Yield and brown sugar productivity of sugarcane genotypes under different harvest seasons

The cultivation of sugarcane and the production of derivatives such as sugar and brown sugar still demand accurate information from both the industry and producers regarding harvest timing and management, in order to obtain the highest yield and ensure sustainability in the production system. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the production performance and yield of sugarcane genotypes in the production of brown sugar in the State of São Paulo. The experiment was carried out in three harvest seasons (main plot factor) with ten sugarcane genotypes (subplot factor), with four replications, in a 3×10 factorial split-plot design. The variables measured were: broth volume, broth volume per ton, stem mass, brown sugar mass, yield in kg per 100 L of broth and yield in kg ton-1 of cane. An analysis of variance was performed, and the means were compared using the Scott-Knott test at 5% probability of error. The June-July seasons proved to be more suitable for sugarcane production, while harvesting in September was most suitable for brown sugar production. Among the genotypes, RB86-7515 showed the best performance for sugarcane production, while IACSP04-704 stood out for brown sugar production.