INTRODUCTION
Sugarbeet producers are looking for methods to increase sugar yield
and reduce production inputs. The cultural practices affecting sugarbeet
production and quality under the Egyptian conditions is of vital importance and
has drawn the attention of many investigators. Increasing sugarbeet production
to meet the local consumption is a national goal. The improvement of crop
management including the different cultural practices, in this respect sowing
date, density and nitrogen fertilization are factors of great important in
sugarbeet production.
Sowing date is an important factor which affects sugar yield of sugarbeet
plant. Many investigations pointed out that sowing date play one of the most
important factors affecting root yield and its attributes as well as quality of
sugarbeet. In Egypt , sowing date for sugarbeet ranged through three months,
Neana (1994) and Kandil et al. (2002). They found that sowing dates had
significant effects on yield and quality of sugarbeet varieties. Sowing sugarbeet
during October recorded the highest means of root weight, root yield and sugar
yield /fed. Leilah and Nasr (1992). found that early sowing of September
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recorded the highest root yield/fed., while the highest sugar yield was obtained
with sowing sugarbeet during October.
Previous studies showed that plant density had remarkable effects on yield and
quality of sugarbeet varieties El-Kassaby and Leilah (1992)., Marlanden and
Rover (1994).,Neana (1994), Abdalla et al. (1995), Sultan, et al. (1996),
Ashour et al.(1997), Ramadan(1999), Rady et al.(2000), Yousif (2001),Bassal
et al. (2001),Abo-El-Wafa (2002), Ouda (2005),Ismail and Allam (2007),
Shalaby et al. (2011), El-Ghareib et al. (2012), and Abo El-Ghait (2013).
Nitrogen is considered to be the most important element of those
supplied to sugarbeet in fertilizer, because few soils contain sufficient in an
available form, ie. As nitrate or ammonium, to provide for maximum growth.
Where the element is in short supply, yield is drastically reduced, and may
even be halted in some soils. In Egypt, Nitrogen fertilizer of Sugarbeet differ
form site to anther, the optimum rate of applied nitrogen for maximum root
yield varied from 45 kg N/fed to 120 kg N/fed Mahmoud et al. (1990). and
Ramadan (1997). The most remarkable effect of nitrogen fertilizer on
Sugarbeet will be noticeably by improving the leaf canopy. On the other side,
they stated that over use of nitrogen decrease both sugar % and juice quality.
Mahmoud (2007) showed that nitrogen fertilizer was significant on the growth of
sugarbeet plant where increased the yield of the whole plant, root shoot and
sugar, also increased the T.S.S.% .The highest rate of N application (150 mg
N/ kg soil) where increased the sugar yield as the main product 41.4 and 39.7
%for the first and second seasons, respectively . Abd El- Hak (2009) studied
the effect of four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (30,60, 90 and 120 kg N/fed) on
sugarbeet .She found that top, root, sugar and yield were significantly
increased with increasing N fertilizer up to 90 kg N/fed. Aboshady et al.(2011)
reported that nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of (105 kg N/fed) in the form of
ammonia gas by 6 days before sowing gave the highest root yield and sugar
yield /fad.
Materials and Methods
Two field experiments were conducted in the Research Experimental
Farm of Sabahia Agricultural Research in Alexandria Station during the
successive growing seasons of 2011/ 12 and 2012/ 13. BT S303 sugarbeet
genotype (Beta vulgaris L.) was cultivated to investigate the effect of sowing
dates, plant spacing and Nitrogen fertilizer on root, fresh top, and sugar yield
of sugarbeet yield and Quality. 81 Plots (10.5 m2) for each treatments, were
used to carry out the experiment with three replicates in a split- split plot
design. Main plots were used for sowing dates (15 September, 15 October and
15 November). The sub plots for the three distances between hills (15, 25 and
35 cm.). The sub sub plots for the three nitrogen levels, ( 60, 90 and 120 kg N /
fed as ammonium nitrate 33.5%N) which were added on two equal doses
before 1st, and 2nd, irrigation. Before planting soil samples were randomly taken
from the experimental site at a depth of 0 to 30 cm from soil surface and
prepared for chemical analysis according to Ankerman and Large (1974),
presented in (Table1). The remain cultural practices for sugarbeet field were
carried out as recommended. Polygrem (BT S303) genotype was obtained from
Sugar Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza. Seeds
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were hand Sown and the yield was harvested at 220 days age and the whole
plants, roots and fresh top were weighted for the first and second seasons
(Tables 2 and 3). The tuber yield of each treatment was analyzed for sucrose
according to the method described by Le Docte (1927), yields components,
fresh top ,roots and sugar yields (ton/fed) and juice quality (T.S.S.% , sucrose%
and purity %) were computed and statistically analyzed for testing the
significance of the tested factors and the possible interaction between them by
L.S.D. test according to Steel and Torrie (1981 ).
