Productivity of sugarcane cultivars in different soils and harvesting periods

Abstract

Sugarcane is of prime importance in Brazilian agriculture, being cultivated over a range of environments (climate and soil). Studying cultivars responses in different environments helps to improve and maximize the crop economic output. In this context, three experiments were performed in a 9x2 randomized block design with four replicates to assess differences in stalk and the percentage of sucrose of nine sugarcane cultivars growing in two soils, Tipic Kandiaqult (PL) and Arenic Kandiudult (PV). The cultivars were harvested during three months (May, August and October/1997). Overall the PV soil permitted higher stalk productivities (P<0.01). The sugarcane cultivars studied in this work showed different stalk produtivities and ripening degrees in the studied environments, which related to the water holding capacities in the two soils, emphasizing the role of environment on stalk and potential sugar productivities.