Certain acid soils and growth of sugar beet

Abstract

1. Variations in growth of sugar beet on certain soils from north-east Scotland were investigated by examination of the soils with regard to field conditions, mechanical composition, pH value, lime requirement, readily extractable calcium and humified organic matter.2. Field conditions and mechanical composition did not account for the variations in growth of the beet.3. A certain degree of correlation was found between pH value, readily extractable calcium and growth of beet. In general when the pH was below 5·3 and extractable calcium below 0·12 per cent., growth was poor or failed. Above these figures it was good, but only relatively so, since all the soils were below 6·2 in pH value.