TABLE 7

Effect of application of vermicompost in graded doses on cane yield,

Sugar recovery and growth parameters of Ratoon Crop |.

Location : U.S.W.

Variety : CoC 671.

Sr No.	Treatment	Millable plant Population / acre	Pol value
1	Control (No manuring)	26170.00	21.82
2	Recommended dose of C.F.	27410.00	21.67
3	Vermicomopost alone 5 MT/ha	29680.00	21.78
4	3/4th V.C. + 1/4th C.F.	29000.00	22.21
5	1/2 V.C. + 1/2 C.F.	28710.00	21.18
6	1/4th V.C. + 3/4th C.F.	29800.00	19.58
	Average	28460.00	21.37

2) Ratoon crop of first Adsali harvested in December 1998 (U.S.W.) :
The performance of Ratoon of the first Adsali crop at U.S.W. in terms of cane yield, growth paramaters at harvest and juice quality in terms of pol value and Sugar recovery % is reported in Table 6 and 7 respectively.
The climatic conditions in respect of rainfall received, average maximum and minimum temperatures and humidity on fortnightly basis during the growth period of first Ratoon or second Adasli crop at U.S.W. Ltd. are reported in Tables 8 and 9 respectively.

Cane yield and Juice Quality Observations :
Before we consider the yield trend, it is necessary to understand the nature of the season and its impact on growth and yield. If we look to the rainfall data reported in Table 8, the crop received 250.00 mm rain on 17 days in 3 months from 1-5-98 to 29-7-98. In view of fairly high temperatures prevalent during this period (Table 9), the rainfall received must have reduced the stress conditions usually present during this period. Humidity recorded was however rather low suggesting prevalence of setback in elongation rate.

TABLE 8

Climatic Data - Rainfall Received during the growth period of

2nd Adsali crop and first Ratoon of previous Adsali crop

Sr. No.	Date	Rainfall received in mm	Sr.	Date	Rainfall received in mm
1	1/5/98	10.50	22.00	19/8/98	3.50
2	5/5/98	22.50	23.00	22/8/98	3.50
3	16/5/98	20.00	24.00	23/8/98	14.50
4	5/6/98	22.50	25.00	24/8/98	11.25
5	19/6/98	22.00	26.00	25/8/98	13.75
6	21/6/98	27.50	27.00	26/8/98	5.00
7	26/6/98	7.00	28.00	4/9/98	24.00
8	30/6/98	10.00	29.00	8/9/98	3.00
9	2/7/98	6.25	30.00	21/9/98	4.00
10	3/7/98	2.50	31.00	26/9/98	12.50
11	8/7/98	36.25	32.00	27/9/98	3.75
12	19/7/98	14.00	33.00	3/10/98	10.00
13	20/7/98	20.00	34.00	D-4-10-98	22.50
14	21/7/98	3.00	35.00	N-4-10-98	16.50
15	26/7/98	7.50	36.00	6/10/98	22.50
16	28/7/98	18.00	37.00	7/10/98	5.00
17	29/7/98	3.75	38.00	11/10/98	80.00
Total rain received in		250.25	39.00	13/10/98	8.50
3 months on 17 days			40.00	14/10/98	25.00
18	7/8/98	5.00	41.00	7/11/98	15.00
19	10/8/98	10.00	42.00	20/11/98	10.00
20	11/8/98	2.50	Total rainfall received in 4 months on 25 day		346.25
21	13/8/98	15.00	In 7 months 42 days		596.50

Molybdenum deficiency produces whip-tail in cauliflower, broccoli and other Brassica crops. The deficiency of this element reduces the activity of the symbiotic and non-symbiotic nitrogen-fixing micro-organisms.

It was in 1954 that chlorine was proved to be an essential micronutrient. Its defficiency under field conditions has not been reported so far. In water-culture solutions, the leaves of chlorosis, necrosis and an unusual bronze discolouration on tomatoes.

Sodium is not an essential element for plant growth. But some crops, such as beet, celery, cabbage, kale, knol-khol, radish, rape and turnip, benefit greatly by application of soluble sodium salts, specially if the soil is deficient in potassium. Sodium is also of direct benefit to plants indigneous to the sea-shore or to irrigated arid regions. Salts of this element are said to release more of potassium from the exchange complex and to help to maintain phosphorus in a more available form. They also serve as a partial substitute for potassium in the case of potatoes and cotton.