Sugarcane trash mulching treated with inorganic (Urea)/ organic sources (Vermicompost/ FYM) and microbial inoculants (Trichoderma viride / Azotobacter + PSB) improved soil health parameters significantly in terms of physical, chemical and biological properties of soil after harvest of sugarcane ratoon crop (two years). The organic carbon, soil respiration and soil microbial biomass carbon enhanced due to sugarcane trash mulching treated with urea or FYM/ vermicompost/ Trichoderma and Azotobacter + PSB treated plots as compared to control (No trash). Among various mulching treatments improvement was significantly more in plots treated with Trichoderma viride. The trash mulching treatments also reduced soil resistance, bulk density and improved water holding capacity of soil. The mean sugarcane plant height (185.43cm - 232.87cm) and ratoon crop's height (175.56cm - 220.65cm) varied significantly at 280 days old sugarcane crop. The highest dry matter production was recorded in Trichoderma inoculated trash mulching treatment (Plant 26.64 t ha-1 and Ratoon 24.94 t ha-1). Sugarcane trash mulching resulted in enhanced number of millable cane, cane yield and sugar yield of plant and ratoon crop over no trash treatment. The brix percent of cane juice for plant (18.80-20.07) and ratoon crop (17.91-19.31) varied significantly in the treatment of Trichoderma inoculated trash only. The quality of juice in terms of brix, pol and purity were comparatively better in trash treated plots over no trash treatment. Sugarcane trash mulching (10 t ha-1) either treated with urea (N 25 kg ha-1) / FYM (5 t ha-1)/ vermicompost (2.5 t ha-1), or inoculated with Trichoderma viride (500gm t-1 of trash)/ Azotobacter + PSB (5 kg ha-1) improved soil heath in terms of soil organic carbon, soil microbial biomass carbon, soil respiration, water holding capacity, bulk density and soil resistance with significant improvement in yield and juice quality of sugarcane plant - ratoon system in calcareous soil.

Trash mulching, soil properties, cane yield, sugar yield

Sugarcane trash mulching (10 t ha-1) either treated with urea (N 25 kg ha-1)/ FYM (5 t ha-1) /vermicompost (2.5 t ha-1), or inoculated with Trichoderma viride (500gm t-1 of trash)/ Azotobacter + PSB (5 kg ha-1) significantly improved soil heath in terms of soil organic carbon, soil microbial biomass carbon, soil respiration, water holding capacity, bulk density and soil resistance with significant improvement in yield and juice quality of sugarcane plant - ratoon system in calcareous soil.

Rajendra Bairwa*, C.K. Jha, S.K. Thakur and Vipin Kumar (2022). Soil health, Cane Productivity and Juice quality Improvement through Sugarcane trash Management in Plant-ratoon system grown in Calcareous Soil. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(2): 1091-1094.