DOUBLE PROFITS WITH A CONTROLLED TRAFFIC ZERO-TILL IRRIGATION FARMING SYSTEM?

Transcription

1 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: DOUBLE PROFITS WITH A CONTROLLED TRAFFIC ZERO-TILL IRRIGATION FARMING SYSTEM? LECLER N L 1,2 AND TWEDDLE P B 1 1 South Afrian Sugarane Researh Institute, P/Bag X02, Mount Edgeombe, 4300, South Afria 2 Shool of Bioresoures Engineering and Environmental Hydrology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Sottsville, 3209, South Afria Nleler@zsa.hippo.o.zw Peter.Tweddle@sugar.org.za Abstrat Many guidelines and reommendations for sugarane farming are aimed at ahieving a large number of ratoon rops. One of the reasons for this is that the replanting osts an be onsiderable when a field is onventionally tilled and replanted. Thus, delaying reestablishment makes finanial sense provided the ost savings are greater than any yield and revenue penalties. An alternative is to introdue a ontrolled traffi and zero-till farming system (CTF), thereby lowering re-establishment osts and potentially allowing for fewer ratoon rops and more frequent green manure or break rops. A rigorous yield, surose ontent, osting and ash-flow analysis, based on published researh findings and detailed osting of representative mahinery, showed that a CTF system with only three ratoon rops was far more profitable than a onventional farming system involving eight ratoon rops and more intensive tillage operations. A doubling in profitability was shown when the yield benefits reported with break rops and the yield deline rates reported under onventional farming systems were inluded in the analysis. Substantial gains in water use produtivity were also shown, up to nearly 80% improvement over a onventional farming system. Adoption of a CTF system with only three ratoon rops is therefore highly reommended and should be taken very seriously by deision-makers in the sugarane industry. Keywords: irrigation, farming systems, ontrolled traffi, zero-till, eonomis, green manure Introdution Irrigated sugarane in southern Afria is frequently ultivated as a mono-rop with more than eight ratoon rops harvested before replanting. Replanting sometimes takes plae without a fallow period. At eah harvest, heavy mahinery is often taken into the field, whih together with random traffiking and mismathed wheel spaing an result in soil ompation and damage to ane stools (Swinford and Boevey, 1984; Braunak and Hurney, 2000; Norris et al., 2000). Damage to the produtive apaity of the soils is indiated when sugarane grown on virgin land grows and yields relatively well ompared to sugarane grown on old lands. Where this is true it indiates that the farming system used over the years has not sustained rop yields. It is likely that part of the problem an be attributed to ompation and stool damage. The Australians took yield delines very seriously and launhed the Sugar Yield Deline Joint Venture, an integrated researh programme aimed at understanding why sugarane yields had apparently reahed a plateau and were even delining. The ontribution of sugarane mono-ulture to a build-up of pest and diseases, espeially those in the soil biota 46

