2021 Volume 14 Issue 2 Pages 72-80
To investigate the potential for sugarcane production in sourthern Higashi Mikawa, Aichi Prefecture, a commercial cultivar NiF8 was cultivated over years. Although the study area belongs to temperate zone, the spring-plant and ratoon canes yielded 5.0 – 5.5 t 10a-1 and 7.0 – 8.0 t 10a-1 and recorded 12.2 – 14.9% and 13.2 – 15.9% of pol in cane, respectively. Pol in cane continuously increased until late December, exhibiting the maximum value during late December and early January, and decreased thereafter due to low temperatures and frost. As a result, brown sugar could be produced from all cane stalks obtained in the study area. During mid-July to early September, sugarcane showed remarkable growth, and the elongation rate was even greater than in Okinawa. Plant height was high in March- and April-plant canes; therefore, it is recommended to plant sugarcane during late March and late April. The suitable harvest time is considered December before sugar content decreases. Precipitation significantly affected the elongation under rainfed conditions. During end of July to September, the growth rate after rainfall increased once, sometimes over 30 mm d-1. However it dropped down to 0 – 1 mm d-1 when fine weather continued, which strongly demonstrated the importance of irrigation. Ratoon cultivation is encouraged since the second ratoon exhibited a greater yield than the plant cane. From the present study, appropriate plant and harvest times were revealed and it is concluded that sugarcane production was sufficiently possible in southern Higashi Mikawa.
