RESPONSE OF SUGAR BEET TO TERMINATION OF LAST IRRIGATION, HILL SPACING AND K-FERTILIZATION

Omar, E.H.; Ghazy, M. A.; Abd Allah, M. A. A.; Ragab, M. M.

doi:10.21608/jssae.2002.255156

RESPONSE OF SUGAR BEET TO TERMINATION OF LAST IRRIGATION, HILL SPACING AND K-FERTILIZATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Soil, Water and Environment Res. Inst., ARC.

10.21608/jssae.2002.255156

Abstract

Field trials were conducted at Sakha Agricultural Research Station Farm,
. during the tWo successive growing seasons of 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 to
investigate the response of sugar beet to termination of last irrigation before harvest
i.e., (W1) 3 weeks, (W2)5 weeks and (W3) 7weeks; hill spacing (S1) 20 cm and (S2)
30 cm and K-fertilizer ra.tes24, 48 and 72 kg K20/fed. A split-split plot design with four
replicates was. used. Termination of last irrigation occupied the main plots while hill
spacing arranged in subplots and K-fertilizer rates conducted to sub-subplots. The
results could be summarized as follows: .' ..
1- Termination of last irrigation 7 weeks before harvest produced the highest root
and sugar yields, sucrose percentage, water utilization and water use efficiencies.
Moreover, it received the lowest amount of applied irrigation water and lowest
water consumptive use. . .
2- Spacing of 20·cm between hills (S1) produced the highest root and sugar yields,
water ufltlzation and water use efficiency as compared to 30 cm space during the
two growing seasons. .
3- Increasing k-fertilizer rate up to 72 kg K20/fed. resulted in high significant
increase in root and sugar yields as well as sucrose percentage.
4- Increasing K- fertilizer rates increased K content in roots and leaves anddecreased Na content. "
5~ if could be concluded that the combination between the termination of the last
irrigation '(7 weeks before harvest), .appfication of 72 kg K20"ffed. and 20 cm
space between hills produced the highest yield and water use efficiency of sugar
beet crop.

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