MANAGEMENT OF GREEN CANE HARVESTING IN HIGH-YIELDING CROPS

In Colombia, cane yields average more than 130 t cane/ha, with individ ual fields often yielding 200 t/ha. There is no specific season for ma turing cane and consequently the quantity of tops and dry leaves produ ced is high, yielding 50 to 100 t/ha. These quantities of cane trash, left in the field after green cane harvesting, reduce germination in w et periods, and create problems for traditional agricultural practices . The problems associated with harvesting cane and managing crop resid ues are currently overcome by pre- and post-harvest burning. However, all cane will have to be harvested green by the year 2005 due to envir onmental constraints. Cenicana (The Colombian Sugarcane Research Centr e) in conjunction with the sugar industry is developing an integrated production package for green cane harvesting. This package involves ev aluation of erect self-trashing varieties, with less top, and high sug ar content to improve cane harvestability. To overcome the problem of poor germination under wet conditions, trash residues will be finely c hopped and the cane grown on ridges, so that the chopped residues fall into the inter row.