N-(2-hydroxyalkyl) derivatives of N-phosphonomethylglycine for treatment of sugarcane

A method for increasing the sucrose content of sugarcane plants which comprises applying to said plants, from about 2 to 10 weeks prior to harvest, an effective sucrose increasing amount of a compound of the formula ##STR2## wherein x is selected from zero and one, y is selected from one and two, z is selected from zero and one, the sum of y +z is two, R is selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, hydroxymethyl and lower alkoxymethyl, M is selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl and alkali metal, and M' is selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl, phenyl and alkali metal.