Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the growth and development of sugarcane under different supplemental irrigation depths. Irrigation treatments were 0.30, 0.60, 0.90 and 1.2 rate of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and the control (no irrigation). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with six replications. The highest yield was ratoon cane with 190 t ha^-1 in the treatment 0.6 of ETc. The difference between the highest and lowest yield were 11 and 7% in plant cane and ratoon cane, respectively. The rate of maximum technical efficiency of yield was 0.78 of ETc. Irrigation water productivity and water productivity was obtained in 35.8 to 146.0 kg m^-3 and 18.0 to 70.9 kg m^-3, respectively. The total mass and the dry mass showed increase of 20 and 25% in ratoon cane, respectively. The plant height showed no difference between treatments. The highest: number of tillers, leaf area and number of green leaves was treatment 1.2 of ETc. The deficit and excess moisture affect plant development, plant height, leaf area, stem diameter, number of tillers per meter, full mass and dry mass, affects the yield of sugarcane.

Key words: Saccharum, drip irrigation, water deficit, strategies for efficient irrigation, sugarcane.