María Mercedes Medina, JA Giardina, PE Fernández González, LG Alonso, ER Romero and PA Digonzelli
Sección Caña de Azúcar, Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres, Av. William Cross (4101), Las Talitas, Tucumán. Argentina; mmedina@eeaoc.org.ar
Where there are failures in germination, sugarcane seedlings are an alternative for replanting. Hydrogels are polymers that absorb and release water without dissolving. This work evaluated the effects of replanting with seedlings and the contribution of application of an absorbent polymer on sugarcane productivity .The study was conducted in a plot with 40% failures. Treatments were: T1) control without replanting, T2) replanting with seedlings and irrigation, and T3) replanting with seedlings supplemented with a prehydrated polymer and without irrigation. Stem population (number of stems/m), individual stem weight (kg), and final cane yield (t/ha) were determined. Replanting increased the stem population at harvest. Differences in cane yield were observed between T1 and T3, for both plant and second ratoon cane. In T2, the cane yield was similar to T3 across the three harvests, but significantly higher than the control in first and second ratoon cane. Replanting in plant cane was effective in maintaining yield and the use of the polymer improved the replanting process.