A Systems Approach to Benchmarking for Sugarcane Production in Australia and South Africa

information required to benchmark yields. These include Growers, breeders and policy makers require benchmarks to measure performance in regard to management of the crop, genetic improvement and prospects for investment and employment. Cropping systems are difficult to benchmark because of the unpredictable nature of the climate. In this paper previous attempts to benchmark sugarcane production systems in Australia and South Africa are reviewed, and benchmark yields produced by two models are compared. Some South African commercial yields are then compared with appropriate benchmarks and possibilities for yield improvements are assessed. Efficiency of various processes in the use of radiation and water by the crop, and where gains are most likely to be made in breeding and in management, are then considered. The most promising avenues for yield gains in both industries are (i) raising the standard of field management to narrow the gap between actual and benchmark yields (ii) introduction of supplementary irrigation in some rainfed areas where attainable yields are well below potential, (iii) increasing irrigation water use efficiency and (iv) increased partitioning of dry matter to sucrose.