Effects of seed advancement and sowing date on establishment, bolting and yield of sugarbeet

Abstract

An advancing and devernalizing treatment for sugarbeet seed has been developed which, in England, allows sowing to be brought forward safely by c. 10 days to around 10 March. Experiments done each year from 1988 to 1991 were used to assess the value of this change. They showed that sugar yield increased by 0-048 t/ha/day because seed advancement resulted in more rapid emergence, and by 0042 t/ha/day as a result of earlier sowing. As an average of all appropriate data from experiments in England since the 1950s, the advantage of sowing in March is 0035 t/ha/day. However, the actual change in sowing date which the farmer might achieve will depend on soil type and rainfall. Daily rainfall and evaporation data for eastern England in March and April were used to predict the number and distribution of available machinery work days. On this basis, the average sowing date was predicted to advance by 9 days. Thus the sugar yield improvement which could be produced by advancing and devernalizing beet seed is equivalent to 9 days at 0035 t/ha/day, plus 0-19 t/ha, or c. 0-5 t/ha. In practice, this should translate into an increase of 0-35 t/ha, or c. 5 % of the average yield.

Modelling the variability of UK sugar beet yields under climate change and husbandry adaptations

“…Sowing date strongly affects yields: our model predicts that each week's advance in sowing into low‐AWC soils during March and April will result in sugar yield gains of 0.2–0.3 t ha −1 (Figure 7a). These values are similar to yield changes measured in field experiments (Durrant et al. , 1993).…”

Accumulation of Soluble Sugar in True Seeds by Priming of Sugar Beet Seeds and the Effects of Priming on Growth and Yield of Drilled Plants

“…As for the improvement in the yield of sugar beet by priming, Durrant et al (1993) calculated a 0.048 t ha-1 d-1 increase in yield by the promotion of emergence in Great Britain. Heyes et al (1997) reported a 1.8% increase in yield in 1995 and a 1.…”

Predicting the determinants of weed abundance: a model for the population dynamics of Chenopodium album in sugar beet

“…Sugar beet is generally grown in a four-or five-course rotation in conjunction with cereals, potatoes, oilseed rape or set-aside/industrial break crops (Jaggard, Limb & Proctor 1995). The sugar beet crop is sown after the first week in March, and preferably before May (Durrant, Marsh & Jaggard 1993). Recommended sowing densities correspond to around 11 plants m ', with a 20 cm plant spacing and 55 cm row spacing.…”