The Effects of Seed Treatment, Sowing date, Cultivar and Harvest date on the Yield and Quality of Sugar Beet

Abstract

Trials were carried out at Lyons Estate Research Farm during 1998 on sugar beet (Beta Vulgaris). The commercially available seed treatment ‘Advantage’ was tested across 3 sowing dates, 4 commercially available cultivars and 4 harvest dates. Trials were carried out in a factorial arrangement and subject to standard statistical analysis. Data on emergence, ground cover, yield and quality was analysed. Percentage emergence of seed was satisfactory in all experiments. The benefit of ‘Advantage’ treatment during the emergence stage of growth was clearly seen in all trials. On average ‘Advantage’ seed emerged 2-3 days earlier than untreated seed and reached the target population (>75,000 plants/ha 4 days sooner than the control seed. During the growing season, ground cover was measured until complete cover was reached. In the trials it was less clear as to the benefits of using the treatment ‘Advantage’, as it was seldom statically different from control seed. As yields can be related to the radiation intercepted, it is not surprising that there were not large differences in yields. Delaying sowing date resulted in decreased yields of clean beet, sugar and extractable sugar. The two triploid varieties, Libra and Accord gave better yields of clean beet, sugar and extractable sugar than the two diploid cultivars Zulu and Celt. Delaying harvesting gave increased yields of clean beet, sugar and extractable sugar. The ‘Experimental’ seed treatment was not superior to the ‘Advantage’ treatment. In only one of the experiments was ‘Advantage’ better than the control treatment in respect of yield of clean beet, in the time of harvest trial. This was not reflected in yield of sugar or extractable sugar. In all other situations, there were no differences between ‘Advantage’ and the control treatments. There was no benefit from using ‘Advantage’ seed in the current experiments. However earlier sowing dates require investigation with pre-treated seed.