|
Graminae
Common names
Uba cane, Japanese cane.
Description
A tall, hardy and vigorous cane with wide adaptability and
early maturity. Stems slender with greenish-bronze, bobbin-shaped nodes,
high fibre content and poor juice quality. Leaves up to 5 cm broad. Inflorescence:
rachis with long hairs; glumes four; lodicules non-ciliate (Purseglove,
1976).
Distribution
Mainly grown in China and Japan, but was cultivated widely
before the better "noble" canes were introduced for sugar production.
Season of growth
Perennial.
Altitude range
Sea-level to 300 m.
Rainfall requirements
It will grow in areas with a lower rainfall than the "noble"
sugar canes, but generally used in the 750-1 000 mm rainfall regime.
Drought tolerance
Hardier than sugar cane. It will stand over well into the dry
season.
Soil requirements
Adapted to poorer soils than the "noble" sugar canes (S. officinarum),
but produces heavy crops in fertile soils under irrigation.
Sowing methods
It is sown as stem cuttings (setts) in rows 1-1.5 m apart and
20- 25 cm deep, and lightly covered until it tillers (stools). Later the
drills are gradually filled by inter-row cultivation to reach ground level.
Sowing time and rate
Usually drilled in early spring if rainfall or irrigation is
sufficient, but can be sown in autumn in frost-free areas. About 1 5003
000 kg/ha of setts are planted.
Response to defoliation
It can be harvested frequently and the stools (lower stems
and roots) will provide numerous ratoon crops, if watered and fertilized.
Suitability for hay and
silage
Paterson (1945) made good silage with four- to six-month-old
Uba cane by chaffing and adding 9 litres of molasses per tonne. In Madagascar,
it is also used for silage (Dufournet et al., 1959).
Cultivars
'Uba' is an old variety with a high fibre content (17 percent),
which will provide heavy yields and several ratoon crops, especially if
fertilized and irrigated.
Main attributes
Its ability to produce copious roughage at a time when summer
pastures are low-yielding, its ability to produce several ratoon crops
and its resistance to gumming disease.
Main deficiencies
Its relatively high fibre content.
Frost tolerance
It cannot stand heavy frosts but will survive light frost.
The growing point and upper buds (eyes) are killed but the lower buds survive
and produce side shoots.
Latitudinal limits
About 30°N and S.
Chemical analysis and
digestibility
Harrison (1942) showed that uba cane (cut when mature) contained
23 percent dry matter, 1.4 percent digestible crude protein and 11.9 percent
starch equivalent.
Tolerance to flooding
It will not tolerate prolonged flooding.
Fertilizer requirements
It is usually planted with a complete NPK fertilizer at 200-
400 kg/ha, and subsequently side-dressed with 100-200 kg N/ha during growth.
Soil or tissue tests will determine needs.
Genetics and reproduction
2n= 116-120 (Fedorov, 1974). It is now thought to be a hybrid
between S. officinarum and S. spontaneum. It is almost completely sterile.
Economics
It was used widely for sugar production before the introduction
of the low-fibre "noble" canes belonging to S. officinarum. It was also
used for standover fodder for livestock during winter and for chewing.
It is occasionally harvested for syrup.
Animal production
No figures have been cited.
Further reading
Pursglove, 1976.
Management
It is cut for fodder every three to four months, or retained
for cutting for drought fodder. It should be adequately fertilized especially
with nitrogen and preferably irrigated.
Land preparation for planting
A deep, well-prepared seed-bed is essential for useful yields.
|
