In order to explore the influence of sugarcane planting on the soil erosion of lateritic red soil slope under high intensity and high frequency rainfall in southern China, we based on the in-situ observation test of runoff plot, analyzed runoff and erosion characteristics of bare slope and sugarcane land that under different planting methods (down-slope and cross-slope), and discussed the effects of sugarcane planting on slope erosion. At the same time, we obtained the main rainfall patterns that affecting the slope erosion of lateritic red soil. The results showed that: (1) The runoff amounts and sediment yields were both showed that bare slope > down-slope sugarcane planting slope > cross-slope sugarcane planting slope. The runoff amounts and sediment yields of bare slope were 1.7 ~ 5.3 times of the down-slope and cross-slope sugarcane planting slope. The runoff amount and sediment yield of down-slope sugarcane planting slope were 1.9 and 2.3 times of the cross-slope sugarcane planting slope. (2) Under different rainfall events, runoff amount and sediment yield of bare slope were higher than all sugarcane planting slopes, and the runoff amount and sediment yield of down-slope were larger than that of the cross-slope. However, the difference between the two sugarcane lands decreased with the sugarcane growth. (3) The highest frequency rainfall pattern was type A (mid duration, low rainfall intensity, low rainfall depth). However, type B (short duration, strong rainfall intensity and medium rainfall depth) was the main rainfall pattern that caused runoff and erosion in bare slope and down-slope sugarcane planting slope, the runoff and erosion accounted for 49.9%, 57.6% and 62.3%, 64.2%, respectively. Type D (long duration, extremely strong rainfall intensity and extremely great rainfall depth) was the main type that caused the soil and water loss in cross-slope sugarcane planting slope, and the runoff amount and sediment yield caused by the rain of type D accounted for 49.5% and 72.2% respectively. The results can provide a theoretical basis for clarifying the mechanism and control of soil erosion on the sugarcane land in the lateritic red soil region of southern China.