Table 1. Some chemical properties of the used soil
Season
EC pH
Cations (meq/L) Anions (meq/L) Available
dS m-1 Ca2+ Mg2+ Na+ K+ HCO3 N.(ppm)
- CO3
2- Cl- SO4
2-
1st 2.7 8.0 7.5 6.9 10.2 1.2 1.5 0.0 24.6 1.6 90
2nd 2.9 8.1 8.0 6.9 12.0 1.1 1.4 0.1 25.5 1.5 83
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1- Yield and yield components:
It is interesting to mention that in both seasons and it's combined
analysis for root and sugar yield were significantly increased by planting
sugarbeet in the dates on15 September and 15 November as compared with
15 October . These results in the same trend obtained by those of Neana
(1994)and Kandil et al. (2002). While there was no significant effect between
sowing dates on fresh top yield (Table 2).
No significant effect was found in root and fresh top yield in the first
season and it's combined analysis by planting at 15, 25 and 35 cm between
hills but in the second season it could be noticed that the root and fresh top
yields were significantly affected by plant spacing between hills. The highest
sugar yield (6.84 ton/fed) was produced from due to 25 cm between hills in the
second season.. It could be noticed that the root ,fresh top and sugar yield was
superior due to 25 cm between hills it may be attributed to less inter-plant
competition for light and nutrients as well as mutual in case of higher hill these
results are similar to those revealed by Shalaby et al. (2011).
Data in (Table 2) demonstrates the effect of nitrogen levels on root
yield, fresh top yield, and sugar yield through the two successive seasons
2011/12 , 2012/13 and their combined analysis.. It is clear from data that the
root, fresh top and sugar yields were significantly increased by increasing
nitrogen levels from 60up to 90 N kg / fed. The highest root yield values were
(23.31, 21.32 and 22.32 ton/fed), fresh top yield values were (7.26 , 7.07 and
7.17 ton/fed) and sugar yield values were (5.21, 6.94 and 6.08 ton/fed) were
produced from the application of nitrogen fertilizer level (90 kg N/fed) in both
seasons, respectively. As known, the Egyptian soil -in general- is poor in soil
nitrogen as shown in (Table 1), which means more need to mineral N fertilizer
to be applied to reach the maximum sugar yield. Thus, reflecting the important
role of nitrogen fertilizer in building up the photosynthetic area of sugarbeet
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plants and consequently accumulation more dry matter in top per plant. Most of
first and second order interaction for the three studied traits in both seasons
and combined analysis were insignificant except (A*B) and (ABC) relative to
root yield (ton/ fed.). These results were in the same trend with those of El-
Kassaby and Leilah (1992) ,Mahmoud (2007) and Abd El-Hak (2009).
Table (2). Means of root, fresh top, and sugar yields (ton /fed) as affected
by sowing dates, distance between hills and nitrogen fertilizer
levels and their interactions during 2011/12, 2012/13 seasons
and combined analysis.
