Response of Three Sugar Beet Varieties to Compost, Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizer and Their Combination Under Sandy Soil Conditions I.GROWTH Attributes

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Experiments Desert Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University in Wadi El-Natroon, El-Beheira Governorate, during 2008/2010 seasons, to study the response of three sugar beet varieties, i.e. KWF1436, Swello and Faraha to compost (CM) and Mineral-N fertilizer and their combinations, at five treatments : 4 tons fed -1 of (CM), 4 tons fed -1 of (CM) +80 kg N fed -1 (100% N), 4 tons fed -1 of (CM) +60 kg N fed -1 (75 % N), 4 tons fed -1 of (CM) + 40 kg N fed -1 (50 %N) and 80 kg N fed -1 (100 % N) on growth attributes of sugar beet under drip irrigation system. The obtained results revealed that the tested sugar beet varieties significantly differed in all the traits under study except for, top dry weight in the 1 st season and root diameter in the 2 nd one. KWS1436 variety was superior to the other two varieties in chlorophyll a and b in both seasons. The highest leaf area index (LAI), root length and diameter, top and root fresh and dry weight, total dry weight were obtained by Faraha variety in both seasons. Application of 80 kg N fed -1 (100 % N) significantly increased the content of chlorophyll, a and b in beet leaves and gave the highest LAI and top dry weight in both seasons and the highest root length in the 1 st season. Combination of CM + 80 kg N fed -1 , recorded the highest content of carotenoids in beet leaves, root fresh and dry weight and total plant dry weight in both seasons and root diameter in the 1 st season. Various interaction orders among the two factors affected significantly all traits except for top fresh weight in the 1 st season.