The Effect of Water Deficit on Yield and Yield Components of Sugar Beet

Authors: KENAN UÇAN, CAFER GENÇOĞLAN

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effect of different water levels on the sugar rate, sugar yield and root yield of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) under Kahramanmaraş climatic conditions in the production season 1999-2000. A line source sprinkler irrigation system was used with 6 irrigation levels; I_1, I_2, I_3, I_4, I_5 and I_6. The sugar beet row adjacent to the lateral was denoted the most water applied level (I_1), and the most remote row from the lateral was denoted the least water applied level (I_6). The plant rows between levels I_1 and I_6 were taken as the deficit irrigation levels in variably decreasing amounts. In the first (1999) and second (2000) years of the experiment, the total amount of irrigation water applied in a season was 1232 mm in 1999 and 1331 mm in 2000, while the amounts of water consumed (Et) were 1446 mm and 1491 mm lively respect. For level I_1, sugar rates were 17.2% and 15.1%, sugar yields were 9870 kg ha^{-1} and 9420 kg ha^{-1}, and root yields were 57 360 kg ha^{-1} and 62 350 kg ha^{-1} in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Reductions in applied irrigation water increased sugar rates and reduced Et and root yield. For level I_6, the amount of irrigation water applied in a season was 298 mm and 429 mm, Et levels were 495 mm and 587 mm, sugar rates were 18.9% and 18.3%, sugar yields were 1820 kg ha^{-1} and 2050 kg ha^{-1}, and root yields were 9630 kg ha^{-1} and 11 210 kg ha^{-1} in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) and water use efficiency (WUE) levels for I_1 were 46.6 kg ha^{-1} mm^{-1} and 39.7 kg ha^{-1} mm^{-1} in 1999 and 46.8 kg ha^{-1} mm^{-1} and 418 kg ha^{-1} mm^{-1} in the 2000, respectively. Both IWUE and WUE values varied with the amount of applied irrigation water. The root yield increased as the applied irrigation water increased, and a linear relationship was found between these 2 parameters.

Keywords: Sugar beet, deficit irrigation, water consumption, line source sprinkler system

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