Sugar yield
(ton /fed)
Fresh top yield
(ton /fed)
Root yield,
(ton /fed)
Factors
combined
2 analysis combined 1st nd
2 analysis combined 1st nd
2 analysis Seasons 1st nd
Main plot A- Sowing dates
15 Sep. 21.04b 19.27b 20.16 b 6.35a 6.37a 6.36 a 4.21b 6.18b 5.20 b
15 Oct. 24.09a 23.11a 23.60 a 6.36a 6.96a 6.66 a 5.44a 7.13a 6.28 a
15 Nov. 21.27b 19.65b 20.46 b 5.66b 6.51a 6.09 a 5.31a 6.70ab 6.01 b
LSD 0.05 1.35 1.22 1.14 0.47 ns ns 0.09 0.71 0.45
Sub plot B- Distance between hills (cm.)
15 21.35a 20.00b 20.68 a 4.30a 6.63b 5.47 a 4.70c 6.53a 5.62 a
25 22.67a 21.30a 21.99 a 6.16a 7.07a 6.62 a 5.20a 6.84a 6.02 a
35 22.75a 20.61ab 21.68 a 5.90a 6.31b 6.11 a 5.00b 6.64a 5.82 a
LSD 0.05 ns 0.92 ns ns 0.42 ns 0.13 ns ns
Sub sub plot C- Nitrogen levels (kg /fed)
60 21.79b 20.30b 21.05 b 6.03 b 6.62b 6.33 b 4.74c 6.49a 5.62 a
90 23.31a 21.32a 22.32 a 7.26a 7.07a 7.17a 5.21a 6.94a 6.08 a
120 21.68b 20.36b 21.02 b 6.26 b 6.50b 6.38 b 5.02b 6.56a 5.79 a
LSD 0.05 0.86 0.75 0.68 0.39 0.34 0.35 0.09 ns ns
Interactions
A× B ** ** ** ns ** ns ns ns ns
A× C ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns
B×C ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns
A×B×C ** ** ** ns ** ns ns ns ns
Mean followed by different letters within each column are significantly different at 0.05 level of probability.
*: significant at 0.05 level of probability of probability
** significant at 0.01 level of probability.
ns : Not significant.
2 - Juice quality:
The Purity % of sugarbeet root was significantly different decreased
with the delay in sowing date from(15 October to 15 November). during both
seasons and their combined analysis. However, T.S.S.% and Sucrose % in
the second season were not significantly affected, vise versa the first season.
(Table 3).
Increasing distances between hills from (15 to 25 cm.) caused a
significant increase in T.S.S.% , Sucrose % and Purity %
It could be seen that the T.S.S.% sucrose % and Purity % of sugarbeet
root significantly increased by increasing fertilizer levels from 60 to 90kg
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N/fed. Further increasing in nitrogen fertilizer levels up to 120kg N/fed caused
a significant decreased in T.S.S.% and sucrose % during the two seasons and
it's combined analysis. This result were compatible with Tawfik (1994) and
Nemeat –Alla (1997).
Table (3). Means of Total Soluble Solids% (T.S.S.), sucrose% and purity
% as affected by sowing dates, distance between hills and
nitrogen fertilizer levels and their interaction during 2011/12
and 2012/13 seasons and combined analysis.
Factors T.S.S.% Sucrose % Purity %
combined
2 analysis combined 1st nd
2 analysis combined 1st nd
2 analysis Seasons 1st nd
Main plot A- Sowing dates
15 Sep. 25.22c 23.22a 24.22 b 19.90c 19.72a 19.81 a 84.19b 81.61a 82.90 b
15 Oct. 26.22a 23.89a 25.06 a 20.24a 19.85a 20.05 a 85.08a 81.88a 83.48 a
15 Nov. 25.70b 23.75a 24.73 a 20.06b 19.61a 19.84 a 84.35b 78.52b 81.44 b
LSD 0.05 0.47 ns 0.40 0.14 ns ns 0.63 2.55 0.63
Sub plot B- Distance between hills (cm.)
