Main Points

• The forecast is for frost in some regions of the states of São Paulo, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul for this Wednesday.
• The monitored areas include the sugarcane regions
• The impact of frost on sugarcane fields varies from productivity to sugar concentration in the cane

Frost Alert at SugarCane Poles 

• Meteorological models are expecting frosts in the states of São Paulo, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul.
• Moderate and light frosts are expected in some agricultural regions, harming corn and sugarcane crops – both of which are already suffering significant losses due to drought.

• Frost has a negative impact on sugarcane fields and can cause small burns on the plant and even the death of buds.
• How harmful frost is to crops will depend on its level of intensity (temperature and duration) and the stage in which the cane field is:
• If the sugarcane is close to the harvest period, the loss of productivity may not be as significant (however, the mills must harvest quickly to avoid a fall in the ATR and/or plant rot)
• Frost in this case can act as a maturador, increasing the concentration of sugar in the cane field.
• Now, the worst case happens when the cane has not finished developing and the frost, depending on its intensity, kills the apical bud of the plant.
• In these situations, as in the case of the image below, it may be necessary to replant the affected area or even harvest with losses of both agricultural productivity and sucrose – TCH and ATR, respectively.