Growth and dry-matter partitioning in sugar beet

Abstract

SummaryData from 11 sugar-beet crops grown at different sites, in different years and with some variations in husbandry have been used to re-examine the process of dry-matter partitioning. Two-phase linear models did not describe adequately the distribution of dry matter. There was no evidence of a discontinuity in the partitioning between root and shoot at any point in crop development. It is suggested that, contrary to a recent view, events in the shoot, rather than the storage root, largely determine how dry matter is allocated between growth and sugar storage.

Dry Matter Production and Partitioning Pattern in Sugar Beet

“…7 Change in Sugar Yield relative to total dry matter during the growing season IV DISCUSSION As shown in Fig. 2, in the early stages of growth, the accumulation of dry weight is slow because of the distance between plants, the slow growth of small leaves and consequently, the limitation of light absorption (8). After this stage, with the completion of leaf cover, there is a direct relation between the production of dry matter and the amount of light received (3,9).…”

“…On this basis, it is expected that the rapid root growth takes place in a short time period or at a certain stage of the plant growth period. However, some other reports indicate that, as plant growth, a gradual phase change occurs in the allocation of dry matter to the root, and no sudden transition occurs at a definite stage (8,16).…”

“…werker et al (1995) found that the growth trend is sigmoid or S-shaped, so that, following the rapid increase in dry weight, the rate of accumulation of dry weight decreases. Milford et al (1988) stated that in different experiments there is a significant difference in the ratio of dry matter transferred to the root at the beginning of the growth season. This suggests the absence of a completely definite linear trend for the relationship between root and total dry matter at this stage.…”

Analysis of Parameter Sensitivity and Identifiability of Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) for Dryland Sugarbeet Modeling

“…During the early growth stages, 15% to 40% of the daily dry matter produced is partitioned into root. After the full canopy development, 85% of the daily dry matter produced is partitioned into root tuber formation (Milford et al, 1988;Leviel, 2000). Final marketable sugarbeet yield is computed from total root dry matter, assuming that 95% of the root is harvested and that roots have 82% moisture content (Leviel, 2000).…”

Sugar Crops

“…Excess N fertilizer results in larger total DM accumulation, but lower total gross and extractable sucrose yields, and could lead to losses of N to the environment. Milford et al (1988), Armstrong and Milford (1983), and Hills et al (1983) all reported that beets require lower levels of N than many other crops for maximum sugar yields and that sugar beet can serve as a nitrogen-scavenging crop to prevent possible nitrate pollution of groundwater. N fertilizer use has tended to decline with increasing yields.…”