15 24.46c 22.89b 23.68 c 19.62c 19.06c 19.34 c 83.00c 81.45a 82.23 b
25 27.70a 24.37a 26.04 a 20.46a 20.34a 20.40 a 85.84a 81.53a 83.69 a
35 26.26b 23.59ab 24.93 b 20.12b 19.79b 19.96 b 84.78b 79.03b 81.91 c
LSD 0.05 0.62 0.82 0.65 0.17 0.27 0.19 0.43 2.02 0.46
Sub sub plot C- Nitrogen levels (kg /fed)
60 24.44b 21.85c 23.15 c 19.40c 18.99c 19.20 c 82.66c 81.58a 82.12 b
90 26.41a 25.56a 25.99 a 20.99a 20.64a 20.82 a 87.23a 80.56a 83.90 a
120 26.26a 23.44b 24.85 b 19.80b 19.54b 19.67 b 83.72b 79.88a 81.80 c
LSD 0.05 0.37 0.82 0.53 0.27 0.37 0.28 0.99 ns 0.99
Interactions
A× B ** ns ns ** ns ns ** ** **
A× C ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns
B×C ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns
A×B×C ns ns ns ** ns ns * * **
Mean followed by different letters within each column are significantly different at 0.05 level of probability.
*: significant at 0.05 level of probability
** significant at 0.01 level of probability
ns : Not significant.. TSS%.= Total soluble solids percentage
3-The interactions:
A- First order interaction between sowing dates (A) and distance
between hills (B):
From Tables (2and 3) revealed that the interaction between sowing
dates and distances between hills (AB) had significant differences for root
yield(ton/fed) and Purity % in both seasons of experimentation and their
combined analysis . Fresh top yield(ton/fed) had significant differences in the
second season only as well as T.S.S.% and Sucrose % in the first season
only. Other interactions did not induce marked variances in the two
consecutive seasons This shows that distances between hills and nitrogen
fertilizer levels act independently on these characters.
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The greatest root yield (25.64,24.05 and 24.85 ton/fed) were obtained
with sowing sugarbeet on (25 cm between hills) and sowing on15 October
Table(4). It could be noticed that the increasing in root yield (ton/fed) by
increasing the distance between hill is due to the great decreasing competition
between plant on water, nutrient and light in wide distance. In this connection
similar results were obtained by Neana (1994), Ouda (2005) and El-Ghareib et
al. (2012).
Table (4). The interaction between sowing dates(A) and distance between
hills(B) for root yield (t./fed) and fresh top yield (t./fed) of
sugarbeet plant during 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons and
combined analysis
Root yield (t./fed)
Sowing
dates
Distance
between hills
2011 /12 2012/13 combined analysis
15
Nov.
15
Oct.
15
Sept.
15
Nov.
15
Oct.
15
Sept.
15
Nov.
15
Oct.
15
Sept.
15 16.58 25.44 24.15 15.92 24.02 23.93 24.04 24.73 16.25
25 19 .54 25.64 22.92 17.05 24.05 20.94 21.93 24.85 20.85
35 22.92 20.30 20.83 20.94 19.99 19.25 20.04 20.14 21.93
LSD 0.05 2.80 1.50 1.70
From Table (5) the presence of this interaction showed a differential
response of sowing date from date to another under varied treatment of
distances between hills The greatest Purity % (88.10 and %.88.41%),during 1
st and 2 nd seasons respectively. were obtained with sowing sugarbeet at 15
October and (25 cm between hills) regarding the first, second seasons and
combined analysis .
Table (5). The interaction between sowing dates(A) and distance between
hills(B) for purity % of sugarbeet plant during 2011/12 and
2012/13 seasons and combined analysis
Purity %
Sowing
dates
Distance
between hills
2011 /12 2012/13 combined analysis
15
Nov.
15
Oct.
15
Sept.
15
Nov.
15
Oct.
15
Sept.
15
Nov.
15
Oct.
15
Sept.
15 77.03 86.47 82.51 75.25 74.70 76.27 76.14 80.59 79.39
25 85.17 88.10 85.07 76.42 88.41 84.05 80.80 88.26 84.56
35 85.79 87.13 83.60 76.27 84.13 79.33 81.03 85.63 81.47
LSD 0.05 0.80 0.50 1.70
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B- Second order interaction between sowing dates(A), distance between
hills(B) and nitrogen fertilizers levels(C) for root yield (t./fed) :-
Data in Table (6) reported that statistically significant differences of
sowing dates, distances between hills and nitrogen fertilizers levels(ABC) for
root yield (ton/fed) in both seasons of experimentation 2011/ 12, 2012/ 13 and
their combined analysis. The greatest root yield (26.63, 24.80 and 25.72
ton/fed) were obtained under the treatments of sowing sugarbeet on (25 cm
between hills) ,sowing on15 October and application 90 kg N/ fed .
