Response by sugar beet to various amounts and times of application of sodium chloride fertilizer in relation to soil type

Abstract

SUMMARYTwo-thirds of the sugar-beet crop in the U.K. receives sodium chloride as part of the fertilizer programme. It is well known that the crop responds profitably on sandy soils which contain relatively little sodium and potassium, and most of these fields now receive sodium chloride. Few crops on clays, silts and organic soils are treated because the value of sodium chloride has never been clearly defined. Thus 36 field experiments were made over the 5 years 1975–9 on contrasting soil types testing five amounts of sodium chloride, 0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 kg/ha, and at two times, either autumn or spring. All the fields chosen were in continuous arable rotations where potassium chloride was applied regularly and nearly all the soils contained more than 120 mg exchangeable K/l.Sodium chloride (400 kg/ha costing £12) increased sugar yield on average by about 0·2 t/ha (worth £40) on the mineral soils but no crop responded on organic soil. Exchangeable soil sodium concentration was not a good predictive test of which fields would respond but all the large increases in yield were on fields with less than 20 mg Na/1. A few crops responded on soils with 20–40 mg Na/1 but no crop responded on soil with more than 40 mg Na/1. A survey of sodium concentrations in 800 soils showed that most mineral soils contained less than 40 mg Na/1 so it is suggested that all mineral soils regardless of texture should receive 400 kg sodium chloride/ha. Crops on organic soils did not respond to sodium chloride because the soils already contained sufficient.Autumn and spring applications of sodium chloride on mineral soils gave similar increases in yield provided the fertilizer was not applied just before sowing, when in 2 years it decreased plant establishment. This effect was particularly damaging on clays and silts where it is frequently difficult for other reasons to obtain good seed beds and full establishment. It is concluded that sodium-containing fertilizers should always be applied well ahead of sowing to allow rainfall and cultivations to incorporate them into the soil. On clays and silts it is suggested that they should be applied before ploughing to avoid soil compaction but on sands there may be advantages in post-ploughing application.

Sodium as nutrient and toxicant

“…Among the species examined, the Chenopodiaceae, including the important crops spinach, beet, and sugar beet, have received particularly detailed attention, both in terms of physiological and field investigation (Larson and Pierre 1953;Lehr and Wybenga 1955;Tinker 1965;El-Sheikh et al 1967;Draycott et al 1970;Judel and Kuhn 1975;Draycott and Durrant 1976;Jeschke 1977;Milford et al 1977;Durrant et al 1978;Draycott and Bugg 1982;Flowers and Läuchli 1983;Nunes et al 1984;Pessarakli and Tucker 1985;Peck et al 1987;Magat and Goh 1990;Haneklaus et al 1998;Subbarao et al 1999a, b). Beneficial effects in this family are pronounced, and this may well relate to their ecological habit as ruderal, r-strategic, species (Desplanque et al 1999), capable of substantial growth rates and physiological flexibility in response to rapidly changing environments.…”

Sodium chloride increases the yield of fodder beet (Beta vulgarisL.) in two New Zealand soils

“…This has been attributed mainly to the beneficial effect of sodium (Na) (Sayre & Shafer 1944;Crowther 1947;Adams 1961;Tinker 1965;Draycott & Durrant 1976;Hamid & Talibudeen 1976;Draycott & Bugg 1982), although chloride (CI) has also been shown to be beneficial (Tottingham 1919;Broyer et al 1954;Ulrich & Ohki 1956;Johnson et al 1957). Furthermore, it has been suggested that the addition ofNaCI may have a beneficial effect on the potassium (K) status of beet crops because: (1) displacement of K by Na from the exchange complex increases K in soil solution; and/or (2) high CI in soil solution increases K uptake (Lill et al 1938;Sayre & Shafer 1944;Russell 1952).…”

Time of application and chemical form of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium fertilizers and effects on the growth, yield and quality of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris)

“…Recommendations for application of K, P, Na and ploughing application of the two nutrients to be Mg fertilizer for the sugarbeet crop have to take many superior. Draycott & Bugg (1982) and Armstrong & factors into account (Jaggard et al 1989). K and Na, found little yield difference between when broadcast shortly before drilling, may reduce applying Na pre-ploughing or in the seedbed, as long the number of seedlings due to osmotic stress, as the later application did not interfere with Applications made after ploughing and when the soil germination.…”