Tag Archives: sugar beets

436-443 B. Petkeviciene
The effects of climate factors on sugar beet early sowing timing
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The effects of climate factors on sugar beet early sowing timing

B. Petkeviciene

Rumokai Research Station of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculturepost LT-4293 Zalioji, district Vilkaviskis, Lithuanian;tel: +370-342-49422, +370-342-49435; e-mail: rumokai@post.omnitel.net

Abstract:

Important environmental variables that affect determination of sugar beet growing processes are temperature, precipitation and soil moisture. The optimal time for sugar beet sowing was determined in the variety testing trial conducted at the Rumokai Research Station of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture during the period 2000–2006. This time was found to be when the mean daily temperature for three subsequent days reached the limit of base air temperatures (> 10ºC). The sowing time was found to strongly correlate (r = 0.9*) with the amount of precipitation and accumulated base temperatures (> 5ºC) in March and May. The potential of sugar beet root biomass and white sugar correlated moderately strongly with the duration of the growing season (r = 0.55 and 0.62) and sowing time (r = −0.64 and −0.70).Data from the sowing timing trial averaged over the period 2000–2004 suggests that in thecase of early sowing the soil moisture at sowing depth was 16.3. With the delay of sowing soil moisture decreased. At early sowing the stand density was by 3.3  lower compared with the average (99,900 plants ha-1). One week’s delay in sowing reduced roots by 4.7 t ha-1 and white sugar 0.9 t ha-1 and increased alpha amino nitrogen content in roots by 2.58 mg 100g-1.

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