Single Row Spacing Research Articles

Row Spacing and Potential Productivity in Sugarcane1

AbstractSugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) has been reported to respond only slightly to reduced interrow spacing. However, commercial cultivars are released after 10 to 15 years selection at a single row spacing and would be expected to be suited to that particular spacing. To determine if sugarcane has the genetic potential to exhibit increased productivity at high stalk populations, the performance of unselected seedlings was compared with that of commercial cultivars at several planting densities (2.6 to 32 setts/m2) and interrow spacings (25 to 140 cm). Comparisons were made over a 2‐year period in small scale field trials and in pot culture.Reduction of the interrow spacing from 140 to 50 cm significantly increased the yield of some cultivars in an irrigated field trial. The superiority of close row spacing treatments was maintained when the ratoons were grown under natural rainfall.About 7% of an unselected seedling population planted at high density (32 setts/m2) in pot culture performed better than commercial cultivars planted at the same or lower (5 setts/m2) density. Clones which gave superior yields at high planting density were not significantly better than other seedling or commercial clones when grown at conventional planting density. Consequently, exploitation of increased productivity due to reduced interrow spacing should involve selection at the row spacing adopted.