Mitr Phol Sugarcane Research Center, Thailand. Thailand is one of the largest exporters of sugar. Though the sugar mills are very modern with higher crushing capacities, the sugarcane productivity is a major concern. Mitr Phol Sugar Group has five modern mills: Mitr Phol Dan Chang, Mitr Phu Kieo, Mitr Phu Viang, Mitr Kalasin and Singburi Sugar Mill. These are state of the art sugar mills with crushing capacities ranging from 18-30,000 TCD per mill and a total crushing of 113,000 TCD.The management of Mitr Phol Sugar Group has recognized the importance of research and technology transfer for sustainable development of their sugarcane production and living standards of their farmers.

Research programs

Our objectives are three folds. The first is to increase sugar production per unit area and quality through a dedicated breeding
program and to develop package practices for maximizing cane production through fertilizer, weed and water management.
The second is through transfer of appropriate and new technology to farmers while the third objective is to conduct researches
in process to improve recoveries and quality of sugar and by-products.

		The breeding program is initiated with the objective of identification and development of new high yielding, high sugar, disease resistant varieties through breeding and selection. Inter varietal and site-specific crosses and tissue culture system is used. Sugarcane collection expeditions were undertaken to collect germplasm within Thailand. Presently in our germplasm collection we have Saccharum officinarum, S. spontaneum, Miscanthus, Erianthus and various hybrids amounting to a total of 1068 germplasm lines.

		Tissue culture program aims at multiplication of the varieties that breeders and farmers have accepted. This program can eradicate diseases in seed cane and support us for the rapid multiplication of clean cane to our farmers. We have already started our production of tissue culture plantlets and initial focus on rapid multiplication of MT varieties.

		The main objective is optimization of cultivation practice to increase yield and reduce cost through researches in proper fertilizer, weed and water management. Standardizing package of practices for new varieties developed by us and demonstration of improved production practice using new products and techniques and finally soil and water conservation for sustainable production. We have also designed and developed farm equipments for the small tractors and demonstrated the use of farm machinery for proper sugarcane production.

Plant Protection

Pathology and entomology constitute plant protection. Identification of cane varieties resistant to major diseases, field control of
diseases, maintenance of quarantine station and standardization of control measures for the various diseases prevalent in cane are
the major objectives of the pathology divisions. We have been able to effectively bring down incidence of white leaf disease through
proper training of production staff and farmers. Manuals have been developed for the disease management.

Identification of cane varieties resistant to major insects, researches into factors affecting pest problems of sugarcane, control
measures and field control apart from biological control and IPM are the focal points of entomologists. There was an outbreak of
sugarcane stem borer, Chilo tumidicostalis (Hampson) in northeastern region of Thailand which caused heavy damage in an area of
20,000 ha in Mitr Phol sugarcane area amounting to a loss of 100 million baht. We initiated programs to control the pest and prevented
further spread. We took a three pronged approach where in we produced and released Trichogramma, the egg parasite, Cotesia,
the larval parasite and experimenting with Tetrastichus, the pupal parasite. We continue to produce and release these as preventive
measures.

Soil and plant analysis

The soil and plant analytical laboratory supports Research, Mitr Phol's fields and farmers for proper soil and crop management.
The main role of the laboratory is to provide service in terms of plant and soil analysis. We have capacity to accurately determine
chemical properties (in terms of macronutrients, micronutrients and trace elements) and physical properties for soil samples and
provide proper recommendations for judicious use of fertilizer and soil improvement. We have also established nutrients maps based
on soil tests. We have trained farmers and field officers on soil sampling techniques. Two technical memos entitled “Use of organic
material for soil improvement” and “Trash management for soil improvement in sugarcane fields” was produced for the benefit of
procurement staff.

The ultimate objective is to develop a complete database or nutrient map of the entire sugarcane area of Mitr Phol mills. This would
help us to make proper recommendation for soil and crop improvement.

Sugar Analytical Laboratory

The objective of the division is to conduct research in sugar quality apart from providing support of analytical services leading to quality
sugar production for researchers and mill personnel. Our laboratories have modern and efficient instruments to estimate sucrose,
reducing sugar, dextran, starch and ash in cane juice, raw sugar and molasses. Research would be undertaken to reduce these
impurities to improve sugar productivity.

The major service includes estimating quality parameters of cane juice for the research programs, support the factory for analytical
work and to conduct research towards improving quality of cane juice and improved mill efficiency by developing new techniques. Our
long term aim is to develop by-products from sugar process in Mitr Phol mills. We have also compiled a manual entitled “Procedures
for estimation of various sugar parameters” aimed at improved technology.

Technology Transfer

The primary objective of technology transfer division is to efficiently and effectively disseminate suitable technology to farmers and
production staff through participatory concept to bring increased production and profitability.

The strategy is to provide, demonstrate and develop new suitable technology regarding cane improvement, to identify and develop
target villages to demonstrate benefits of appropriate management practices, to use target villages as models to improve other villages
ultimately covering whole mill area, to promote target village as a learning center for sugarcane production with ideal management
practice and expand the ideal farmer network.

The division comprises of staff with research, extension and communication backgrounds. Co-operation and co-ordination with
researchers, audiovisual officers, cane production and extension staff form the core of technology transfer division.

Field demonstrations, farmer participation, lectures, discussions, trainings and ultimately transfer of knowledge using appropriate audio
visual methods are the tools. We have identified 10 villages as target villages which would be used to demonstrate the concept of ideal
management practices and to transfer the ideal production technologies.

Information Technology

Sugar Industry felt the need to estimate cane area, production and help the farmers to increase productivity through suitable land
management. This would also be very useful for yield forecasting which is very critical for sugar trade. .To achieve this goal, creating
necessary information at farm scale is vital. Hence a pilot project was conducted in an area of 40 sq.kms. to map cane area and land
use using IRS-ID satellite picture. Result showed that the area could be mapped to an accuracy of 85-90 %. This method was cost
effective.

The results are mapping cane area and the farmer's database. Mapping and GIS gave various application potential to procurement
operations and crop yield improvement. Procurement could apply this technology to estimate cane area, locate new suitable area for
expansion, monitoring field operations, finance and planning harvest and transport, etc. Precision farming is another beneficial system
to farmers. This has three sequential steps; map the yield variability, identify reasons and recommend suitable management practices
to improve production and reduce cost. But the successful implementation is only possible when intensive data are collected.

A learning center par excellence

The research center is also a learning center wherein we co-operate with various agencies in organizing exhibitions where the farmers
are given first hand information regarding varieties, poly bag planting, use of farm equipments, green manuring, and sugarcane
management.

Our researchers attend both national and international seminars and conferences to present their papers. We encourage our staff to
study further to attain higher degrees. We have collaboration both at the national and international levels with various research
centers.

Our mission:

Improve efficiency to increase productivity of cane, sugar and by-products through innovative researches and technology transfer to be sustainable and internationally competitive.