To reduce the amount of N and P applied to varieties that have high nitrogen use efficiency without suffering a yield or sugar reduction
Certain varieties respond to different environmental conditions in different ways. Soil type, climate and nutrient availability should be considered when selecting varieties. One factor that can be easily controlled is the amount of nutrient applied to the paddock. Having high nitrogen use efficiency means that a variety will grow just as well with reduced fertiliser rates as it would with a higher rate, as the fertiliser would be used more efficiently with a lower amount lost to external sources. This process of reducing rates could also lead to less lodging, higher chance of maturity at harvest and in turn higher sugar yields. The variety chosen for this site is Q242 which can have lodging issues along with significant suckering (new side shoots) that reduce sugar content resulting in lower sugar yields.