Tillering starts from around 40 days after planting and may last up to 120 days.

Tillering is a physiological process of repeated under ground branching from compact nodal joints of the primary shoot.

Tillering provides the crop with appropriate number of stalks required for a good yield.

Various factors viz., variety, light, temperature, irrigation (soil moisture) and fertilizer practices influence tillering

Light is the most important external factor influencing tillering. Adequate light reaching the base of the sugarcane plant during the tillering period is of paramount importance.

Temperature around 30^oc is considered optimum for tillering. Temperature below 20^o retards tillering.

Early formed tillers give rise to thicker and heavier stalks. Late formed tillers either die or remain short or immature.

Maximum tiller population reaches around 90-120 days after planting. By about 150-180 days, atleast 50 per cent of the shoots die and a stable population is established.

Cultivation practices such as spacing, time of fertigation, water availability and weed control influence tillering.

Though 6-8 tillers are produced from a bud, ultimately only 1.5 to 2 tillers per bud remains to form canes.

Ratoon crop gives much higher and early tillering than a plant crop.

Encouraging good tillering is important to build adequate population.