Guangdong Xuwen County lies on the southern tip of the Leizhou Peninsula, characterized by a tropical marine monsoon climate. As one of the key sugar cane production bases in the region, the county has recently seen a shift in its agricultural practices. With rural industrial restructuring, many areas have started cultivating crops like peanuts and melons to increase the multiple cropping index and boost economic returns, achieving promising results.
One of the successful strategies is intercropping spring peanuts with sugarcane. This method offers several advantages. First, it enhances the crop diversity and increases overall income. Peanuts are short-statured plants, while sugarcane grows tall, allowing them to occupy different vertical spaces and reduce competition. By carefully timing their planting periods, farmers can maximize land use and productivity.
Second, the technique is easy to manage. Farmers can simply dig trenches between peanut rows to plant sugarcane, making the process efficient and less labor-intensive. This also helps stagger the busy seasons for both crops, reducing workload pressure.
Third, the practice enriches the soil. After harvesting peanuts, the vines, roots, and leftover plant material are incorporated into the sugarcane fields, acting as natural organic fertilizer. This not only improves soil fertility but also boosts sugarcane yield.
In terms of technology, proper site preparation is essential. The soil needs to be loose, deep, and nutrient-rich for both peanuts and sugarcane. Using tractors for plowing two times ensures the soil is well-tilled up to 35 cm depth. For those without machinery, oxen can be used to achieve similar results.
Planting schedules are crucial. In Xuwen, spring peanuts are usually sown around or after the "Great Cold" period, typically in late January, when temperatures rise above 16°C. Sugarcane should be planted 32 to 40 days later, ideally between late February and early March. Planting too early may lead to competition for nutrients and light, while planting too late could result in sugarcane seedlings being shaded by mature peanuts, leading to poor growth.
Choosing the right sugarcane variety is also important. High-yield, narrow-leaf varieties that grow slowly at first but accelerate later are ideal. They produce more tillers, which is beneficial for higher yields.
Proper planting density and fertilization are necessary. Peanuts should be spaced 35 cm apart within rows and 45 cm between rows, with about 9,000 to 9,500 holes per acre, each containing two seeds. A total of 2,500 kg of high-quality compost, 30–40 kg of nitrogen fertilizer, 40–60 kg of superphosphate, and 10–15 kg of potassium sulfate or 100–150 kg of wood ash per acre should be applied. For sugarcane, spacing should be 75–100 cm, with 3,000 sprouts per mu. Basal fertilizer should include 2,500 kg of compost, 100 kg of superphosphate, 25 kg of urea, 50 kg of compound fertilizer, and 3 kg of carbofuran, all mixed into the planting furrows.
Field management is equally important. After the peanut harvest, a second application of fast-acting fertilizer—such as 25–40 kg of urea per mu—is recommended. Weeding and trenching help maintain soil moisture, and the remaining peanut residue is buried in the sugarcane rows to enhance nutrient supply. Proper irrigation during dry periods promotes healthy sugarcane growth and early development.
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