Initial inspections of sugar cane paddocks across the Herbert and Burdekin indicate approximately 5% of crop to have experienced damage following ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily making landfall last week.
Queensland Cane Agriculture & Renewables (QCAR) Chair Charles Quagliata said he and other members of the QCAR team have been active in the field, liaising with growers, members and other agencies to assess the damage.
“The bigger cane varieties seem to have laid over as it usually does in windy weather,” he said.
“A lot of the ratoons that were cut late have copped the most effect.
“There are a few snapped tops as well.”
With reports of lodged and snapped cane, QCAR Senior Technical Officer said the damage “could have been a lot worse” and believes the crop will be okay, but there are still setbacks to be expected.
“As we all know, when a crop lodges before it is fully grown, it takes some time for the crop to resume its maximum growth rates,” Mr Di Bella stated.
“This stress event could have an impact on cane yields, because the crop will need to divert some of energies from producing biomass into reestablishing itself.”
“It has been a while since we’ve been severely impacted by a cyclone so we can think ourselves lucky but there is most definitely some damage and there will be some setback in the 2024 crop,” Mr Quagliata said.
QCAR CEO Panikos Spyrou also pointed out: “When sugar cane is lodged, the plant will use the sugars in the stalk as energy to grow upwards again.”
Mr Di Bella confirmed this stating, “Research findings undertaken over the years has shown that, lodged cane generally has a lower sugar content, when compared to erect crops.
“Also tipped cane stools collected at harvest time can also lower sugar levels when sent to the mill.”
Mr Spyrou continued, stating, “The best thing that can occur is that we have good growing conditions between now and the start of the crush to recover some of the sugars lost.
“Not only has the cane bent over and snapped, but the wind has stripped the leaves and left them in a damaged state.
“Now, all of the chlorophyll has to reform so it’s going to hamper the photosynthesis process of the cane, while having a negative impact on cane yield.”
Mr Quagliata said that while flooding wasn’t an issue, local growers were expecting more rain to come from the cyclone and prepared accordingly.
“It was a very dry cyclone which is a little disappointing in a way,” he said.
“We copped the wind and lodging but didn’t really get the benefit of the rainfall to follow.
“I personally had discussions with some members as the cyclone was approaching and, seeing that a lot of rain was above the system, a lot of growers did pre-water their crop to let it lodge rather than snap.
“The ground was soft, which allowed it to lodge rather than break off at the base.
“Having a cyclone in January rather than April, the cane is at a very brittle stage.
“All you can do is pretty much clean up and hope for the best.”
Additionally, there have been no reports of damage to Wilmar Sugar Mills in the Herbert and Burdekin.
“We’re hoping that they’re still on track with their maintenance schedule and hoping that they’re ready for an early June start and for a really good season crush rate,” Mr Quagliata said.
In reflection, Mr Quagliata identified two elements to the cyclone’s impact.
“One is the lodged and snapped cane, and the second part of it is the cane actually recovering from the blow, which does set the crop back until it’s turned its head and starts growing up again,” he said.
“If the crop is still standing and we have nice rainfall, the crop would be most definitely in a much better position than where it is now.”
QCAR’s Senior Agricultural Technical Officer Lawrence Di Bella is available to answer any questions members may have about the state and health of their crop post-cyclone.
Contact 07 4783 2111 for more information.
QCAR Chair Charles Quagliata
Sugar cane has lodged and snapped across the Burdekin following ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily
Photo credit: Sam Gillespie
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