The effect of chloride and nitrogen on nitrate accumulation and yield in beetroot (Beta vulgaris var. conditiva)

Abstract

A pot and a field experiment were conducted to evaluate the effects of different nitrogen and chloride fertilizer levels on the nitrate content of beetroot. The yield and dry matter content were also determined. Sulphate fertilization was used as a control to chloride fertilization. There was a considerable decrease in the nitrate content of beetroots during the growing season. High nitrogen fertilization caused nitrate accumulation in both experiments. Chloride had a significant decreasing effect on the nitrate accumulation towards the middle of the growing period in the pot experiment. In the field experiment, chloride also decreased nitrate accumulation towards the middle of the growing period, soon after additional application of ammonium nitrate limestone (13.8 % NH4-N; 13.7 % NO3-N). Chloride tends to decrease nitrate accumulation only at an early stage of root development when nitrate is not the only source of nitrogen in the soil. The yield was higher on high nitrogen supply, in the pot experiment also on chloride application. Nitrogen decreased the dry matter content, but chloride had this effect only in the field experiment.

Nitrate Content, Soluble Solids Content, and Yield of Table Beet as Affected by Cultivar, Sowing Date and Nitrogen Supply

“…how to optimize cropping practices, since some practices can affect yield and quality in opposite directions. N fertilization significantly increases yield, but can also decrease quality through excessive nitrate content and reduce soluble solids content (Becker, 1989;Lee et al, 1971;Peck et al, 1974;Salo et al, 1992). The objective of our study was to provide data as a basis for optimizing fertilization, cultivar selection, and sowing date with respect to the yield and quality of table beet.…”

Effects of organic and mineral fertilization on NPK status in soil and plant, and yield of red beet (Beta vulgarisvar.conditiva)

“…Kadar and Erno (2000) reported that for the Beta vulgaris L. the optimal values of soil are 200 mg K 2 0 kg -1 and 150-200 mg P 2 0 5 kg -1 . Some authors (Michalik and Grzebelus, 1995;Ugrinovic, 1999) reported that the dry weight content in storage root varied from 80 to 164 g kg -1 and was decreased by nitrogen abundance (Michalik and Grzebellus, 1995;Salo et al, 1992). A number of papers (Stopar el al., 1988;Salo et al, 1992;Goh and Vityakon, 1983;Cerne, 1981;Fritz et al, 1989;Vogel, 1996) deal with the influence of nitrogen fertilization (from 120 to 600 kg N ha -1 ) on the red beet yield (from 20 to 70 t ha -1 ).…”