ARS Serai Naurang, Bannu
Work on sugar crops in Bannu area started at Agriculture Research Station, Serai Naurang, in 1988. There is an Agronomist and an Assistatnt Agronomist and two research officers (one each for Bannua and Dera Ismail Khan). In sugarcane the following varieties have been approved by the sugar crops section, by Mr Khan Bahadar, Senior Research Officer (Rtd.) of ARS, Serai Naurang. Beside that KWS-1451 is a candiadte variety in sugarbeet and to be released for sugarbeet growers of the area.
Table: List of sugarcane varieties approved for the southern sugarcane belt.
| S.No. | Variety | Maturity | Year |
| 1. | Bannu-1 | Mid season | 1990 |
| 2. | Naurang-98 | Early season | 1998 |
| 3. | Bannu-3 | Early season | 2003 |
| 4. | Bannu Green | Mid/late season | 2004 |
| 5. | Khan Bahadar 2010 | Mid season | 2010 |
| 6. | MS-93-CP-223 (pipeline) | Early season | -- |
Agronomic recommendations standardized for the area
1. Best planting time for sugarcane plantation was found to be between December and Mid January.
2. Intercropping sugarbeet with sugarcane maximized the net income and production per unit area.
3. Planting sugarcane in furrows of 18-20 cm breadth and a row distance of 4 feet is recommended.
4. Planting sugarcane after fallow/leguminous crop gives higher economic return.