Sugar beet (Beta vulgarisL.) response to different planting methods and row geometries. I. Effect on plant growth and yield

Abstract

The 50-year-old ridge planting method of sugar beet was compared with new bed and flat planting methods under different row geometries. Sugar beet varieties Kawe Terma and KWS 1451 were tested on three planting methods, namely, ridge, bed and flat plantings in nine row geometries. Planting methods significantly affected the days to emergence, petiole length, leaf weight, number of beets harvested, specific leaf area, top to root ratio, top yield and root yield of crop. Emergence was better in almost all planting methods except on flat and three rows on bed. Petiole length and specific leaf area (SLA) of beets increased on ridges 60 cm apart. It was observed that SLA increased in planting methods where plant-to-plant distance decreased. Maximum leaf weight and number of beets at harvest was recorded on ridges 50 cm and two rows on bed. The top to root ratio was higher in beets planted on flat row geometries. Better growth and maximum number of beets at harvest resulted into maximum top yield and root yield in ridges 50 cm apart and two rows on bed. Growth of Kawe Terma performed better than KWS 1451 variety and produced higher beet yield.