Shoot and stalk dynamics and the yield of sugarcane crops in tropical and subtropical Queensland, Australia

Experiments designed to broaden the range of plant densities tested revealed a negative relationship between individual stalk mass and stalk population density. These data show that treatments that increase stalk population densities at harvest without also increasing rates of dry matter accumulation during stalk filling are unlikely to increase yields. Improvements in soil health afforded by crop rotation and soil fumigation deliver yield benefits by achieving both higher population densities and heavier stalks.