How do farmers grow new sugarcane plants from stalk cuttings?

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Sugarcane field — Sugarcane Field of sugarcane (*Saccharum officinarum*) in St. George Parish, Barbados.

Farmers propagate sugarcane primarily by planting stalk cuttings known as seed cane or cane sets. These sections, typically taken from immature stalks, contain two or more buds—usually three—that serve as the growth points for new plants.1

The process involves these key steps:

Preparation: Seed cane is planted in well-worked fields, often using mechanical planters that open furrows, apply fertilizer, deposit the cuttings, and cover them with soil.1
Germination: Under favorable conditions, each bud on the cutting germinates to produce a primary shoot. Simultaneously, root bands near each bud develop a root system, and each young shoot eventually establishes its own roots.1
Development: Through a process called tillering, the original seed cane sprouts at the base to form a cluster of growing canes known as a stool.1

Additionally, farmers may use a method called ratooning, where a portion of the stalk is left underground after harvest to produce a succeeding crop, known as a ratoon or stubble crop. This allows for multiple harvests from a single initial planting.1