Impact of Irrigation and Fertigation on the Yield and Quality of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in a Moderate Climate

Abstract

In Poland, under conditions of the moderate climate and transition between maritime and continental climates, the average rainfall totals of the growing season are in the range of 350–400 mm; however, they are distinguished by great temporal and spatial variability. Climatological studies demonstrate that the drought frequency is approximately 30%. Therefore, under such conditions, irrigation has a supplementary and intervention nature and is applied only when dry periods occur. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of sprinkler irrigation and increased nitrogen fertilization on the yield and quality of sugar beet roots and yield of sugar. The average increase of the yield under irrigation was 18.1 t·ha−1 which constituted a 22.8% increase in the yield. Furthermore, there was a marked tendency of a higher sugar content in the roots of irrigated plants. The absolute, relative, and unit average sugar beet root yield increases obtained under the influence of sprinkler irrigation and the lack of a significant diversity in the sugar content in roots confirm that irrigation contributed to an appropriate pace of plant growth and development. The increased rate of nitrogen fertilization (N2) of 160 kg N·ha−1 plus an additional 40 kg N·ha−1 resulted in the significantly greater root yields compared to the control (N1) (160 kg N·ha−1), i.e., an average of 7.6 t·ha−1 (9%). Based on the crop-water production function, the maximum root yields were obtained for the N1 rate at a total precipitation and irrigation amount of 382 mm, compared with 367 mm for the N2 rate.

Interactive Effects of Gibberellic Acid and Nitrogen Fertilization on the Growth, Yield, and Quality of Sugar Beet

“…The increase in the above mentioned traits with the increase of applied levels of nitrogen fertilizer may be attributed to the role of nitrogen in enhancing rapid early growth, encouraging the uptake and utilization of other nutrients including potassium and phosphorous, increasing protein content through synthesize amino acids, and controlling the overall growth of the plant [40,41]. Similar results have been reported by Abdelaal and Tawfik [16], Mekdad [17], Afshar et al [21], and Zarski et al [22]. A moderate supply of nitrogen fertilizer is an essential limiting factor for optimum yield, but the excess in nitrogen fertilizer amounts may result in an increase in root yield with lower sucrose content and juice purity [4][5][6][7].…”

“…Increasing the rate of nitrogen fertilizer from 56 to 224 kg/ha led to a linear increase in sugar beet root yield; however, sucrose concentration and purity percentage decreased [21]. Later, Zarski et al [22] recorded a greater yield of sugar and roots in the fertilized sugar beet plants with a high nitrogen rate.…”

Sugar Beet Root Yield and Quality with Leaf Seasonal Dynamics in Relation to Planting Densities and Nitrogen Fertilization

“…The topdressing in phase of canopy closure is the most common practice over the Europe in sugar beet production. Based on 3-years study in Poland (Bydgoszcz), Žarski et al [58] found that pre-sowing fertilization (160 kg ha −1 N) had on average 84.5 t ha −1 root yield as compared to pre-sowing with top dressing (160 + 40 kg ha −1 N), when root yield was on average 92.1 t ha −1 . In both years, the sucrose content was the highest at pre-sowing N fertilization (45 kg ha −1 ).…”

A Strip-Till One-Pass System as a Component of Conservation Agriculture

“…In our own research, reduced tillage combined with simultaneous basic fertilisation and sowing (the ST-OP method) increased soil water reserve in the sowing period for winter and spring crops. This is advantageous because the research site, and much of Poland, are located in areas of frequent rainfall deficits and dry periods [66,67]. Replacing conventional sowing of plants after separate ploughing, to instead use a one-pass technology, resulted in water savings during the soil preparation and sowing periods for winter and spring crops that corresponded to 8.2 mm and 9.7 mm of rainfall, respectively.…”