Effect of Water Deficit on Yield, Quality and Water Productivity of Sugarcane

Background and Objective: In Sudan, sugarcane crop is exposed to a certain level of water deficit during particular periods, usually before and after the rainy season caused by technical problems with irrigation pumps. This shortage of irrigation water that occasionally happens with different levels is expected to reduce yield and quality. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of water deficit caused by wide intervals before and after rainfall on yield, quality and water productivity of plant cane. Materials and Methods: A field experiment was conducted during seasons 20108/19 and 2019/20 at Guneid Sugarcane Research Center Farm, Sudan. The experiment led to a randomized complete plot design with four replications. The treatments involved three levels of water deficit before rainfall; WDI₁: 30 days, WDI₂: 50 days, WDI₃: 70 days and after rainfall; WDI₄: 30 days, WDI₅: 50 days WDI₆: 70 days compared with control WDI₀: 12 days. Cane yield and quality parameters were recorded. Results: The experimental results revealed significant effects on cane yield parameters. The quality parameters resulted in no significant difference (p<0.05) in plant cane crops. Treatment WDI₁ gave significantly (p<0.05) the highest cane and sugar yield values. However, WDI₃ and WDI₆ treatments resulted in significantly (p<0.05) decreased in cane and sugar yield when compared with the other treatments. High values of water productivity were recorded when water deficit treatment was applied before rainfall. Conclusion: Water deficit treatments of 70 days before and after rainfall may be avoided in sugarcane irrigation scheduling.