2 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: whih affet plant roots and thus its nutrient and water supply system, were reported to be a major ause of the yield delines (Garside et al., 2001). Despite the findings of Garside et al. (2001) in Australia, Meyer and van Antwerpen (2001) in South Afria, Nixon and Simmonds (2004) in Swaziland and Umrit et al. (2009) in Mauritius, all of whom highlighted the benefits of a break rop and the negatives of ane monoulture, many growers and researhers still favour farming systems whih are based on at least eight ratoon rops, allowing nine or more seasons to pass between fallow periods. A motivation is that ane re-establishment osts an be very high and frequent replanting, whih often involves intensive tillage, has been onsidered uneonomial. Tehnologies suh as Global Positioning System (GPS)-guided auto-steer systems and diret drilling seed and ane planting equipment, failitate a farming system founded on ontrolled traffi and zero-till priniples. With redued tillage requirements, suh systems allow more frequent replanting at a ompetitive ost. With appropriate planning of the harvest and replant shedule, a rotation rop or green manure an also be grown more frequently with assoiated agronomi benefits. The hypothesis investigated in this paper is that a ontrolled traffi farming system whih has relatively few ratoon rops and more frequent rotations with a green manure or break rop will be more profitable than a onventional farming system whih involves more ratoon rops and intensive and ostly tillage operations. The analysis takes into onsideration: the time value of money; reported and derived relationships between yields, ane age and surose ontent yield deline rates; mahinery requirements inluding osts for land preparation, planting, harvesting, haulage and GPS guided auto-steer systems; irrigation water use produtivity (WUP), defined as the total surose yield divided by the total amount of irrigation water applied for the plant and all ratoon rops; nutrition; weed ontrol; pest and disease impliations; impliations for plant breeding and guidelines for releasing new varieties. Methodology The operations for three different irrigation farming systems were speified to enable assoiated ash-flows to be determined. The three farming systems ompared were: onventional or popular farming system with replanting taking plae after at least eight ratoon rops (CF); ontrolled traffi farming system with replanting after seven ratoon rops (CTF 7R); ontrolled traffi farming system with replanting after only three ratoon rops (CTF 3R). All three systems assume an irrigated environment where sugarane is typially harvested on an annual basis. 47

3 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: Conventional farming system (CF) In this system an old sugarane rop is ploughed out in autumn, fallowed during winter, to minimise potential growth loss, and the field replanted to ane in spring. The plant rop is harvested at approximately 14 months of age, around mid-summer. For the field to be ploughed out and replanted, the harvest month is gradually brought forward over the life of the rop so that the field is eventually harvested for the last time in autumn, before replanting and repeating the yle. As a result, the average utting age is less than 12 months. A diagram to illustrate the system is shown in Figure 1. Other fields on the farm would follow a similar pattern but would be out of sequene, suh that the mill reeives a onstant supply of ane. Year April / p-out May June July August September pl Otober November Deember January February Marh Cut Age (months) Key: = ut; p-out = plough out; pl = plant Figure 1. Cutting yle of the onventional farming system (CF), plant rop plus eight ratoon rops. The shaded months, April to November, represent a typial milling season. Controlled traffi farming system with replanting after seven ratoons (CTF 7R) In this system the old sugarane rop is killed by spraying with herbiide in late summer. A rotation rop suh as soybean or a green manure rop suh as sunn hemp (Crotalaria junea) is planted by a diret seeder between the ane rows (see Figure 2) shortly after utting the final ane rop. For this analysis it is assumed that sunn hemp is used as the green manure rop. In late summer the sunn hemp is flattened by a trator drawn pole and ane is planted diretly into the sunn hemp stubble using a double dis diret drill ane planter. Key omponents of this system are: a GPS guided auto-steer system whih failitates traffiking on the exat same plae in the field, year after year. As a result of the ontrolled traffiking, no vehile related ompation or stool damage takes plae in the region where the majority of ane roots grow. Thus, ompation alleviation using energy intensive ploughing and ripping operations is not neessary. The auto-steer system needs to be fitted to all mahinery driven in the field and is onsidered neessary to ensure that ompation will our only in a well defined and limited traffi lane area (Norris et al., 2000); onsistent wheel spaing on all mahines and implements used in the field. A tramline planting arrangement with 0.5 to 0.6 m between the ane plants, and 1.8 to 2.1 m between traffi lanes is suitable for most mahinery. Ismael et al. (2007) reported that a dual row system with 0.5 m between ane rows and 1.8 m between their entres resulted in higher yields than sugarane planted 1.6 m apart in onventional single rows; 48

