Influence of agrotechnical factors on sugar content of sugar beet roots under irrigation.

Abstract

The article presents the results of research on the influence of agrotechnical factors on the sugar content of sugar beet roots under irrigation. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) occupies an important place among the crops grown in Ukraine. It is an important sugar crop due to its relatively short growing season and low fertilizer and water requirements compared to sugar cane. The main root of beet contains 13-22% sugar. Increasing sugar yields is an important factor to meet the demand for sugar or at least to reduce the gap between sugar production and consumption in Ukraine. The quality of sugar beet root crops depends on a combination of factors that can be conditionally placed in the following sequence: soil and climatic conditions, weather conditions, fertilizers, harvesting time, plant protection against pests, diseases and weeds, place in the crop rotation, sowing time, plant density, and variety characteristics. The aim of the research was to study the influence of agronomic factors on the quality of sugar beet roots under irrigation. The main objectives of our research were to determine the sugar content of sugar beet roots under different agronomic factors during irrigation. Field experiments were conducted in the Kherson region in the zone of the Ingulets irrigated massif. The soil cover is represented by dark chestnut slightly saline medium loamy soils. The following factors and their variants were included in the experimental design: Factor A – plowing to a depth of 20-22 cm and 28-30 cm seeding rate of similar seeds: 6; 9 and 12 million pcs/ha. Factor B – fertilizer background: no fertilizers, N150P150K60, Manure 40t/ha + N150P150K60, Manure 40 t/ha. Factor C – sowing dates: the first term – at a soil temperature at the depth of seed placement (4-5 cm) – 6-8°C; the second – ten days, the third – 20 days after the first term; Factor D – plant density: 90, 110 and 130 thousand/ha. Based on the results of the research, the following conclusions can be drawn: to obtain high-quality sugar beet roots with a sugar content of 16%, plowing should be carried out on dark chestnut irrigated soils to a depth of 20-22 cm, organic and mineral fertilizers should be applied at a rate of 40 t/ha of manure + N150P150K60, sowing should be carried out at a soil temperature of 8-9°C and plant density should be formed at the level of 110 thousand/ha