Temperature

• The optimum temperature for bud sprouting is around 28_ 300C.
• For growth and development 26-320C while growth and tillering is restricted below 180C.
• Below 50C, the cultivation is not possible and the temperature above 500C arrest its growth.
• Ripening and harvesting requires cool season and mean day temperature about 10-200C but frost free, dry and high incident of solar radiation.
• At high temperature >380C reversion of sucrose into fructose and glucose may occur leading to less sugar accumulation.

Rainfall

• For obtaining high yield 2000-2500 mm/year evenly distributed rainfall is considered ideal.
• Heavy rainfall causes lodging and reduces cane juice quality.
• During active growth period, rainfall enhances rapid cane growth, cane elongation and internode formation but it is not desirable during ripening phase.

Light

• Sugarcane is a short-day sun loving plant therefore higher incident solar radiation favor higher cane and sugar yield.
• About 7-9 hours of bright sunlight is highly useful for both active growth and ripening.
• Under bright light conditions, the stems are broader and greener while under low sunshine, the stems are slender and long with narrower and yellowish leaves.

Relative humidity

• RH doesn’t have much influence if water supply isn’t limiting. Moderate value of 45-65% coupled with limited water supply is favorable during ripening phase.
• However high humidity coupled with warm weather favor good vegetative growth.

Wind

• High velocity winds exceeding 60km/hr are harmful to grown up canes leading to lodging and cane breakage.
• Also leaves get damage even at early stage.
• Wind enhance moisture loss from plant and thus aggravate the ill effects of moisture stress.

Frost

• Severe cold inhibit bud sprouting in rations and arrest cane growth.
• At temperature of -10C to  -20C, the cane leaves and meristem tissues are killed.

Soil

• Being a highly versatile plant, it can be grown on variety of soil with textures ranging from sandy to heavy clay soil to organic soils.
• The ideal soil is deep, aerated, well-structured sandy loam to clay loam with an adequate supply of Organic matter and neutral reaction (PH 6.5 – 7.5).
• It can tolerate considerable degree of soil acidity and alkalinity, so found growing in soil PH ranging from 4-8.

If the soil is coarse textured, then

• Nematode infestation is a hazard.
• Low available water capacity of sandy soils (6cm/m).
• Rapid infiltration of water causes leaching of fertilizers.

If the soil is fine textured , then

• Anaerobic conditions will induce symptoms of drought.
• Soil capping (in case of silt).
• Root penetration and plant growth is restricted.