4 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: a harvesting system whih limits mahine travel to the traffi lanes. In a manual-ut system this will require, for example, a ut and windrow operation and use of a sideslewing loader with an appropriate wheel spaing of approximately 1.9 m, rather than loaders with mismathed wheel spaings, as often used in onventional farming systems; a double dis diret drill sugarane planter, suh as an be used to plant ane diretly into the rotation rop or green manure plant stubble (Norris et al., 2000). Garside et al. (2006) ompared diret planting of sugarane into a non-tilled permanent bed following a soybean break, to a tilled permanent bed without a soybean break. The former system outyielded the latter by 47%. Figure 2. Arrangement of sugarane rows, wheel-traks and a green manure or rotation rop. The plant rop is harvested at approximately 13 months of age in late summer/early autumn, at the start of the milling season. For the field to be sprayed out and replanted again, the harvest month is gradually moved to later in the year so that the ane is eventually harvested for the last time in early to mid-summer before replanting and repeating the yle. As a result of moving the harvesting month forward, the average ane age after the plant rop is approximately 13 months. A diagram to illustrate the system is shown in Figure 3. Controlled traffi farming system with replanting after three ratoons (CTF 3R) This system is similar to the CTF 7R system. The differene is that the average age of ane at harvest is approximately 14 months. As a result, the field is ready for spraying out and replanting after only three ratoons, as shown in Figure 4. Other fields on the farm would follow a similar system, exept that, in addition to being out of sequene, half the fields would be harvested in alternate months to ensure a onstant supply of ane to the mill. 49

5 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: April May June July August September Otober November Deember January February Marh Year / spr-out pl Cut Age (months) Key: = ut; spr-out = spray out; pl = plant Figure 3. Cutting yle of ontrolled traffi farming system with replanting after seven ratoons. The shaded months, April to November, represent a typial milling season. April May June July August September Otober November Deember January February Marh Year / spr-out pl Cut Age (months) Key: = ut; spr-out = spray out; pl = plant Figure 4. Cutting yle of ontrolled traffi farming system with replanting after three ratoons. The shaded months, April to November, represent a typial milling season. Yield predition In order to estimate the relative value (RV) ontent of ane with different ages, a relationship between surose and ane age derived by Inman-Bamber (1994) for variety NCo376 was used. Appliation of this relationship to determine surose ontent for ane ut at different ages and in different months is shown in Table 1. For the analysis reported here, adjustment of within season surose ontent for ane ut at different times of the year was not done, as this would have been similar for all farming systems and was therefore onsidered an unneessary ompliation for omparative purposes. The My Canesim sugarane model (Singels, 2007) was used to estimate representative sugarane yields. When using weather data from the Komatidraai station, latitude south and longitude east, average yields varied from t/ha/month for 14- month old ane to 8.45 t/ha/month for 11-month old ane, for a range of start and end dates in 50

6 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: the milling season and under full irrigation. Although the older ane had higher average monthly yield inrements, the yields simulated with My Canesim are based on the rop having a onsistent radiation use effiieny (RUE). van Heerden et al. (2010) reported several ases where RUE was not onsistent throughout the life of a rop, and delined well before harvest. RUE is defined as the ratio of biomass aumulated to interepted radiation (Monteith, 1977). Thus, a redution in RUE in an older rop would redue the yield inrement (t/ha/month). It was, therefore, onsidered a reasonable simplifiation to assume a 10 t/ha/month average yield inrement for all farming systems, i.e. effiieny of radiation apture is higher for older rops as indiated by My Canesim, but effiieny of radiation use may deline as the rop ages, as shown in several examples reported by van Heerden et al. (2010). The deline in RUE whih was sometimes observed as the rop aged ould be assoiated with redued speifi leaf nitrogen, amongst other fators (van Heerden, et al., 2010). Table 1. The relationship between ane age and surose ontent, derived using an equation reported by Inman-Bamber (1994). Months Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Ot Nov Age (months) For the initial analysis and to illustrate the ash-flows of the various farming systems, it was assumed that the rate of yield deline was 6% per annum. This is regarded as onservative, onsidering the rigorous analysis of yield data reported by Hoekstra (1976), where the rate of yield deline was loser to 9% per annum. Atual yield delines will be highly ase speifi and will depend on variety, environment and management interations, thus a further sensitivity analysis was undertaken with varying rates of yield deline assumed, namely: 0, 3, 6 and 9% per annum. Irrigation requirements To estimate irrigation water requirements for the various ropping yles it was assumed that a 12-month rop would require 1000 mm of water. This translates to an average monthly requirement of 833 m 3 /ha. Thus, an 11-month rop would require 11 x 833 = 9163 m 3 of irrigation water per hetare, and a 14-month rop would require 14 x 833 = m 3 of water per hetare. Eletriity osts were assumed to be R0.21/m 3 and water osts R0.12/m 3. Costing mahine operations The osts of mahine operations were alulated aording to the methods advoated by the ISSCT (2004). It was assumed that the operating hours for eah mahine were limited by the time available for eah operation and standard work rates, rather than the size of a farm. Summary osts for all operations used in the analysis are given in Tables 2, 3, 4 and 5. The ost of the required GPS guided auto-steer systems were inluded in the CTF harvest and haulage system osts. The ost of the base station needed for the GPS guidane systems is dependent on topography and area servied. For this analysis, it was assumed that a base station ould servie 8000 hetares and the annual ost for this over a ten year lifespan, namely R22/ha, was onsidered negligible relative to other osts. 51

