Sugarcane is a giant crop producing a great quantity of biomass that generally demands higher amounts of nutrient elements. Plant crops generally take up more nutrients than the ratoon crop. During vegetation, the sugarcane consumes many nutrients.

The most active uptake of nutrients is observed during the early stage of the sugarcane plant, during tillering (from the third to the sixth months after planting). 

The nutrient needs of sugarcane can get assessed by soil analysis, plant tissue analysis and deficiency symptoms. A combination of these three methods gives the most complete inventory of the nutrient status of a crop.