Table (6). The interaction between sowing dates,distance between
hills and nitrogen fertilizer levels for root yield (ton/fed) of
sugarbeet plant during 2011/12, 2012/13 seasons and
combined analysis
Root yield
Distance
between
hills (cm.)
Sowing
dates
2011/12 2011/12 combined analysis
N. levels(Kg /fed)
60 90 120 60 90 120 60 90 120
15 16.95 16.57 16.21 15.44 16.50 15.82 16.20 16.54 16.02
Sept. 25 25.34 25.77 25.50 23.77 24.06 24.31 24.56 24.92 24.91
35 25.66 21.67 21.44 20.44 21.73 20.65 23.05 21.70 21.05
15 25.34 25.77 25.50 23.77 24.06 24.31 24.56 24.92 24.91
Oct. 25 22.59 26.63 17.85 17.18 24.80 15.95 19.89 25.72 16.90
35 19.71 19.27 21.92 19.75 19.46 20.77 19.73 19.37 21.35
15 26.44 21.67 21.44 24.41 21.73 20.65 25.43 21.70 21.05
Nov. 25 25.66 21.18 25.37 20.44 19.95 22.59 23.05 20.67 23.98
35 21.54 18.71 19.24 20.18 17.62 17.95 20.86 18.07 18.60
LSD 0.05 1.9 .87 .98
C- Second order interaction between sowing dates(A), distance between
hills(B) and nitrogen fertilizers levels(C) for Purity %:-
Data in Table (7) reported that statistically significant variance of sowing
dates, distances between hills and nitrogen fertilizers levels for. Purity % in both
seasons 2011/ 12, 2012/ 13 and their combined analysis. The greatest purity
% (88.80%, 88.99 % and 88.90) were obtained under the treatments of sowing
sugarbeet on (25 cm between hills) ,sowing at 15 October and application 90
kg N/ fed
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Vol. 19 (1), 2014
Table (7). The interaction between sowing dates,distance between
hills and nitrogen fertilizer levels for Sucrose %and Purity %
of sugarbeet plant during 2011/12, 2012/13 seasons and
combined analysis
Purity %
Distance
between
hills
(cm.)
Sowing
dates
2011/12 2011/12 Combined analysis
N. levels(kg /fed)
60 90 120 60 90 120 60 90 120
15 76.67 76.30 78.13 81.00 84.75 78.84 78.84 80.53 78.49
Sept 25 84.93 85.20 85.37 76.60 77.61 80.77 80.77 81.41 83.07
35 85.70 84.93 86.73 81.76 83.99 83.73 83.73 84.46 85.23
15 86.20 85.60 84.73 76.60 77.61 81.40 81.40 81.61 83.07
Oct. 25 81.70 82.07 82.43 84.20 84.03 82.95 82.95 83.05 82.69
35 83.80 83.60 83.40 81.12 81.12 82.46 82.46 82.36 82.93
15 86.50 86.47 86.43 76.81 75.54 81.66 81.66 81.01 84.05
Nov. 25 87.10 88.80 87.40 81.76 88.99 84.43 84.43 88.90 85.92
35 86.33 88.13 87.93 88.13 83.33 87.23 87.23 85.73 87.58
LSD 0.05 0.97 1.70 1.60
Generally, as a conclusion and on the basis of the obtained results that
planting BTS303 sugarbeet on (25 cm between hills) ,sowing on October
November and. 90 kg N/ fed at two equal doses before 1st, and 2nd, irrigation.
Produced the highest values of roots, fresh top, and sugar yield as well as
T.S.S.% , sucrose% and purity % under Alexandria conditions
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