7 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: Table 2. Cost of land preparation and planting operations for the onventional farming system. Operation Cost (R/ha) Rip 368 Plough (3 furrow reversible mouldboard) 624 Dis harrow 308 Dis harrow 308 Ridge and fertilise 385 Planting (trailer for seedane) 371 Planting (labour) 1200 Covering (labour) 300 Fertiliser operation 2nd split (mehanial 2 row) 206 Pre-emergent herbiide - boom sprayer 75 Total 4146 Table 3. Cost of land preparation and planting operations for the ontrolled traffi farming systems. Operation Cost (R/ha) Chemial spray - boom sprayer 75 Minimum till seed planter/fertiliser 823 Trator and pole 155 Minimum till ane planter/fertiliser 897 Trailer for the minimum till planter Labour (seedane: 4.5 person days/ha) Fertiliser operation 2nd split (mehanial 2 row) 206 Total 2956 Table 4. Cost of harvest and haulage operation for the onventional farming system. Operation R/ton Cut and Windrow Bell loader 7.06 Trator trailer in-field haul-outs Trans-loading 9.44 Road Haulage Total Table 5. Cost of the harvesting and haulage operations for the ontrolled traffi farming system. Operation R/ton Cut and windrow Side-slewing loader 6.35 Auto-steer for the loader 0.46 Trator trailer in-field haul-outs Auto-steer for the haul-outs 1.39 Trans-loading 9.44 Road haulage Total

