Chemical ripening of sugarcane is an important component to profitable sugar production in the United States as well as
other sugarcane industries throughout the world. Harvesting of sugarcane often begins before the sugarcane reaches the
desirable maturity level. This is especially true in the Louisiana sugarcane industry where the window for harvesting is
limited because of the risk of freezing temperatures encountered in a temperate climate. Research on the application of
chemicals, mostly of herbicide origin, to enhance sucrose accumulation (ripening) or limit flowering to conserve stored
sucrose has been conducted for more than 60 yr. The only sugarcane ripener currently registered for use in the United
States is glyphosate applied before harvest. The herbicide fluazifop is used as the primary ripener of sugarcane in South
Africa. The herbicides glyphosate, fluazifop, and sulfometuron-methyl and the growth regulators ethephon and trinexapacethyl
are registered for use in Brazil. There is a continuing need to evaluate sugarcane ripeners to increase the utility of
currently registered ripeners and to find additional ripeners for use by sugarcane industries. The need for alternatives to
glyphosate is especially critical before a glyphosate-tolerant sugarcane can be utilized to improve control of problematic
weeds.