ABSTRACT
Sugarcane has a long growing period and variable but often high water requirements for about 9 months of the 12-month cropping cycle. It requires a minimum temperature of 12°C (base temperature) for leaf growth and 18°C for stem elongation (Inmam-Bamber, 1994). It is cropped in tropical or subtropical areas. Equatorial areas, where rainfall is high and sunlight is limited throughout the year, are less satisfactory as sugarcane has a high solar radiation requirement. Commercial sugarcane is, therefore, grown mainly in areas of high solar radiation and marked dry seasons.