8 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: Finanial analysis The different farming systems were ompared in eonomi terms using a apital budgeting approah reommended by Wynne and Gilmour (2010). Tax and debt/equity ompliations are exluded from the omparative analysis. Wynne and Gilmour (2010) proposed that, the national prime lending rate be used as a proxy for the grower s annual disount rate (whih is termed the nominal annual disount rate r n ; i.e. before inflation is aounted for). A produer related inflation fator (i) is then used to adjust the nominal annual disount rate (r n ) to a real annual disount rate (r r ) as illustrated below, whereby future values (FVs) are expressed in today s nominal values (i.e. FV n before inflation is aounted for): FVn Present Value (PV) = where n ( 1+ r ) (1+ r ) r (1+ r = n ) ( 1+ i) Although the Net Present Value (NPV) (i.e. the sum of all future ash-flows expressed as today s nominal value) is a measure of wealth reation, a diret omparison of NPVs is not valid where different projets have unequal lives as is the ase for this analysis. Nevertheless, if the NPVs are onverted to an equivalent series of equal annual ash-flows over the life of a projet, named the Annuity Equivalent (AE) and it is assumed that the projet will be repeated, the AEs an be ompared in order to rank and ompare projets (Barry et al., 2000). Wynne and Gilmour (2010) also reommend using the Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR) to ompare projets of unequal lives. The MIRR is determined by, alulating the terminal value of eah of the future ash-flows using a known real disount rate and then solving for the disount rate that equates the present value of the ombined terminal values with the initial apital investment. Aording to Wynne and Gilmour (2010) the assumption that reinvestment is at the ost of apital or real national prime lending rate (r r ) is valid in the alulation of MIRR for sugarane farming enterprises, i.e. positive and negative ash-flows are ompounded using the same disount rate. The higher the MIRR above the real prime lending rate (r r ), the greater the wealth reation relative to a risk free investment at the bank (Wynne and Gilmour, 2010). Results Cash-flow analyses of the three farming systems are shown in Tables 6, 7 and 8. For these initial analyses it was assumed that: yield delined at a rate of 6% per year from the plant rop the annual inflation rate was 6% the annual prime interest rate was 10%. Although a yield deline rate of 6% may be a onservative yield deline rate (f Hoekstra, 1976), the highest AE was realised with the farming system whih had the fewest ratoons. The CTF 3R system had an AE of R14 730, followed by the CTF 7R system, whih had an AE of R13 013, with the CF system having the lowest AE of R The MIRR for the CTF 3R system was highest at 57%, indiating that investment in this system would yield the greatest rate of inrease in wealth ompared to the CTF 7R system, whih had a MIRR of 36%, and the CF system whih had a MIRR of 30%. 53

9 54 Table 6. Cash-flow analysis of the onventional farming system (CF). Annual real disount rate (r r ) = 3.8% Yield Deline Rate = 6.00% Period Years = Cut Age t/ha/mth t/ha RV % t RV Expenses Land Preparation Fertilizers Chemials Seedane Irrigation Harvest & Transport Inome Yield Rate Unit R/Unit Table 2 ha N 150 kg P 60 kg K 150 kg Labour 2 man days Pre- 1 mix Post- 1 mix Labour/hoe t water 833 m3/mth power 833 m3/mth Table 4 t RV t Revenue ha Undisounted nominal ash Flows Modified IRR (MIRR) 29.80% Net Present Value (NPV) R 79, Annuity Equivalent (AE) R 10, Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: 46-62

10 55 Table 7. Cash-flow analysis of the ontrolled traffi plus seven ratoon rop farming system (CTF 7R). Annual real disount rate (r r ) = 3.8% Yield Deline Rate = 6.00% Period Years = Cut Age t/ha/mth t/ha RV % t RV Expenses Land Preparation & Planting Fertilizers Chemials Seedane Irrigation Harvest & Transport Inome Yield Rate Unit R/Unit Operations Table 3 ha Table Seed 50 ha N 150 kg P 60 kg K 150 kg Labour 2 man days Pre- 8 8l Post- 1 mix Boom 1 ha Pre- 1 mix Labour t water 833 m3/mth power 833 m3/mth Table 5 t RV t Revenue ha Undisounted nominal ash Flows Modified IRR (MIRR) 35.98% Net Present Value (NPV) R 97, Annuity Equivalent (AE) R 13, Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: 46-62

11 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: Table 8. Cash-flow analysis of the ontrolled traffi plus three ratoon rop farming system (CTF 3R). Annual real disount rate (r r ) = 3.8% Yield Deline Rate = 6.00% Period Years = Cut Age t/ha/mth t/ha RV % t RV Expenses Land Preparation Fertilizers Chemials Seedane Rate Unit R/Unit Operations Table 3 ha Table Seed 50 ha N 150 kg P 60 kg K 150 kg Labour 2 man days Pre- 8 l Post- 1 mix Boom 1 ha Pre- 1 mix Labour t Irrigation Harvest & Transport Inome Yield water 833 m3/mth power 833 m3/mth Table 5 t RV t Revenue ha Undisounted nominal ash Flows Modified IRR (MIRR) 57.33% Net Present Value (NPV) R 65, Annuity Equivalent (AE) R 14, A move to the CTF 3R system is likely to have many other benefits whih have not thus far been inluded in the analysis. These inlude: better soil health due to the frequent inlusion of a rotation rop; better root growth due to better soil health and redued ompation; greater plant available water and more effetive rainfall and irrigation due to less ompation, inreased infiltration rates and better root growth; improved nutrient uptake effiieny due to better root growth; redued pest pressure. Redued pest pressure is likely beause the rop should suffer less stress with a healthier root system and more favourable soil biota and a field will be without ane for a larger proportion of time. Furthermore, the pollen in the flowers of a break rop suh as sunn hemp has been reported to inrease the density of pest predators (Magdoff and van Es, 2000), whih ould help to ontrol the borer Eldana saharina. 56

