IMPACT OF DEFICIT IRRIGATION TIMING ON PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAITS, YIELD AND QUALITY OF SOME SUGAR BEET VARIETIES | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Applied Science | ||
| Volume 40, Issue 9, September 2025, Pages 118-133 PDF (858.32 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejas.2025.467041 | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Abstract This study was conducted on a private farm located behind the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road in Egypt's Southern Tahrir region (30°14'14.59"N, 30°46'53.90"E) during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons using a drip irrigation system. The objective of this study was to determine the sensitive period during the sugar beet growing season for deficit irrigation and its effect on the yield and quality of four multigerm sugar beet varieties (Faten, Dina, Scota, and Elmo). The treatments included irrigation at 100% ETc (the control) and irrigation deficit (65% ETc), which was applied during four growth periods: 15-30, 40-70, 100-130, and 160-190 days after planting (DAP). The experiment was set up using a randomized complete block design in a split-plot arrangement with three replications. The highest root and sugar yields were achieved with irrigation at 100% ETc throughout the season. Early-season water stress (65% ETc from 15 to 30 DAP) significantly reduced yield potential, a deficit that could not be offset by late-season irrigation. Physiological and biochemical responses, such as leaf relative water content, leaf area index, and proline accumulation, were examined and revealed that early stress resulted in irreversible damage. Insignificant differences were observed between full irrigation and late season deficit treatment concerning root and sugar yields/fed, suggesting a partial compensatory response when water stress occurred later in the growing season. The findings emphasized the importance of water availability during the early growth stages for optimal sugar beet production under deficit irrigation conditions. Along late stress periods, the Elmo variety recorded higher proline concentration and showed more tolerance to water stress. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Key Words: Sugar beet; varieties; deficit irrigation time; sensitive period; yield; quality and Evapotranspiration | ||
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