Sugarcane Root Growth and Relationships to Above-ground Biomass

Roots comprise the lesselknown part of the soil-plantatmosphere continuum and yet are essential to the supply of sufficient water and nutrients to ensure u successt'ul crop. By understanding the growth and distribution of sugarcane roots. yields can be optiniiscd through improved strategic decisions. 'This paper addresses root growth and rclationships to above ground biomass. lssues discussed include the descending ratc, distribution with dcpth and total length 01' roots, the effect of water availability, and the I-clationship between roots, total leaf nurnber and grccn leaf' area. The relationship bctween roots and total leaf number has never been published before and this papcr ol'l'ers a possible explnnation folthe change in the sate of green leaf appeal-ancc over time. All growth trends have been expressed in relation to cumulative heat units (base tcmperaturc = 10°C) which makes it possible to link data from difkrent seasons and different parts of the world.