Kumar, NavnitRana, Priyanka2020-12-072020-12-072020M/AGRO/354/2018-19https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810156406A field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of Sugarcane Research Institute, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur) during spring season of 2019-20, to study the effect of crop establishment methods and zinc nutrition on yield and quality of bud chip transplanted sugarcane. The field experiment was laid in randomized block design (factorial) with 3 replications. The experiment consisted of two crop establishment methods viz., conventional method and furrow irrigated raised bed method and five zinc levels viz., 0 (control), 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 kg Zn/ ha. The experimental site was sandy loam in texture and calcareous in nature having free calcium carbonate varying between 22.0 to 41.0 per cent with pH 8.2 and organic carbon (0.40%). Crop establishment method and zinc nutrition had significant influence on growth, yield and yield attributing characters of bud chip transplanted sugarcane. Experimental findings indicated that crop establishment methods produced higher plant population at all the growth stages that eventually influence a higher number of millable canes (117.3 × 103/ha) at harvest. Similarly, conventional method recorded maximum leaf area index and gave tallest plant at all the stages of observation. Experimental results further revealed that, conventional method registered increasing trend in dry matter accumulation with continuous increase in height with decreasing rate till harvest. No significant difference was recorded on cane diameter and single cane weight due crop establishment method. Similarly, crop establishment method showed no marked effect on quality parameters like brix, pol, purity and CCS per cent. Significantly higher cane and sugar yield of 93.1 and 11.2 t/ha, respectively were obtained under conventional method. Crop establishment method did not exhibit marked variation in zinc content in plant and available zinc in post harvest soil but have significant effect on zinc uptake. Economic analysis of data showed that highest gross returns (2, 88, 730 `/ha), net returns (1, 62, 330 `/ha) and B: C ratio (1.28) was found due to conventional method. Among different application zinc levels, zinc@ 12.5 kg/ha recorded highest plant population and number of millable canes. Higher leaf area index and dry matter accumulation recorded at different growth stages under 12.5 kg Zn/ha. Similarly, zinc content in whole plant, zinc uptake and available zinc in post harvest soil registered higher values at 12.5 kg Zn/ha. There was no marked effect of zinc nutrition on cane diameter and single cane weight but significant affect on cane height was observed. There was no significant difference on brix, pol, purity and CCS per cent due to zinc nutrition. Though, highest cane (100.6 t/ha) and sugar yield (12.1 t/ha) were achieved with application of zinc @ 12.5 kg/ha. In terms of monetary returns, maximum gross returns (311860 ₹/ha), net returns (183920 ₹/ha) and B: C ratio (1.44) was registered with application of 12.5 kg Zn/ha. Thus, it can be concluded that growing of bud chip raised settlings through conventional method with zinc application @ 7.5 kg Zn/ ha was found optimum for attaining optimum productivity and profitability from bud chip transplanted sugarcane.EnglishThesis