Abstract
The effect of dense planting in planting and ratooning cane of forage sugarcane variety, KRFo93-1, on the growth and yield was studied at farmers’ fields in Nishinoomote, Kagoshima from 2007 to 2008. The planting density examined was 63.6 ×103 (control), 95.4×103 (1.5 times, dense planting) and 127.2×103 (2 times, dense planting) buds/ha. The number of stems increased with increasing planting density. The number of stems was the maximum at 63 days after planting (DAP) in 2007 and at 75 DAP in 2008 and it decreased thereafter. It was higher in 2007 than in 2008, which might be affected by the difference in the amount of solar radiation. Stem length was significantly longer in dense planting until 88 DAP in 2007 and until 102 DAP in 2008. The longer stem length may be due to the smaller tiller number per stool in dense planting. The vegetation cover ratio was significantly higher in dense planting. The average fresh-and dry-matter yields in 2007 and 2008 were higher in dense planting. The effect of dense planting was very large until 88 DAP in 2007 and until 102 DAP in 2008. Therefore, the yield-increasing effect of dense planting would be larger if the timing of harvest was earlier than in this study. Dense planting had a positive effect on the growth and yield of ratooning cane in dense planting.
