Effects of planting methods and fungicide seed application on sugarcane ( <i>Saccharum</i> spp. hybrid) growth and yield

Abstract Sugarcane ( Saccharum spp. hybrid) manual planting in Florida faces challenges due to labor shortages. Even though mechanical planting offers potential benefits, concerns persist about its impact on soil‐borne diseases and crop establishment. To address these concerns, two on‐farm trials using split‐plot design determine the effects of planting methods (mechanical vs. manual) and fungicide treatments (Priaxor, Provysol, Quilt Xcel) on sugarcane growth and yield. Data collected included seed cane rate, tiller dynamics, physiological parameters, plant height, gap analysis, and yield components across two growing seasons. Results showed mechanical planting required nearly four times higher rate of seed cane compared to manual planting. Mechanical planting reduced tiller count at early growth stage, but it was compensated at the later stage with no significant difference compared to the manual planting at the later growth stage. Significant interaction between planting methods and fungicide treatments in one of the two trials showed that fungicide application significantly improved plant height (by about 18%), number of millable stalks (by over 30%), and cane yield (by approximately 40%) in mechanical planting but not in manual planting. The physiological parameters, such as soil plant analysis development and leaf area index, were not influenced by planting methods or fungicide treatments. This study shows that switching from current manual planting to mechanical planting may need some changes in planting practice such as fungicide seed cane treatment at planting. Further research is needed to understand how mechanical planting may affect the planting practices, crop management, and farm economics.