The present investigation was carried out at Shandaweel Agricultural Research Station, Sohag Governorate to study the performance of the two promising sugar cane varieties grown as plant cane in 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 seasons and the 1st ratoon crops in 2009/2010 under three row spacing of (80, 100 (the recommended) and 120 cm) and two promising sugar cane varieties, G.98-28, G.99-160 beside G.T.54-9 the commercial variety. A split plot design with four replications was used in the plant cane and 1st ratoon crops. Row spacing treatments were allocated in the main plots, while, sugar cane varieties were randomely distributed in the sub-plots.
The results showed that: Increasing row spacing up to 120 cm recorded the highest values of stalk height, diameter, brix%, sucrose%, purity%, no. of millable canes/fed, sugar recovery%, cane and sugar yields/fed in the plant cane and 1st ratoon crops compared with the other two spacing.
Sugarcane varieties differed significantly, where G.98-28 variety recorded the highest stalk height, sucrose%, purity%, no. of millable canes/fed, sugar recovery%, cane and sugar yields/fed in the plant cane and 1st ratoon crops over the other two varieties. G.T.54-9 variety surpassed G.98-28 and G.99-160 varieties in stalk diameter, brix% in the plant cane and 1st ratoon crops.
The interaction between G.98-28 variety and 120 cm interrow spacing in 1st season plant cane and 1st ratoon crops obtained the highest cane and sugar yields/fed.
Under this conditions, 120 cm row spacing for the plant cane and the 1st ratoon crop of G.98-28 variety grown at Shandaweel, can be recommended to obtain the higher cane and sugar yields/fed.