Soil Management in Sugarcane Cultivation
Summary
Soil management in sugarcane cultivation encompasses a suite of practices aimed at maintaining and enhancing soil health, fertility and structure to sustain high yields and ecosystem services. Key strategies include retention and incorporation of crop residues to boost soil organic carbon, the use of organic amendments such as compost or greenchop to replenish nutrients, and adoption of conservation tillage or no-tillage systems to minimise disturbance. Traffic management, including controlled machinery paths, helps to mitigate compaction and preserve pore continuity for root growth and water infiltration. Effective residue management balances the removal of biomass for bioenergy with the need to recycle nutrients and maintain soil cover, thereby reducing erosion and improving moisture retention. Emerging research highlights the role of soil biota in mediating nutrient cycling under different amendment regimes and the importance of site-specific thresholds for residue retention. Globally, these practices underpin sustainable intensification efforts by aligning agronomic productivity with carbon sequestration, greenhouse-gas mitigation and long-term soil resilience.
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Soil Management in Sugarcane Cultivation publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in soil management in sugarcane cultivation across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Mulching: Application of crop residues or organic materials on the soil surface to conserve moisture, regulate temperature and suppress weeds.
Crop residue: Plant material left in the field after harvest, including straw, tops and roots, which can be returned to the soil or removed for other uses.
Soil organic carbon: The carbon component of organic compounds in soil, essential for nutrient provision, structure formation and water retention.
No-tillage: A low-disturbance cultivation system in which soil is left undisturbed by ploughing, promoting residue cover and soil fauna activity.
Controlled traffic: The practice of confining heavy machinery to permanent lanes to reduce soil compaction in crop zones.
Soil compaction: The densification of soil particles under pressure, which reduces porosity, impedes root growth and limits water infiltration.
References
- Mulched and soil-incorporated sugarcane greenchop residue and compost: effects on selected soil components, sugarcane nutrients, Mexican rice borer injury, and yield. Environmental Systems Research (2023).
- Agronomic and environmental implications of sugarcane straw removal: a major review. GCB Bioenergy (2016).
- Land Use and Management Effects on Sustainable Sugarcane-Derived Bioenergy. Land (2021).
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