Space requirement
for sugarcane appears to be varietal specific as stalk population varies in high tillering
and low tillering varieties. A study was taken to find out optimum space required for four
commercial genotypes. The varieties Co 997, Co 6415 (Early), Co 62175, Co 419 (Late) have
been planted with 5 spacings viz. 21.2, 30.0, 42.5, 60.0 and 84.9 cms on rectangular
model. Observations have been made on height, millable canes, yield per hectare. Juice
analysis have been done at 9th and 10th month. The results are presented in Table 7. By
and large it was found that low to medium tillering types require less space in
comparision to high tillering varieties. Due to close in space crop height increases
enormously in the early stages. Possibilities of forcing early maturity varieties by
reducing space was observed which however needs further studies.