Productivity and Physiological Response of Fodder Beet to Drip Irrigation Regimes and Potassium Levels Under Calcareous Soil Conditions

Abstract

A field trait was conducted at Nubaria Agricultural Research Station, EL-Behira Governorate, Egypt during two winter successive growing seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 on fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L.) variety Voroshenger. The aim was to study the effect of three drip irrigation regimes i.e. Irrigation with amount of water equal 100% (I1), 80% (I2) and 60 %( I3) of potential evapotranspiration (ETp) and potassium fertilization at rates of 0, 57.12, 114.24 and 171.36 Kg K2O/ha.Results of combining analysis revealed that increasing irrigation levels led to significant increase in crop growth rate (CGR) at (90-120) and (120-150) DAS, leaves and root fresh weight Kg/plant, leaves and root dry weight g/plant, root length and diameter as well as root, total yield ton/ha and total chlorophyll of leaves. Dry treatments significantly reduced the percentage of potassium (K %), crud protein (CP %), digestive crud protein (DCP %) and crud fiber (CF %). Whereas, the percentage of total soluble solid (TSS %) and total digestible nutrients (TDN %) significantly increased. The maximum percentage of Relative water content (RWC %) was obtained from wet treatment, while medium treatment at 80% of ETp give the maximum values of water utilization efficiency (WUtE).Adding 171.36 KgK 2 O/ha significantly increased CGR at (90-120) and (120-150) DAS, Leaves fresh weight Kg/plant, leaves and root dry weight, root length and diameter, root and foliage yields as well as total yield ton/ha, total chlorophyll of leaves, DCP% and K%. While adding 171.36 and 114.3 KgK 2 O/ha significantly increased root fresh weight Kg/plant, CP% and CF% with insignificant difference. However, TDN% decreased by increasing potassium fertilization. Maximum RWC% and WUtE were obtained when plants received 171.36 KgK2O/ha.The interaction between irrigation regimes and potassium fertilization levels had significant effect on all traits under study except CGR at (90-120) DAS, root diameter, foliage yield ton/fed, total chlorophyll of leaves, K% and TSS%. The highest values of , Leaves Fresh weight Kg/plant, leaves and root dry weight g/plant, CP%, CF% as well as DCP% and RWC were achieved from wet treatment (100% of ETp) in combination with 171.36 KgK 2 O/ha. While irrigation with 100%, 80% of ETp and 171.36 KgK 2 O/ha gave the highest values for root length, root and total yield ton/ha as well as WUtE with insignificant difference. However irrigation with 100% of ETp combined with 114.24 and 171.36 have the highest values for root fresh weight Kg/plant with insignificant difference. The maximum TDN% obtained from dry treatment (60% of ETp) without potassium fertilization.According to profitability assessment, the highest net income and investment ratio as an average of two growing seasons were obtained when plants watered by amount of water equal 80% of ETp and received 171.36 KgK 2 O/ha.

Effect of Surface Irrigation Regimes and Potassium Levels on Growth, Physiological Characters and Productivity of Fodder Beet (Beta vulgaris, L.) under Calcareous Soil Conditions

“…However, the minimum values were obtained from dry treatment (I3) (irrigatied with amount of water equals 60% of potential evapotranspiration (ETp) in combined analysis. These results agreed with those reported by Abdallah and Yassen,(2008); Hussein et al, (2011) and Mofeeda et al,( 2019). These finding may be due to the water stress condition have been found to disrupt dry matter accumulation or formation of photosynthesate compounds (Abdo, Fatma and Anton, 2009).…”

“…On the other hand there was insignificant differences between such two treatments for foliage yield (ton/ha) in combined analysis. The results reported here in this investigation coincided those previously obtained by Drawucatt and Messem (1977) and Mofeeda et al (2019). Tagmetto et al (2003) found that plots irrigated with surface drip irrigation produced the highest sugar beet yield, but furrow irrigation produced the lowest one.…”

“…Concerning the effect of potassium fertilization on root and foliage fresh weight, plants treated with 171.36 and 114.24 kg K2O/ha had the highest value compared with other potassium treatments and without any significant differences between such two treatments. In this concern (Mofeeda et al, 2019), Tang et al(2015) pointed that K indispensable mineral constituent, intrinsically playing a key role in plant growth and development process.…”

“…These (Ros) are all toxic (Beyer and Frdovich, 1987) very reactive and cause severe damage to DNA, proteins and lipids (Bird et al, 1983). Decreasing soil water moisture significantly decreased root and leaves dry weight, root yield and total yield (Mofeeda et al, 2019). Also, Sakr et al, (2014) stated that water stress during maturity stage through withholding last, let two or last three irrigation markedly reduced forage yields and its component as well as crude protein (CP%).…”

“…Potassium is one of the essential elements for plant nutrition and photosynthesis, translocation of photosynthates compounds, protein synthesis, control of ionic balance, regulation of plant stomata, water use, activation of plant enzymes and many others processes (Marschner 1995 andReddya et al, 2004). Numerous studies have shown that application of K fertilizer mitigates the adverse effect of drought on plant growth (Andersen et al, 1992), Sangakkara et al, 2001, Hasan Zadeh et al, 2012, Kassab et al, 2012and Mofeeda et al, 2019. The main objectives of this study were to test the effect of three surface irrigation treatments and four potassium fertilization levels on fodder beet growth, physiological characters, productivity, quality of forage and water use efficiency under calcareous soils conduction at Nubaria region.…”