Conservation Agriculture Research Updates - April 2026

Sugarcane is an important bio-energy crop in India buy yields are low. This paper looked at ways to improve productivity by using CA based tillage, surface residue retention and nutrient management. There were 3 tillage treatments, conventional (CT), reduced (RT) and just one cultivation. Residue was with and without. After tillage beds were formed for planting sugarcane. Results showed yields were better for the one cultivation and RT compared to CT and adding residue was better than no residue. The paper also describes the use and results from fertilization and energy consumption. They conclude that integrating reduced tillage, trash retention and appropriate fertigation practices has a potential to improve sugarcane productivity vis-a-vis profitability, and sustain soil and environmental quality in sugarcane production systems, as prevalent in water scarcities regions.

This article was chosen since it studies tillage systems and liming in a sugarcane system in Brazil. Infiltration tests and soil sampling down to 0.10 m were performed in order to determine saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, soil bulk density, soil total porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, and soil resistance to penetration. Treatments included no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) with 0 and 4 t/ha lime and an adjacent native forest (NF) as a check. The lowest bulk density and highest soil total porosity, macroporosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity were found in the NF. The bulk density in CT4 and NT0 was higher than in other systems, indicating the need for amelioration. NT4 is suggested as the most viable system for conservation agriculture in sugarcane fields, combining the benefits of no-tillage and liming to enhance soil hydrophysical functions.

This paper evaluated the impacts of residue retention and nutrient management practices on SOC and its pools, storage, soil biology, and yield in a multi-ratooning sugarcane system. Residue burning (RB) was compared with residue retention (RR) combined with 3 fertilizer doses with different basal applications of NPK followed by topdress by fertigation. Soils were sampled initially and after 6 years with the first sugarcane crop and 4 ratoons. Results showed that RR had higher SOC compared to RB and also higher DHA, APA, and GBA enzyme activity and higher microbial counts. Residue retention also had higher C sequestration, carbon retention efficiency, and yield with a potential to reduce GHG emissions as compared to traditional practices. 

This unique paper describes existing sugarcane farming practices and some improved cultivation and management practices using the principles of conservation agriculture (CA) are evaluated in Bangladesh. Excessive tillage, burning of trash after harvesting, and mono-cropping have been identified as crucial factors that increase sugarcane production cost, deteriorating soil health, and decreasing cane yields. Inter-cropping is suggested as a way to increase economic benefits and overcome negative problems of mono-cropping. The paper recommends that no-tillage, residue mulching, and intercropping should be applied as profitable and sustainable cultivation practices in sugarcane farming.