Sugar cane burning is necessary Published: Thursday, December
20, 2012 at 1:43 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, December 20, 2012
at 1:43 p.m. The billowing white plumes of smoke that rise from
sugar-cane fields this time of year are a reminder of our strong
agricultural industry. They are also environmental annoyances
that do everything from burning sensitive eyes to irritating
sinuses. And, according to farmers and scientists, they are a
necessary evil — at least for now. “Field burning removes all
post-harvest trash left on the soil surface,” said Windell
Jackson, senior agronomist with the American Sugar Cane League.
“Leaving the cut sugar cane leaves to compost on the ground
prevents the sun from heating up the soil. Leaving mulch in the
field keeps the soil damp and promotes fungus and other plant
disease growth — diseases that damage and kill the sugar cane
root.” While that explains why the situation is as it is, future
improvements on the current system are possible. Researchers at
the U.S. Department o