A review of field management practices impacting root health in sugarcane

Information on field management practices impacting root health in sugarcane is available but fragmented across diverse literature. This makes a synthesis of information on the management of sugarcane fields, with emphasis on root health, difficult. The purpose of this paper is to collate information on field management practices that will benefit the growth of healthy sugarcane roots in support of optimal crop production. This paper reviews background information on the growth dynamics and characteristics of sugarcane roots. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of discipline-related problems and their recommended ameliorative field management practices, with a focus on root health. Information on sugarcane roots is not equally available for all disciplines. In such cases, information was also considered from other crops to provide likely answers to the amelioration of root management problems in sugarcane. Across all these management practices a list of practical procedures to reduce root health problems is compiled. This review also highlights gaps in our knowledge regarding sugarcane root health.