12 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: Planting ane in the late summer/early autumn period is good pratie for reduing potential damage due to thrips (Keeping et al., 2008); redued disease pressure. With replanting taking plae in rotation with a break rop after only three ratoons, smut and RSD are unlikely to pose a signifiant threat, espeially if lean seedane is used when replanting. Clean seedane an be obtained, for example, via meristem tissue ulture (Snyman et al., 2008). Nixon and Simmonds (2004) reported a redution in disease levels, partiularly ratoon stunting disease (Leifsonia xyli xyli), and smut (Ustilago sitaminea) following a green manure break rop; a higher stalk population, whih is likely beause ontrolled traffiking should result in less stool damage and there should be redued pest and disease pressure; a potential motivation to release high yielding varieties that have been withheld previously beause of low resistane to pests and/or diseases. Provided a CTF 3R farming system is widely adopted in a region and redued pest and disease pressure has been observed, the release of high yielding varieties whih are more suseptible to pest and disease damage ould be onsidered. Agronomi benefits of green manures or break rops have been widely orroborated by researh results reported in the literature (e.g. Garside et al., 2001; Nixon, 1992; Umrit et al., 2009). Thus, it is very likely that the plant rop yields in the CTF 3R system would be at least 20% higher than in a CF system. Garside et al. (2001) reported yield inreases ranging from 15 to 25% following a break rop, Nixon (1992) reported yield benefits of up to 54% following a break rop and Umrit et al. (2009) reorded yield inreases of 15 to 40% in the plant rop. Swinford and Boevey (1984) reported yield losses due to ompation damage of 18 to 32%. Thus, plant rop benefits assoiated with a green manure rop are unlikely to ontinue into the ratoon rops while there is still ompation damage. However, in ases where ompation damage is minimised with ontrolled traffiking, soil health is improved by having frequent green manure or break rops, and pest and disease pressures are redued, ratoon rop yields are likely to deline at a lower rate under a CTF 3R system. Furthermore, with less runoff, better root olonisation and therefore more effetive rainfall and irrigation, a potential saving in irrigation water should be possible. The finanial analysis of a CTF 3R system, assuming a 20% yield inrease in the plant rop, a 3% yield deline rate and a 5% saving in irrigation water, is given in Table 9. Although the magnitude of these partiular assumptions an be debated, they represent a senario of integrated benefits based on a ombination of researh evidene and systemati rationale. At a yield deline rate of 6%, the AE of the CTF 3R system with the likely yield benefits (CTF 3R+YI) is nearly double the AE of the traditional CF system and the MIRR has more than doubled. In a sensitivity analysis the AEs for various rates of yield deline, namely, 0, 3, 6 and 9% and the various farming system options were determined. The results of this sensitivity analysis are shown in Figure 5. The profitability indiated by the AE was lowest under all rates of yield deline in the CF system. The AE of the CTF 7R system was only higher than the AE of the CTF 3R system assuming no yield benefit in the CTF 3R system and a 0% rate of yield deline. For yield deline rates of 3% or more, a move to a CTF 3R system, even assuming no 57

