**4. Implantation of sugarcane plantation**

Similarly to South Central Brazil, the planting of sugarcane without irrigation in small farms of the Zona da Mata region is essentially done at the beginning of the rainy season (September and October) and at end of the rainy season (February to March). The sugarcane planted at the beginning of the rainy season can be harvested from April to May of the following year (known as "one-year sugarcane"). However, for sugarcane planted from February to March, the harvest will take place about 15–18 months after (known as "one-and-a-half-year sugarcane").

The authors have recommended the planting of "one-year sugarcane" in more fertile soils with smoother and less erosive relief, because there is heavy rainfall during this period. Because sugarcane starts the maximum growth phase in January (when water and thermal availability begin to decrease), nutrient supply should not be a limiting factor to plant development. Therefore, biomass yields exceeding 120 t of natural matter per ha should be reached. However, planting "one-and-a-half-year sugarcane" has been recommended for the more rugged and less fertile soils, since sugarcane will continue to grow in the field for a longer period. Also, the maximum growth phase (**Figure 2**) coincides with the times of greater water and light availability, which results in higher vegetation cover by sugarcane foliage as well as in higher photosynthetic rate and dry matter accumulation. One other great advantage of planting the "one-and-a-half-year sugarcane" is the possibility of growing *Crotalaria juncea* prior to the planting of sugarcane.
