RESPONSE OF SOME SUGAR BEET VARIETIES TO FOLIAR SPRAYING WITH COMPOST TEA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH TWO SUGAR BEET INSECTS, BEET FLY, (Pegomya mixta Vill.) AND TORTOISE BEETLE (Cassida vittata Vill.) UNDER NEWLY RECLAIMED SANDY SOIL

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out in km 71 West Alexandria-Cairo desert Road during 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons to study the response of some multigerm sugar beet varieties i.e., Top, Sultan and Kawemira to foliar spray with compost tea at three levels of (0, 15 and 20 L/fed/300 L water) at 45 and 75 days from sowing. The experimental design was a split plot design with three replicates, foliar spray with compost tea levels were arranged in the main plots and sugar beet varieties were allocated in the sub plots. The results showed that foliar spray with the level of 20 L/fed with compost tea significantly increased root length, diameter, fresh weight/plant, sucrose%, purity%, root and sugar yields/fed in both seasons, while, decreased root mineral contents (α amino N, Na and K %) as compared with zero treatment (control) or 15 L/fed level of compost tea. The Three tested varieties were differed significantly in the root length, diameter, fresh weight/plant, sucrose%, purity%, root and sugar yields/fed and root mineral contents. Kawemira variety surpassed the other two varieties (Sultan and Top) in the most traits in both seasons. Foliar spray with compost tea increased the numbers of two sugar beet insects, beet fly (Pegomya mixta Vill.) and tortoise beetle (Cassida vittata Vill.). Kawemira variety was less attracted by the two previous insects, during two successive seasons. Moreover foliar spray with compost tea at level 20 L/fed recorded the highest values for sucrose %, root and sugar yields/fed in both seasons. Generally, it could be recommended that sown Kawemira, Sultan and Top varieties, respectively and sprayed with 20 L/fed compost tea produced the highest sucrose%, root and sugar yields/fed and yield quality in a sandy soil.

Impact of Compost Tea and Spirulina platensis Algae on Sugar Beet Grown under Different Levels of Inorganic Nitrogen Fertilizer

“…The highest CGR was obtained under application with compost tea 32 . Similar results were obtained with Abd El-Rahman et al 6 , who found that application of 20 l compost tea/fed significantly increased RFW and root yield/fed of sugar beet, as compared to untreated plants and/or treated with 15 l/fed, in sandy soil. In the same trend, the best values were obtained for leaves fresh and dry weights/plant and photosynthetic pigments of henna plants, due to the use of 60 ml compost tea/l 9 .…”

“…Compost tea contains a significant amount of soluble mineral nutrients that are easily absorbed by plants, which promotes crop growth and productivity. In this regard, Abd El-Rahman et al 6 and Osman et al 7 cleared that spraying beet canopies with compost tea significantly increased root fresh weight/plant, sucrose (%), purity% and root and sugar yields, meanwhile impurities content reduced. Pibars et al 8 stated that soil drenching with 80 l compost tea/fed led to gradual increases in beetroot and sugar yields.…”