13 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: relative yield benefits, was most profitable. When typial yield deline rates and likely yield benefits were inluded in the analysis, a move to a CTF 3R system, i.e. CTF 3R+YI, was shown to nearly double profitability ompared to the CF system. A water use produtivity (WUP) index, defined as the total RV yield per rop yle (plant plus all ratoon rops) divided by the total water use per yle, was determined for the various farming systems. The gains in WUP relative to the CF system are shown in Figure 6 for the various yield deline rates. Table 9. Cash-flow analysis of the ontrolled traffi plus three ratoon rop farming system assuming a 20% yield inrease in the plant rop, a 5% saving in irrigation and a 3% yield deline rate (CTF 3R+YI). Annual real disount rate (r r ) = 3.8% Yield Deline Rate = 3.00% Period Years = Cut Age t/ha/mth t/ha RV % t RV Expenses Land Preparation Fertilizers Chemials Seedane Rate Unit R/Unit Operations Table 3 ha Table Seed 50 ha N 150 kg P 60 kg K 150 kg Labour 2 man days Pre- 8 l Post- 1 mix Boom 1 ha Pre- 1 mix Labour t Irrigation Harvest & Transport Inome Yield water 791 m3/mth power 791 m3/mth Table 5 t RV t Revenue ha Undisounted nominal ash Flows Modified IRR (MIRR) 67.06% Net Present Value (NPV) R 92, Annuity Equivalent (AE) R 20,

14 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: Figure 5. Comparison of the Annuity Equivalents (AE) for the onventional farming system (CF), the ontrolled traffi plus seven ratoons system (CTF 7R), the ontrolled traffi plus three ratoons system (CTF 3R) and the ontrolled traffi plus three ratoon system assuming a 20% yield inrease in the plant rop, a 3% yield deline rate and a 5% saving in irrigation water (CTF 3R+YI). Figure 6. Comparison of the gains in Water Use Produtivity (WUP) relative to the onventional farming system (CF), for the ontrolled traffi plus seven ratoons system (CTF 7R), the ontrolled traffi plus three ratoons system (CTF 3R) and the ontrolled traffi plus three ratoon system assuming a 20% yield inrease in the plant rop, a 3% yield deline rate and a 5% saving in irrigation water (CTF 3R+YI). The gains in WUP for the CTF 3R farming system were substantial, even when no irrigation water savings were assumed. Where yield improvements and water savings of only 5% were inluded in the analysis, a gain in WUP of nearly 80% was indiated over a CF system with a yield deline rate of 9%. 59

15 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: Disussion and Conlusions The objetive of this researh was to analyse a ontrolled traffi zero-till farming system, (CTF) whih inludes: redued re-establishment osts; hanged utting sequenes whih result in ane harvested at a more optimal age, i.e. 14 months old versus 11 months old; fewer ratoon numbers, i.e. three ompared to eight or more; the inorporation of frequent break rops suh as sunn hemp versus less frequent winter fallows. CTF systems are failitated by tehnologies suh as GPS guided auto-steer systems, diret drill seed and ane planters, and side slewing loaders, together with a well-planned harvesting and replanting shedule. The harvesting and replanting shedule whih allows ane to be harvested at an older age and higher surose ontent is ritial to the suess of the CTF systems. The potential benefits of harvesting an older rop ould be further enhaned if the ause of redued speifi leaf nitrogen was better understood and addressed. All the required mahines onsidered neessary for the CTF farming systems desribed in this analysis are available ommerially. The formation of ontrating syndiates whereby groups of farmers beome shareholders of ontrating businesses should ensure expensive mahines are well utilised, suh that the ost of operations does not exeed levels indiated in this analysis. The formation of suh syndiates may, however, prove a hallenge to adoption. For large sugarane estates, effetive utilisation of expensive mahinery should not be a onstraint to adoption. A rigorous yield, surose ontent, osting and ash-flow analysis, based on published researh findings and detailed osting of representative mahinery, showed that a CTF system with only three ratoon rops was far more profitable than a onventional farming system involving eight ratoon rops and more intensive and expensive tillage operations. Adoption of a CTF 3R system resulted in profits nearly doubling when the yield benefits reported with break rops and the yield deline rates reported under onventional farming systems were inluded in the analysis. Very substantial gains in water use produtivity were also shown nearly an 80% improvement ompared to the traditional CF system with a yield deline rate of 9%. Given that many irrigation farms in southern Afria experiene frequent water shortages, suh large gains in WUP are highly desirable for sustaining ane prodution with limited water. Many traditional farming and researh hallenges, inluding E. saharina, thrips, smut, RSD, nematodes and weeds are likely to pose far less of a problem where a CTF 3R farming system is widely adopted. This ould have impliations for breeding programmes. Should the danger posed by pests and diseases be redued, relatively high yielding varieties whih may be less tolerant to pests and diseases ould be onsidered for release. As a result of all these benefits, varieties whih have been reported to have no legs when grown in a onventional farming system, are likely to yield better in a CTF 3R farming system. Researhing and adopting ontrolled traffi zero-till farming systems should be given a very high priority by deision makers in the irrigated sugarane industry. A CTF 3R system is 60

