Sugar Tech (2008) 10(2) : 177-180

SHORT COMMUNICATION

Integrated nitrogen management for tropical sugarbeet hybrids

A. Balakrishnan · T. Selvakumar

Received:12 February, 2008 / Revised 4 March, 2008 / Accepted: 2 May, 2008

Abstract The investigation was carried out on tropical sugar and the government recently allowed private agencies
sugarbeet to evaluate integrated nutrient management with to import sugar on a limited basis.
suitable hybrids. The experiment was conducted in strip plot
design. The Factor I consist of four integrated nitrogen Tropical Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris var.
management and the factor II consist of three tropical sugarbeet altissima Doll) is a biennial sugar producing root crop, grown
hybrids (Cauvery, Indus and Shubhra). Higher crop biometrics in temperate countries and ranks second important sugar crop
of tropical sugarbeet was recorded in application of 100 per after sugarcane, producing annually about 40 per cent of sugar
cent N through Urea along with FYM and biofertilizer treatment. production all over the world (Leilah et al., 2005). From the
The yield characters and yield (71 and 89 t ha-1 during 2005 past studies it was observed that, with the recent development
and 2006 respectively) of tropical sugarbeet and brix (18 %) of tropicalized hybrids of sugarbeet, it is possible to raise the
were higher in application of 100 per cent N through Urea crop in tropical and subtropical areas in India. Hence, sugarbeet
along with biofertilizer and FYM during both the experiments can be considered as a additional supplementary source for
conducted during 2005-06 and 2006-07. With respect to tropical production of white sugar as well as ethanol in India. Ethanol
sugarbeet hybrids, Cauvery performed better in terms of yield produced from sugarcane and sugarbeet being used as bio-
(76 and 94 t ha-1 during 2005 and 2006 respectively) and fuel, which is environment-friendly and blended with gasoline.
Shubhra recorded higher brix (20 %). Application of 100 per In Brazil 20-24 per cent of ethanol is blended with gasoline,
cent N through Urea along with FYM and biofertilizer with while in the USA it is 10 per cent.
Cauvery hybrid performed better for tropical sugarbeet
emergence, establishment, yield and quality. Tropical sugarbeet can be cultivated even in land which
has gone wastes due to high salinity and the water requirement
Keywords Sugarbeet, Hybrids, Integrated Nitrogen of sugarbeet is one third of sugarcane crop. Further, as the
Management, Yield. harvesting period coincide with March to June, the human
resource of Sugar factory in the off season could be efficiently
utilized for processing of sugarbeet by the sugar mills, which
Sugar is an essential commodity and an integral part of the facilitates in continuous functioning of the sugar mills. More
‘food chain’ and demands priority over other alternate uses of over in the recent past the Indian sugar factories are faced
sugarcane. Any imbalance between domestic production and with danger of drastic reduction in sugarcane production due
demand for sugar would lead to spiraling of prices and other to persistent drought. Our attempt is not to replace sugarcane
antisocial activities such as hoarding. Even at the present but to supplement.
stage of sugar production, there is a perceived scarcity of
Addition of any form of organics has been found to
A. Balakrishnan ( ) · T. Selvakumar improve the soil health, soil buffering capacity, water retention
Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India.
capacity, chelation and release of micronitrogens and
E-mail: abk1957@rediffmail.com microbiological processes. Balanced application of inorganic
E-mail: jtselvakumar@yahoo.com and organic fertilizer to sugar crop may improve sugar content.

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178 Sugar Tech (2008) 10(2) : 177-180

Further, organics increase the crops yields during the year Design : FRBD Plot size: 5 x 4 m
of application and also found beneficial in sustaining the crop Spacing: 45 x 15 cm Season: Kharif, 2005 & 2006
yields as well as the soil fertility over longer periods. Integrated
nitrogen management using the biodegraded wastes along The experimental field was ploughed once by tractor drawn
with chemical fertilizers has been found very effective in disc plough and twice by cultivator. The soil was prepared
sustaining the production of crops, in addition to saving of into fine tilth using tractor rotavator. The field bunds were
inorganic fertilizers to the tune of 25 to 35 per cent besides trimmed, corners were dug, clods were broken, then field was
producing favourable residual effect especially in the cropping leveled and the ridges and furrows were formed at 50 cm
sequences. distance.

