Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #156060
Title: OPPORTUNITIES IN SUGARCANE AGRONOMY TO CONFRONT THE NEW REALITIES EMERGING IN THE 21ST CENTURY: A REVIEW OF THE 2003 AGRONOMY WORKSHOP

Author
item Richard Jr, Edward
item KWONG, R - MSIRI - MAURITIUS
item KORNDORFER, G - UNIV FED DE UBER-BRAZIL
item MEYER, J - SASEX, SOUTH AFRICA
item KINGSTON, G - BUREAU OF SUGAR EXP STNS
item SHINE, J - SUGARCANE GROWER COOP-FL

Submitted to: International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists Proceedings
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2004
Publication Date: 1/28/2005
Citation: Richard Jr, E.P., Kwong, R.N., Korndorfer, G.H., Meyer, J., Kingston, G., Shine, J. 2005. Opportunities in Sugarcane Agronomy to Confront the New Realities Emerging in the 21st Century: A Review of the 2003 Agronomy Workshop. Proceedings of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. 25:78-87.

Interpretive Summary: The International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists' (ISSCT) hosted an Agronomy Workshop at the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute in Réduit, Mauritius. The theme of the workshop was "Opportunities in Sugarcane Agronomy to Confront the New Realities Emerging in the 21st Century". Paper presentations were grouped under the general topic headings of: green-cane harvesting and management of residues; innovative approaches to nutrient management; new/improved practices to increase cane and sugar yields; new/improved practices to increase cane biomass for the production of sugar/other products; moving toward a delicate balance among sugarcane production, natural resources utilization, and environmental impacts and economics; and information technology in agronomic practices. Included in the 5-day workshop were field tours to view common agronomic practices in the Mauritian sugarcane industry. It was concluded that the continued elucidation of the sugarcane plant's response to nutrient levels, stress, and other variables and the integration of this knowledge with new electronic technologies to include the use of decision-support systems will result in input reductions and the sustained or higher sugar yields necessary to insure global profitability for the sugarcane industry in the 21st century.

Technical Abstract: This paper summarizes the activities of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists' (ISSCT) Agronomy Workshop held 21 to 25 July 2003, at the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) in Réduit, Mauritius. Paper presentations were grouped under the general topic headings of: green-cane harvesting and management of residues; innovative approaches to nutrient management; new/improved practices to increase cane and sugar yields; new/improved practices to increase cane biomass for the production of sugar/other products; moving toward a delicate balance among sugarcane production, natural resources utilization, and environmental impacts and economics; and information technology in agronomic practices. Included in the 5-day workshop were field tours to view common agronomic practices in the Mauritian sugarcane industry. It was concluded that the continued elucidation of the sugarcane plant's response to nutrient levels, stress, and other variables and the integration of this knowledge with new electronic technologies to include their incorporation into decision support systems will result in input reductions and the sustained or higher sugar yields necessary to insure global profitability for the sugarcane industry in the 21st century.