Effect of stubble intercrops and nitrogen fertilisation on productivity and technological quality of sugar beet

Urszula Prośba-Białczyk

Abstract

A four-year-long field and laboratory study compared the effect of organic fertilization with stubble intercrops of field bean, phacelia and mustard and with mineral nitrogen, at doses 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg N ha^-1, on yielding and some yield qualities of three sugar beet cultivars – Atair, Kristall and PN Mono 4. Organic fertilization with stubble intercrops did not differentiate the yield level and had a favourable effect on sugar content and its “expense” as well as on technological sugar yield. Beet productivity depended on nitrogen fertilization and variety. Nitrogen at doses increasing by 60 kg induced a documented increase in the root and leaf yield but decreased the content of sugar. Technological yield of sugar increased to the level of nitrogen fertilization at 120 ha^-1. The cultivars differed in the level of root and sugar yields, and also in the parameters of technological value of the raw material obtained. The highest root yield and technological sugar yield was given by the Atair variety. Root yields of all the other cultivars were positively correlated with the leaf yields and some biometric features of roots as well as with the content of alphaamino nitrogen. Root yield and technological yield of sugar negatively correlated with the participation of undersize roots and the ash content in roots.