Water shortage and drought are a growing problem in Europe. Therefore, effective methods for limiting its effects are necessary. At the same time, the "field to fork" strategy adopted by the European Commission aims to achieve a significant reduction in the use of plant protection products and fertilizers in the European Union. In an experiment conducted in 2018–2020, the effect of the method of foliar fertilization containing silicon and potassium on the yield and technological quality of sugar beet roots was assessed. The fertilizer was used in seven combinations, differing in the number and time of application. The best results were obtained by treating plants during drought stress. The better soil moisture for the plants, the smaller the pure sugar yield increase was observed. It is difficult to clearly state which combination of silicon and potassium foliar application is optimal, as their effects do not differ greatly.
The effect of marine calcite, a mixture of ortho- and polysilicic acid as well as orthosilicic acid applied as a foliar spray on the chemical composition of sugar beet leaves in the critical phase of nutrient supply (beginning of July) but also leaves and roots during harvest time in 2015–2016, was studied. The content of silicon in the leaves ranged from 1.24 to 2.36 g kg−1 d.m. at the beginning of July, 3.85–5.34 g kg−1 d.m. during harvest and 2.91–4.20 g kg−1 d.m. in the roots. The foliar application of silicon caused a significant increase in the content of magnesium and calcium in leaves (in July) as compared to the control. The sugar beet consumes approx. 75 kg Si ha−1, which is almost 3.5 times more than P and 20% more than Mg thus proving its importance for its species. About 70% of the silicon taken up by sugar beet is stored in roots and 30% in leaves. The pure sugar yield is most favorably influenced by two- and threefold foliar application of the product containing silicon in the form of orthosilicic acid stabilized with choline, and a threefold mixture of ortho- and polysilicic acid. The increase in the pure sugar yield is not the result of a change in the chemical composition of sugar beet plants, but their more efficient functioning after foliar application of silicon under stress conditions caused by water shortage.
In the years 2015-2016 in Sahryń (50°41′ N, 23°47’ E) a field experiment, with the aim of assessing profitability of foliar nutrition of sugar beet with silicon, was carried out. The following products containing silicon were used in the experiment: Actisil, Herbagreen Z20 and Optysil. Each of them was applied once, twice and thrice. For each combination, the gross production value, the costs of foliar nutrition, the net production value and the profitability index were calculated. The total costs of silicon foliar application varied depending on the number of treatments and the applied product from 50 to 402 PLN/ha. The gross production value of sugar beet due to foliar nutrition with silicon increased by 1.3-22.9% for the research period, and the net production value by 5.5-19.0%. A large variation in the achieved financial results was observed in 2015, in which there were particularly unfavorable conditions for the growth and yield of sugar beet. In the more favorable year for growing sugar beet (2016), the difference was smaller. The largest increase in the gross and net production value of sugar beet was ensured by the double and triple application of Actisil fertilizer and the triple application of the Optysil growth stimulator. However, the largest profitability indicator (11.26) was characterized by a single Optysil growth stimulator application.
In 2010-2012, in Sahryń (Lubelskie Voivodeship), a field experiment was carried out, the aim of which was to assess the cost-effectiveness of foliar nutrition of sugar beet with marine calcite Herbagreen Basic containing silicon. The fertilizer was applied in two variants: 1) 1 kg/ha at the 4-6 leaf stage of sugar beet (BBCH 14-16) + 2 kg/ha 21 days later; 2) 2 kg/ha at the 4-6 leaf stage of sugar beet (BBCH 14-16) + 2 kg/ha 21 days later; the effects were compared with the control (without foliar nutrition with marine calcite). Additionally, in the years 2011-2012, an identical experiment was carried out with another sugar beet cultivar. For each combination, the gross production value, foliar nutrition costs, the net production value and profitability index were calculated. The total cost of application of foliar calcite was 190 and 240 PLN/ha. The gross production value of sugar beet in experiment 1, on average over three years of research, increased in combination 1 by 24.8% and in combination 2 by 25.6% compared to the control; in experiment 2, on average for 2 years of research, in combination 1 by 15.7%, and in combination 2 by 15.0%. The increase in the net production value in experiment 1 amounted to 22.8 and 23.2% respectively, and in experiment 2 - 13.9 and 12.8%. The indicator of the profitability of foliar nutrition with marine calcite in experiment 1, on average, for the period 2010-2012, amounted to 12.6 in combination 1 and 10.3 in combination 2. In experiment 2, the index of profitability of foliar nutrition, on average, for the period 2011-2012, reached the value of 8.96 for object 1 and 6.77 for object 2.
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