGR) and yield contributing attributes. Trench sowing by yielding 72.22 and 75.08 t ha/sup -1/ stripped cane yields, significantly showed superiority over the flat sowing, which gave 64.13 and 66.04 t ha/sup -1/ stripped cane yields in 2005-06 and 2006- 07, respectively. Generally, there was an increase in weed population and biomass but decrease in leaf area index, crop growth rate and yield components with an increase in weed-crop competition period. A decrease of 10.06, 17.90, 22.42, 28.65, 37.64 and 56.89% in stripped cane yield was observed for weed-crop competition periods of 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 DAS and weedy check as compared with zero competition in 2005-06, respectively. In 2006-07, the respective decrease in stripped cane yield was 9.84, 18.76, 22.92, 27.98, 38.75, and 54.98%. Trench sowing at 1.2 m row spacing proved better sowing technique and 45 DAS was the critical period of weed-crop competition. (author)

No abstract available

[en] Yield losses by weeds in maize crop and demonstrated efficacy of various mulches in weed management led to check the efficacy of various available mulches for suppressing weeds in maize crop at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad during kharif (autumn) season 2011. The experiment was laid in Randomized Complete Block Design, (RBCD) having eight treatments and four replications. The treatments were black plastic, white plastic, sugarcane straw, wheat straw, live mulch, weeds as mulch, hand weeding and weedy check. Weed data included weed density m, fresh and dry weight g m, while crop data included crop density m, fresh and dry weight g m, number of plant plot, stover yield (g), plant height (cm), number of cobs plant, number of leaves plant, average grain number of five cobs and grain yield (t ha). With the exception of hand weeding, minimum number of weeds 128 m and 164 m were recorded in black plastic and weeds as mulch, respectively, compared to 595 min weedy check. Similarly, maximum grain yields (1.91 and 1.85 tha) were recorded in black plastic and weeds as mulch, while minimum grain yield (0.64 t ha) was recorded in weedy check plots. The economic net returns of black plastic mulch and weeds as mulch were Rs. 39,824 and Rs. 38,291, respectively as compared to Rs. 21431 for weedy check. Yield increased by 21.1 and 16.5% over hand weeding by plastic mulch and weeds as mulch, respectively. Black plastic followed by weeds as mulch, are recommended to control weeds and get maximum yield as well as net economic return. (author)

[en] The determination of Ca, Cu, Fe and Pb in sugarcane raw spirits by atomic absorption spectrophotometry was carried out. For 20 μL injected sample, calibration within the 0,5-25,0 mg. L^-1 Ca; 0,25-5,0 mg. L^-1 Cu, Pb and Cu intervals were established using the ratios Cu, Ca, Fe and Pb absorbance versus analyte concentration, respectively. Typical linear correlations of r = 0,999 were obtained. The proposed method was applied for the direct determination of Ca, Cu, Fe and Pb in sugar cane spirits, and in samples. The results obtained were in accordance to those obtained at 95% confidence level

No abstract available

[en] Bangladesh has made great strides in food production. Recently it has achieved a worthwhile improvement in productivity of lentil—one of its most important crops. And ICARDA had a part to play. Lentil is the most important pulse in Bangladesh. It is the most popular pulse in both urban and rural areas, and rice with lentil soup (known as dhal) is often eaten in the villages; most people try to include it in their daily diet. So it is not surprising that Bangladesh is the world’s fourth largest lentil producer, exceeded only by India, Turkey and Canada—all of which have a far greater land area. The sown area of lentil in Bangladesh is about 210,000 ha, giving a production of 160,000 tonnes at an average yield of 769 t/ha. Even so, this is not enough. In 1994, according to FAO, Bangladesh imported 75,000 tonnes of pulses with a value of around US $19.8 million. This was high; the figure fluctuates, but there is an obvious need to improve production. This can not be done by increasing the sown area. In an intensive cropping pattern, lentil faces tough competition from cereals and oilseeds and from other winter pulses. Indeed, lentil is grown as a sole crop in Bangladesh but also as a mix or intercropped with cereals, oilseeds and sugarcane. Intercropping and mix-cropping are age-old practices, particularly in the north and north-western parts of the country. In this situation, an increase in production can come only from better yield