Per-acre sugarcane production can be increased four-fold with the usage of modern trends as the country was getting only 450 mounds per-acre compared to the potential of 2000 mounds.

Per-acre sugarcane production can be increased four-fold with the usage of modern trends as the country was getting only 450 mounds per-acre compared to the potential of 2000 mounds. It was echoed at the inaugural session of six-week Advanced Certificate Course in Sugarcane Agronomy arranged at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad with Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan in the chair.This course is being conducted by Department of Agronomy,UAF in collaboration with the Sugarcane Research and Development Board Punjab. Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that our country was blessed with fertile land best ecological zone but traditional way of farming was a hurdle to get the benefits from its potential. He urged the scientist to work on sugarcane breeding to transform the crop from water loving to less water. He said that Integrated Pest Management (IPM), quality seed, biological control, and latest practices of sowing are imperative to increase the production. He showed his concern that farmers were facing difficulties in finding the quality seed which was adding their problems. He said that Pakistan stands among the water stressed country for which we have to develop water efficient varieties. Dean Faculty of Agriculture Dr Riaz Ahmad said that sugarcane is an important cash crop in the country and played an pivotal role in the development of socioeconomic conditions. He said that the agriculture was backbone of the economy and poverty alleviation is directly linked to the sector. He said that the UAF was making all-out effort to conduct tangible researches and transform the knowledge into goods and services. He also said that we must strive hard to increase the income of farmers for their better living. Assistant Professor Dr Hassan Munir said the sugarcane is being produced on more than one million hectare in Pakistan but per acre yield in very low. He said that one of main challenge, the sugarcane producers face, is drought. He said our farmers are very poor in planting strategies and have less information about how to grow and when to grow the crop. He also said that this certificate course will aware the participants about upcoming issues of sugarcane. Assistant Professor Dr Fahid Rasul said that a number of by-products can obtained from this crop such as, distillery water, Ethanol and energy can also be produced from it. He stressed upon the need to use the sugarcane waste material for producing electricity. He said that the course would cover the cover the different aspects including the soil and nutrition, irrigation, cane diseases, insect management, weed management, and sugarcane biometry.