Agronomic Performance of Sugarcane in Reduced Row Spacing Grown from Different Billet Sizes Under No-tillage and Conventional Tillage System

Abstract

For the need for expansion in the production of sugarcane, especially in regions that do not yet produce it significantly, there is a necessity for new studies in such areas, such as the cerrado-pantanal transition region. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of the crop through different soil management and billets sizes in the region. The experiment was conducted at the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, in the 2012/2013 harvest. The design was in blocks with randomized treatments, in 2 × 3 subdivided plots, with treatments consisting of the combination of two soil management (no-tillage and conventional tillage systems) and three billet sizes (10, 20 and 40 cm), with four replications. The variety used was RB867515, and the variables analyzed were number of tillers, plant height, percentage of gaps, stem diameter, stem mass, productivity and total recoverable sugar. It was concluded that the use of billets of 20 cm in length positively influenced the vegetative development of sugarcane, but it did not translate directly into productivity. The planting system also did not directly influence the agronomic performance of the crop.