A new method of sugarcane establishment using pre-sprouted seedlings (PSS) is under development in Brazil, requiring lower amounts of vegetative material as compared to the conventional method using billets (1–2 versus 12–20 Mg ha⁻¹). The hypotheses set up herein were: i) the sugarcane fields established with PSS achieve similar yields as compared to fields established conventionally and ii) since PSS has lower nutrition reserve as compared to the nutrients reserve within the billets, the nutritional demand of sugarcane may change according to the method of crop establishment. To test the hypothesis, three field trials were carried out within the main periods of sugarcane establishment in Southeast Brazil (fall, winter and spring), varying in fertilization practices. Treatments included conventional planting method with standard fertilization, New method without and under standard fertilization, named from here on as Conv., New method 1 and New method 2, respectively. In both systems, furrows were opened 1.5 m apart m. between rows. Conv. planting method was done with 12–15 buds m⁻¹, while both New methods were done with pre-sprouted seedlings spaced 0.5 m apart within the line. Measurements included tillering, plant nutritional status, stalk yield and stalk quality parameters over three crop cycles (cane-plant, first and second ratoon). Whereas Conv. method improved plant tillering in specific evaluation periods, both New methods lead to similar milleable plants at harvest time in the three crop seasons. Within all crop cycles, plant nutritional status was similar under all planting methods, even without fertilization for the new method 1. More interestingly, regardless of the crop cycle and season in which the trial was set up, under the New method the stalk yields and total recoverable sugars content were similar to the same parameters evaluated for crop established trough Conv. planting method. Based on this long-term study, crop establishment though pre-sprouted seedlings (New method adoption) can be highlighted as a promising opportunity to increase feedstock for ethanol production to attend the increased ethanol demand forecasted for the upcoming years.

巴西正在开发一种使用预发芽幼苗 (PSS) 建立甘蔗的新方法，与使用方坯的传统方法相比，需要更少的营养材料（1-2与12-20 Mg ha ^-1）。这里建立的假设是：i) 用 PSS 建立的甘蔗田与常规建立的甘蔗田实现了相似的产量和 ii) 由于 PSS 的营养储备低于坯料内的营养储备，甘蔗的营养需求可能会发生变化根据种植方式。为了验证这一假设，在巴西东南部甘蔗种植的主要时期（秋季、冬季和春季）进行了三项田间试验，施肥方法各不相同。处理方法包括常规施肥种植法、不施标准施肥新法，以下分别命名为Conv.、新法1和新法2。在这两个系统中，犁沟的间距为 1.5 m。行之间。转化次数⁻¹，而这两种新方法都是使用线内间隔 0.5 m 的预发芽幼苗完成的。测量包括分蘖、植物营养状况、茎产量和三个作物周期（甘蔗种植、第一次和第二次宿根）的茎质量参数。而转化率。方法改进了特定评估时期的植物分蘖，这两种新方法在三个作物季节的收获时间都可以产生相似的可耕作植物。在所有作物周期内，所有种植方法下的植物营养状况相似，即使新方法 1 不施肥。更有趣的是，无论作物周期和试验开始的季节如何，在新方法下，茎秆产量和总可回收糖含量类似于为作物建立的谷转换评估的相同参数。种植方法。