(08/01/25) NAPOLEONVILLE, La. — LSU AgCenter scientists showcased conservation practices in sugarcane farming at a field day July 22.

The event was held at Keith Dugas’ farm in Assumption Parish, which is a model farm in an AgCenter best management practices program funded by a Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Project.

Brenda Tubaña, AgCenter soil fertility specialist and lead scientist on the project, opened the field day with a welcome and an overview of the initiatives.

Donna Gentry, coordinator of the Louisiana Master Farmer Program, and James Hendrix, an AgCenter agent, demonstrated a rainfall simulator to show how rainfall affects soil and nutrient movement in landscapes with different field management practices.

One soil sample represented a conventionally tilled field while the other demonstrated a conservation-based approach with soil cover. When water was poured over the top of both to simulate rainfall, the uncovered soil produced muddy runoff, whereas the conservation sample released nearly clear water.

“Plants cover the soil surface and serve as protection from the impact of rainfall. The high velocity of raindrops can destroy that soil structure,” Tubaña said.

A water monitor on the model farm includes a flowrate sensor that is triggered by runoff. Once activated, it collects water samples, which are then analyzed for water quality parameters that are important for evaluation of soil health.

“We look at these samples to see what differences it may make if we collectively implemented conservation practices vs. a practice that utilizes burning of post-harvest residue and a uniform application of nitrogen,” Tubaña said.

Nitrogen-rich strips are used in soil conservation practices to estimate how much nitrogen is needed in a field.

If there is no visual difference between crops in the nitrogen-rich strip and those in the untreated area of the field, it indicates sufficient nitrogen is already present. However, a noticeable difference suggests there are low nitrogen levels in the soil.

“We use this as a reference to help guide our adjustments of nitrogen fertilizer. Then we use the variable rate and sensor system to convert that into N application rates,” Tubaña explained.

Tubaña displayed new equipment used to measure nitrogen application rates.

“We built something we call a traveling VRT (variable rate technology) so that if a grower wants to test it, they can come and run it for themselves,” Tubaña said.

As part of the best management practices project, a detailed economic analysis is used to evaluate the long-term costs to farmers. So far, results show that, after the initial equipment investment, net savings from reduced fertilizer use overtime are positive.

“Variable rate application helps cut back on fertilizer without cutting back on yield and that’s what we want,” said Dugas, the farm owner.

Dugas also addressed the practice of field burning in sugarcane farming.

“With burning the field, it’s not every year you can even burn. Also, the longer you can leave the crop residue without burning, the better,” he said. “Environmentally, we all want to get to where we don’t burn and keep the air clean, but not every year is going to be the same.”

Tri Setiyono, AgCenter precision agriculture expert, discussed the use of drone technology in field management.

“A drone capturing multiple angles can create depth perception that tells you how high a surface or object is,” Setiyono said. “Scanning canopy height over time helps to detect problem areas or even logging in the field.”

Tanya Sutthanonkul, a doctoral student, piloted two different drones for a demonstration.

A larger orange drone, the WingtraOne Gen II, is a fixed-wing drone capable of longer flights over larger areas. It is ideal for mapping fields and collecting farm or crop data.

A smaller drone, the DJI M300, is a quadcopter with a shorter battery life and less aerodynamic design, making it better suited for shorter flights and capturing aerial photos and videos.

Setiyono listed three main ingredients for precision agriculture: geographic information system (GIS), unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) remote sensing and global navigation satellite system (GNSS).

Renee Naquin, AgCenter area sugarcane agent, kicked off the indoor program by welcoming and thanking everyone involved in the field day.

Kenneth Gravois, AgCenter sugarcane specialist, gave an update on sugarcane varieties, new legislation and what sugarcane data over the years can tell scientists and farmers.

Gravois also discussed biochar, a material that can help enhance soil health.

“Biochar is produced from bagasse, the pulp and fiber left after you squeeze all the juice out of sugarcane,” he said. “It is heated at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen, creating a useful compound and soil amendment.”

Byproducts are often environmental concerns during production or processing. Efforts focus on finding ways to repurpose these byproducts for beneficial use.

Jim Simon, general manager the American Sugar Cane league, touched on many hot topics in the sugarcane industry, including Department of Labor wage regulations, suspension agreements and efforts to improve crop insurance offerings.

Andre Gama, AgCenter plant pathologist, gave a disease update for the current planting season. The growing use of billet planting over whole stalk planting has made stalk rot an even greater concern.

“The most important management strategy for stalk rot is planting when conditions are right for sugarcane germination,” Gama said.

Stalk rot in Louisiana is mainly caused by fungus that survives in the soil, and not much can be done to get rid of it, Gama said. Also, conditions like drought and too much moisture can aid in the spread of the disease.

“Any environmental condition that hinders sugarcane germination will increase disease severity and damage in the field,” Gama said.

He added that fungicides and plant response activators can be useful tools to help mitigate the effects of the disease.

Sponsored by the American Sugar Cane League, Gama’s pathology lab offers free disease testing for all Louisiana sugarcane farmers. Now is the best time to send in crop samples.

Two farmers were recognized at the field day. The Achievement Award was presented to John “Johnny” Landry Jr., and the Young Farmer Award was presented to Michael Harang.

Gentry gave updates on the Louisiana Master Farmer Program, and Naquin reminded farmers of upcoming burn certification opportunities.

For more information about the Taylor grant, visit www.LSUAgCenter.com/taylorgrant.

Brenda Tubaña, AgCenter soil fertility specialist, holds an informational handout while standing next to a rainfall simulator. Photo by Gabrielle Bellelo/LSU AgCenter

Keith Dugas, sugarcane farmer, gestures toward farm equipment that uses variable rate technology. Photo by Gabrielle Bellelo/LSU AgCenter

Tri Setiyono, right, AgCenter precision agriculture expert, holds drone tools and Tanya Sutthanonkul, a doctoral student, holds a pole with technical equipment. Photo by Gabrielle Bellelo/LSU AgCenter

A WingtraOne Gen II drone lands after a demonstration flight. Photo by Gabrielle Bellelo/LSU AgCenter

Kenneth Gravois, AgCenter sugarcane specialist, speaks about the sugarcane industry during a recent field day in Assumption Parish. Photo by Gabrielle Bellelo/LSU AgCenter