16 Leler N L et al Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass (2010) 83: likely to result in a step hange to the produtivity of irrigation farms and be better for the environment. Aknowledgements In addition to support from the South Afrian Sugarane Researh Institute, the authors would like to express their sinere appreiation to the following people: Stuart Ferrer of SA Cane Growers Assoiation and Adrian Wynne of Umfolozi Sugar Mill (Pty) Ltd for their assistane and advie regarding the ash-flow analysis. Ruth Rhodes and Matthew Jones of SASRI for the exellent omments and suggestions they gave. Don Yule of CTF Solutions Australia. Don has hampioned ontrolled traffi farming systems for many years and he and his farming lient s rationale and enthusiasm for the system have had a marked and positive effet on the lead author. REFERENCES Barry, PJ, Ellenger, PN, Hopkin, JA and Baker, CB (2000). Finanial management in agriulture. Insterstate Pub, In., Illinois, USA Braunak MV and Hurney AP (2000). The position of harvesting traffi does affet yield. Pro Aust So Sug Cane Tehnol 22: Garside AL, Bell MJ and Magarey RC (2001). Monoulture yield deline fat not fition. Pro Int So Sug Cane Tehnol 24: Garside, AL, Robotham, B and Bell, M (2006). Management of the interfae between sugarane yles in a permanent bed, ontrolled traffi farming system. Australian Soiety of Agronomy Conferene, ( Aessed: 26 Marh 2010.) Hoekstra RG (1976). Analysis of when to plough out a sugarane field. Pro S Afr Sug Teh Ass 41: Inman-Bamber NG (1994). Effet of age and season on omponents of yield of sugarane in South Afria. Pro S Afr Sug Tehnol Ass 68: Ismael FM, Seeruttun S, Barbe C and Gaungoo A (2007). Improving ane produtivity with dual row planting in Mauritius. Pro Int So Sug Cane Tehnol 26: ISSCT (2004). Agriultural mahinery osting method and standards protool. ISSCT ( Keeping M, Butterfield M, Leslie G and Rutherford S (2008). Initial measures for management of thrips. The Link 17(3), South Afrian Sugarane Researh Institute, Mount Edgeombe, South Afria. Meyer JH and van Antwerpen R (2001). Soil degradation as a fator in yield deline in the South Afrian sugar Industry. Pro Int So Sug Cane Tehnol 24: Nixon DJ (1992). The impat of fallowing and green manuring on soil physial properties and the produtivity of sugarane in Swaziland. PhD thesis, Univ of Reading, UK. Nixon DJ and Simmonds LP (2004). The impat of fallowing and green manuring on soil onditions and the growth of sugarane. Expl Agri 40: Norris CP, Robotham BG and Bull TA (2000). High density planting as an eonomi prodution strategy: () A farming system and equipment requirements. Pro Aust So Sug Cane Tehnol 22:

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