How does a sugarcane canopy reduce weed growth?

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

A sugarcane canopy reduces weed growth by physically shading the ground once the cane stools have sufficiently developed. By creating this dense overhead cover, the sugarcane limits the amount of sunlight that reaches the soil surface, thereby inhibiting the ability of weeds to germinate and thrive in the field.1

Because this canopy only becomes effective after the stools are well-established, farmers must actively manage weeds using manual hoeing, mechanical weeders, or herbicides during the earlier stages of the crop's growth cycle.1