How are sugarcane fields weeded by hand and by machine?

To ensure a healthy crop, weeds in sugarcane fields must be managed until the cane stools develop a sufficient canopy to naturally suppress weed growth.1

Weeding is performed through the following methods:

• Manual Weeding: This remains the most common practice, typically carried out using a hoe.1
• Mechanical Weeding: Specialized mechanical cane weeders equipped with attached rakes have been developed to assist in this process. Additionally, general cultivators may be used to stir the soil around crops to destroy weeds.12

In addition to these physical methods, chemical herbicides are widely utilized in sugarcane cultivation to control weed populations.1