Agronomy & Management


Soil:

Fodder crops can be grown well on a wide range of soil types Soil pH should be 5.5 to 7.0, Avoid acidic and saline soils.


Water & Irrigation:

Sugargraze should irrigate before 7 days intervals in summer and 12 days interval in rainy season. For better palatability crop should be with high moisture. Sufficient irrigation will boost the healthy and expected bio-mass yield in forage crops.


Sowings:

Although Sugargraze is comparatively easy to establish, prepare good seedbed for good germination and root development.



Sowing Type:

Ridges & Furrows:

For staggered sowing, harvesting, irrigation and fertigation ridges and furrows method is very successful to get high yield and high quality fodder.

Blocks Method:

Blocks method is another successful method in forage cultivation. Farmer can harvest the fodder as per in requirement and irrigate the same block. Irrigation before or after sowing: Irrigate the field before and after sowing for better germination and healthy crop.

Sowing Time:


Spring - Feb to April
Kharif - May to August
Rabi (Central India and South India only) - September to November

Seed Rate:

Sugargraze - Heavy black soils 5 Kg and Light soils 6 Kg per Acre.

Spacing:

Sugargraze spacing is row to row 25 cm X plant to plant 10 cm

Fertiliser:

Fertiliser should use according to the soil test results.
N-30 Kg (60 Kg Urea),
P-15 Kg (30 Kg DAP or 100 kg SSP),
K-10 Kg (20 Kg Potash) per Acre.

Adequate nitrogen will ensure the crop fast growth and quick recovery after cutting. Apply Nitrogen as top dressing to get optimum benefit.





Insect & Disease Management:

Sugargraze can be infected by Stem borer and Shoot borer. Seed has been treated with high quality insecticides to protect from soil and seed born pests. Apply 8 Kg of UMET (Phorate 10 G) or 8 Kg Kaardon (Cartop Hydrochloride 4 G) per acre along with 1st irrigation to control shoot and stem borer.


Cutting & Harvesting:

Sugargraze can cut at 45 to 50 days age to get 2 cuts or can cut at 70 to 90 days age to get optimum sugar levels in the juice. For green fodder Sugargraze can be cut at 40 to 50 days age and for Silage 75 to 90 days age is the suitable.