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Growing Sugarcane
Crop Nutrition Advice
Everything you need to know about sugarcane fertilization, best practice, suitable products, field trials and more.
Advice for growing Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)
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Sugarcane belongs to the Poaceae family and the Saccharum genus, similar to other grass crops like maize and wheat.
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In the U.S. sugarcane is primarily grown in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Hawaii, with Florida and Louisiana being the top producers.
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pH is key to sugarcane production and nutrient uptake and availability – it should be a top consideration in nutrient management
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After pH, nitrogen is the next most critical nutrient for a successful fertility program, excessive amounts can can dilute sugar concentration
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Don’t overlook sulfur, which is vital for yield and sucrose levels, along with essential micronutrients like zinc and boron.
What soil type, pH and climate does sugarcane prefer?
Sugarcane grows best in well-drained, loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0–6.5), in warm climates with ample sunlight, high humidity, and sufficient rainfall or irrigation.
- pH: Maintaining optimal soil pH is crucial for sugarcane production. Keep pH slightly acidic to neutral (6.0–6.5) to ensure optimal nutrient availability and plant health. Deviations from this range can impair nutrient efficiency and overall vitality. For effective nitrogen utilization, ensure pH remains within this range and that phosphorus and potassium levels are sufficient.
- Soil: Well-drained, loamy soil is ideal to prevent waterlogging and support robust root development.
- Climate: Sugarcane thrives in warm climates with ample sunlight. High humidity and adequate rainfall or irrigation support optimal growth.
Key Nutrients for Sugarcane – General Aspects:
Nitrogen
Influences sugarcane yield and quality (nitrogen increases the number of millable canes and total weight of stalks). Optimum N concentration of 1.95–2.0% at plant at tillering has been estimated to be essential for maximum cane yield. Excess nitrogen leads to delayed maturity and ripening, lowers juice quality and makes crops susceptible to lodging and pest and disease incidence.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is important for cell division, stimulates root growth and tillering. It influences length, girth, cane numbers, and yield of millable cane. Phosphorus content in juice eliminate colloids during processing (300 ppm P2O5 concentration in juice has been rated as a critical limit for better crystallization and colour of the finished “sugar” product).
Potassium
Potassium has a positive effect on tillering ratio, primary index, cane yield, and sugar accumulation. It helps sugarcane to develop resistance to pest, diseases, and lodging and maintains cell turgidity under moisture stress conditions.
Sulfur
Sulfur is essential for synthesis of amino acids, protein, and vitamins in sugarcane, while increasing the juice quality, cane yield, and providing protection against stresses such as salinity, drought, metal toxicity, and extreme temperatures.
Magnesium
Magnesium is both an enzyme activator and a constituent of many enzymes and is the central element of the chlorophyll molecule. It’s deficiency is first evident on older leaves. Red necrotic lesions result in a “rusty” appearance.
Manganese
Manganese sparks the photosynthesis process by splitting water molecules, fixes light to initiate the conversion of CO2 and water into carbohydrates. It act as catalyst in oxidation-reduction reactions and is an activator of many enzymes in sugarcane plant. Manganese helps in iron and nitrogen metabolism, as well as chlorophyll formation.
General Sugarcane Structure and Propagation:
Sugarcane is composed of four main parts: the root system, the stalk, the leaves, and the inflorescences. Propagated vegetatively from cuttings with a few buds, each bud can grow into a primary stem. The stalk features nodes and varying-length internodes—short at both ends and long in the middle. The leaves are divided into two parts: the blade and the sheath, connected by a leaf joint.
Q&A
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For soil analysis, soil samples should be taken from the surface to 15 cm depth, but this can be up to 30 cm.
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Sugarcane requires between 1,100 and 1,500 mm of rainfall, provided the distribution is right. Abundant water is required during the vegetative growth months, followed by a dry period for ripening.
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The optimum temperature for sugarcane bud sprouting ranges from 20° to 30°C. Extremely low (<10°C) and extremely high (>40°C) temperatures adversely affect the cane bud sprouting.
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There are a number of sugarcane planting methods, including trench, double row, ring pit, bud chip technology, and STP (spaced transplanting technology).
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Shallow 10-15 cm deep furrows spaced at 90 cm in autumn and 75 cm in spring are opened, and setts are placed in the furrows following either head-to-head or bud-to-bud alignment. The furrows are compacted with a heavy wooden plank to conserve moisture.
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The trench sugarcane planting method is recommended for sugarcane growers. The input use efficiency is high, and there is scope to accommodate intercropping between the sugarcane rows. Trenches should be 30 cm wide and deep with a center-to-center distance of 120 cm. The sugarcane setts are placed along both walls of the trench.
Recommended Products
Polysulphate®
Polysulphate®
