1.About the Station

Originally started at Kumaramangalam, Kulithalai Taluk in 1957

• Shifted to Sirugamani in 1959

• Merged with the TNAU in 1981

• Research on  mandatory crops of Cauvery delta namely Sugarcane, Banana, Betelvine and Oilpalm.

Location :

2. Project Details

• Agricultural Research Station (Main)

• National Agricultural Research Project-Phase-II

• AICRP on Betelvine (ICAR)

• Co-ordinated Agronomic Experiments (Sugarcane)

• Scheme for Improvement of Oil palm

3.Research activities

  i) Sugarcane:

• To tackle the problems in sugarcane cultivation in wetland under flow irrigation.

• To evolve high yielding, high quality sugarcane varieties which are resistant to early drought and late water logging, saline and alkaline conditions, red rot, smut and internode borer.

• To develop Integrated Nutrient Management practices with special emphasis on soil-plant-health care.

ii) Banana:

• To standardise the agro techniques for wetland banana cultivation in Cauvery delta zone.

• Crop improvement programmes to evolve cultivars for dwarfism, resistance to pest and diseases.

• Post-shoot application of plant growth regulators and micronutrients

• Development of integrated control measures for the pest and diseases of banana.

iii) Betelvine:

• Germplasm collection, maintenance, evaluation cataloguing and hybridisation.

• To evolve suitable crop management practices to improve yield and quality.

• To develop integrated management strategies for diseases and pests.

iv) Oil palm:

• Evaluation of high yielding hybrid combinations and development of suitable agro techniques for high yield.

4. Technological Innovations

i. Sugarcane:

1)   Five varieties were released, three for early (CoSi.86071, CoSi.95071 and CoSi.96071) and two for mid/late seasons (CoSi.776 and CoSi.98071).

2)   The cropping sequence of sugarcane – sugarcane ratoon – blackgram – paddy was more beneficial.

3)   Modified system of planting soybean as intercrop on the sides of the ridges was found to beneficial.

4)   Intercropping daincha on one side of the ridge and incorporation on the 60^th day of planting increased the cane yield by 12.2 t/ha.

5)   Forming deep ridges and furrows, pre-emergence application of 2.5 kg/ha Atrazine and one hand weeding are effective in weed management practices.

6)   A deep trench of 45cm at every 2 m interval is ideal under waterlogged conditions.

7)   Integration of 210kg N as Neem coated urea + 25t press mud + 10 kg each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria/ha recorded higher yield.

8)   To combat drought, trash mulching combined with 12.5 kg Kaoline spray/ha or deep trench planting with Urea + Potash spray at 2.5 % can be practised.

9)   An additional dose of 25% N, 5-10 days after stubble shaving increased cane and sugar yield in ratoon crop.

10)  Trash mulching, frequent irrigation, daincha intercropping, release of egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis and application of NSKE 5% effectively reduced the internode borer incidence.

11)  Cane planted during February and September was susceptible to smut and Co.449, CoC.771 and Co.6304 are resistant.  Aerated Steam Treatment of setts at 50º C for one hour followed by treatment with 0.1% Carbendazim reduce the incidence.

12)  The nematodes can be controlled by either marigold or daincha incorporation in combination with press mud (25 t/ha or Neem cake (2 t/ha).

13)  Application of Borax @ 62.5 kg/ha 100 days after planting can reduce the loss in CCS from 2.95% to 0.89% when harvest is delayed by 3 months.

14)  Addition of 1:40 dilution of distillery effluent increased cane and sugar yield and improved the soil organic matter.

ii.  Banana:

1.   Germplasm garden with 116 types are maintained.

2.   Application of Borax @ 50g/plant during 3^rd month and spraying of 0.5 % Boric acid during 4^th and 6^th month reduced lumpiness in Rasthali besides increasing the bunch yield.

3.    Application of  200g gypsum at 2^nd month after planting at 20 days interval five times followed by copious irrigation will alleviate the salt stress in Rasthali.

4.   Karpooravalli is relatively tolerant to flooding injury.  Foliar spray of Urea 1% with 2% Potash is advocated to combat flooding injury.

5.   Application of press mud @ 15 t/ha or Neem cake @ 1.5 t/ha was found to reduce the root-knot spiral nematode infestation and increased yield.

6.   Fusarium wilt can be controlled by corm injection of 60 mg capsules of Pseudomonas during 2^nd, 4^th and 6^th month after planting.

iii) Betelvine :

1)   Germplasm collection of 44 types is maintained and SGM1 is the variety released from this centre.

2)    Basal application of 100kg P₂O₅ /ha and 50 kg K₂O /ha every year and 100 kg N/ha in the form of Neem coated urea or 150 kg N/ha as FYM + Urea in 4 splits combined with 2kg Azospirillum + three rounds of Triacontanol 500ppm at 30 days interval from fifth month registered higher productivity.

3)   Bamboo basket lined with fresh plantain leaves under hollow packing recorded lowest spoilage while storing the leaves.

4)   Application of Bordeaux mixture (0.25%) as pre-monsoon drenching once followed by application of Trichoderma at monthly interval + field sanitation were effective against all diseases.

5)   Wettable sulphur 0.50% or Dicofol 0.05% or Ethion 0.05% against mite and Chlorphyriphos 0.05% or Neem oil 2% or endosulfan 0.04% against scale insects are effective.

6)   Application of neem cake @ 250 kg/ha followed by drenching NSKE 5% or neem oil 2% once and spraying (once in 30 days) effectively checked the stem borer in Sesbania (Agathi).

7)   Quarterly application of Paecilomyces lilacinus inoculated Neem cake @ 500 kg/ha for each application controlled the nematodes effectively.

iv) Oilpalm:

1)   Intercropping oilpalm with Rasthali banana followed by its ratoon was found to be profitable.

2)   Application of NPK at 1200:600:1200 g/palm upto four years was found to give good yield.

Linkages with other Institutions:

            The research station is working in close co-ordination with Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, National Research Centre, on Banana, Tiruchirapalli and National Research Centre for Medicinal and Aromatic plants, Gujarat.  Extensive field trials are laid out every year in collaboration with different sugar factories functioning under Public, Co-operative and Private sectors.  The Scientists of this station are participating in the T & V monthly workshops of Karur District organised  by the Department of Agriculture.

            The Horticulturists of this station are playing pivotal role in organising monthly workshops, training programmes for the Development Officers as well as farmers.  Their contribution for augmenting the production of vegetable and fruits for Uzhavar Sandai is significant.

Informations of individual Scientists

5.Contact Address: arssgm @tnau.ac.in

Dr.K.KANNAPPAN,

PROFESSOR AND HEAD,

SUGARCANE RESEARCH STATION,

TAMIL NADU AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY,

SIRUGAMANI- 639 115

TAMILNADU, INDIA.