Based on the principle of theoretical model of crop development dynamics and clock model method, a sugarcane development simulation model (SDSM) was constructed to simulate the different development stages of new planting and perennial sugarcane. The data of sugarcane development stages from five major production sites (Yizhou, Shatang, Laibin, Fusui, Guigang) with three verities (Taitang 16, Taitang 22 and Guitang 25) and related meteorological data from 2003 to 2012 provided by Guangxi Meteorological Information Center were used. The whole growing period was divided as four development stages: sowing to emergence, emergence to tillering, tillering to stem elongation, and stem elongation to technical maturity. The parameters of SDSM model were determined by trial and error method. The simulation results of sugarcane development simulation model were evaluated by comparing the simulated and measured values. For new planting sugarcane, the NRMSE of each development stage was 5.2%-26.3%, the RMSE of simulated result and measured value were 8.1 days in the stage of seeding to emergence, 7.4 days in emergence to tillering, 4.6 days in tillering to stem elongation, and 7.4 days in stem elongation to technical maturity. For perennial sugarcane, the NRMSE of each developmental stage was 6.5%-21.7%, the RMSE of simulated result and measured value were 8.8 days in the stage of technical maturity to regrowth, 8.7 days in regrowth to tillering, 7.6 days in tillering to stem elongation, 9.9 days in stem elongation to technical maturity. It showed good consistency and correlation between the simulated and measured values. The model could effectively simulate the development period of sugarcane.
