Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T07:08:14.856Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of time of sowing and harvesting on growth, yield and nitrogen fertilizer requirement of sugar beet

I. Yield and nitrogen uptake at harvest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. P. Draycott
Affiliation:
Broom's Barn Experimental Station, Higham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
D. J. Webb
Affiliation:
Broom's Barn Experimental Station, Higham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
E. M. Wright
Affiliation:
Broom's Barn Experimental Station, Higham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Summary

Four field experiments (1968–71) investigated the effect of changing the length of the growing period on the nitrogen fertilizer requirement of sugar beet. The crop was sown on three occasions (March–May), harvested on three occasions (September–December) and given four amounts of fertilizer (0–225 kg N/ha). Plant samples were analysed at several stages of growth (1969–71) in an attempt to predict the amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed for maximum sugar yield and also at the end of the season to determine the nitrogen uptake. Increasing the length of the growing period increased sugar yield greatly but the amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed for maximum sugar yield was unchanged. The crop given the largest dressing of nitrogen and with the longest growing period contained most total nitrogen, but in every experiment, giving more than 75 kg N/ha neither increased nor decreased the sugar yield significantly. As a result of the small variations in nitrogen requirement, the plant analyses during the growing season were of little value in predicting the needs of the crop.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anon. (1960). Sugar beet cultivation. Bull. Min. Agric. Fish. Fd, Lond. no. 153.Google Scholar
Boyd, D. A., Tinker, P. B. H., Draycott, A. P. & Last, P. J. (1970). Nitrogen requirement of sugar beet grown on mineral soils. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 74, 3746.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Draycott, A. P. & Weight, E. M. (1970). Time of sowing, time of harvesting and nitrogen need. Rep. Rothamsted exp. Stn for 1969, part 1, p. 332.Google Scholar
Holmes, J. C. & Adams, S. N. (1966). The effect of sowing date, harvest date and fertilizer rate on sugar boot. Expl Husb. 14, 6574.Google Scholar
Holmes, M. R. J. (1972). Nitrogen response and harvesting date: sugar beet. Fisons Agtec, Autumn 1972, p. 25.Google Scholar
Hull, R. & Webb, D. J. (1970). The effect of sowing date and harvesting date on the yield of sugar beet. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 75, 223–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jaggard, K. W. & Weight, E. M. (1971). Time of sowing, harvesting and nitrogen need. Rep. Rothamsted exp. Stn for 1970, part 1, p. 261.Google Scholar
Jaggard, K. W. & Weight, E. M. (1972). Time of sowing, harvesting and nitrogen need. Rep. Rothamsted exp. Stn for 1971, part 1, p. 290.Google Scholar
Williams, R. J. B. (1969). The rapid determination of nitrate in. crops, soils, drainage water and rainwater by a simple field method using diphenylamine or diphenylbenzidine with glass fibre paper. Chemy Ind. 1969, pp. 1735–6.Google Scholar
Woolley, D. G. & Bennett, N. H. (1962). Effect of soil moisture, nitrogen fertilization, variety and harvest date on root yields and sucrose content of sugar beet. J. Am. Soc. Sug. Beet Technol. 12, 233–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar