Nutrient Content and Growth Responses of Sugar Beet Plants Grown under Salinity Condition to Citric Acid and Algal Extract

Abstract

T HIS INVESTIGATION aimed to study the response of growth and mineral status of sugar beet plants which sprayed with antioxidant, citric acid (DW, 75 and 150ppm) and algal extract in the rateof 30cm/L, on sugar beet plants grown under salt stress condition (diluted sea water, TW, 5000 and 10000ppm). Increases in salt concentration in the irrigation water caused a continuous decrease in the dry weight of roots. Dry weight of leaves increased with 5000ppm salts treatment and tended to decrease to be approximately equal of the control. However, the whole plant dry weight did not affect with the first salinity treatment but decreased markedly with the second salinity level. Increased salinity decease the concentration of N, P, K and Fe in leaves of sugar beet. On the opposite side, Ca Na, Mn and Cu concentrations increased by raising salts concentration in the root media of plants. Meanwhile, Mg and Zn % were slightly affected. The concentration of P as well as Cu increased by both antioxidant treatment but the values by the combination of CA and algal extract were more than that of CA alone. Na and Mn increased by CA treatment and Citric acid + algal extract but the increase with CA more than that of the combined between them. The reverse was true of K concentration. Fe, Zn and Mg slightly affected with these treatments. Ca % decreased by CA and tended to increase by Citric acid + algal extract but still more than the control while N% increased by the application of Ca and tended to decrease by Citric acid + algal extract to be less than the control ones.