The investigations on tropical sugarbeet were carried out The sowings were taken up as per the technical programme.
at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to find A seed rate of 3.6 kg ha-1 was adopted. The seeds were dibbled
integrated nitrogen management with suitable hybrids for on the top of the ridges at 2 to 2.5 cm depth with one seed
tropical conditions during 2005-06 and 2006-07, which is hole -1 adopting a spacing of 20 cm with in the row.
situated at 11°North latitude, 76°57’ East longitude and at an Recommended dose of fertilizer 150:75:75 Kg NPK ha-1
altitude of 427 m above mean sea level. Soil of the experimental (Balakrishnan et al., 2007) was applied as nitrogen through
field was well drained clay loam with pH of 8.0 and EC of 0.42 urea, phosphorus through single super phosphate and
d Sm-1. The soil of the experimental site was low in available potassium through muriate of potash were applied. Manures
nitrogen (128 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (13.5 and biofertilizer were also applied as per the treatment schedule
kg ha-1) and high in available potassium (372 kg ha-1). to the respective plot before sowing the seeds.

The experimental location experiences tropical climate with Irrigation was given immediately after sowing of sugarbeet
dry summer extending from March to August. A perusal of 50 and the life irrigation was given on third day after sowing. The
year weather data of the site reveals that the area received a subsequent irrigations were given by surface flow of water as
mean annual rainfall of 674.2 mm distributed in 45.8 rainy days. and when the crop required till to the crop maturity period.
The mean annual maximum and minimum temperature ranged The experimental field was applied with a pre-emergence
from 29.2 to 35.2 oC and 17.9 to 23.8 oC, respectively. The mean weedicide Pretilachlor (Refit 50 EC) 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 on 3 DAS
relative humidity ranged from 50 to 77 per cent. The mean followed by one hand hoeing and earthing up on 25 and 50
wind velocity ranged between 2.7 and 7.0 km h-1. The mean DAS respectively. Need based plant protection measures were
sunshine hours per day ranged from 4.6 to 9.9. The mean pan given against pests and diseases. Gap filling was done in 10
evaporation per day ranged from 3.1 to 6.7 mm. Sugarbeet days after sowing. The crop was harvested after maturity on
hybrids Cauvery, Indus and Shubhra used in this experiment 150th day. Matured tropical sugarbeet roots were harvested
were obtained from Syngenta India Ltd., Company which are and topped manually. At the time of harvest, pre harvest
suitable for Tamil nadu conditions. The experiment was laid irrigation was given for easy harvest with out damaging entire
out in factorial randomized block design and the treatments root part.
were replicated thrice.

Growth Characters
Treatment Details
Growth character of tropical sugarbeet (Table 1)
Factor I (INM) significantly influenced by integrated nitrogen management
during both the years of experiment. Plant height and number
T1 - 100% Recommended N alone of leaves per plant was increased only up to 90 DAS after that
T2 - 75% Recommended N + 25% N through FYM there was a decline trend due to the drying of matured leaves.
T3 - 50% Recommended N + 25% N through FYM The maximum plant height (54.53 and 58.23 cm during 2005
+ 25% N through Vermicompost and 2006 respectively) and number of leaves per plant (24.43
T4 - 100% Recommended N + Biofertilizer + FYM and 26.13 during 2005 and 2006 respectively) was recorded in
the plot which received 100 per cent N through Urea along
Factor II (Hybrid) with biofertilizer and FYM, which was on par with T3 (50%
Recommended N + 25% N through FYM + 25% N through
H1 – Cauvery Vermicompost). The plot received 100 per cent N alone through
H2 – Indus urea showed the poor crop growth performance was poor than
H3 – Shubhra the other combination of nitrogen management.

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Sugar Tech (2008) 10(2) : 177-180 179

Table 1. Effect of integrated nitrogen management and hybrids on growth of tropical sugarbeet
No. of leaf Plant height (cm)
Treatments 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS
2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07
Nitrogen management
T1 6.69 6.89 19.19 20.79 21.55 23.63 21.77 23.14 46.19 50.81 49.90 52.72
T2 6.82 7.14 19.81 21.55 22.40 24.06 22.45 23.89 47.60 52.38 50.22 53.67
T3 6.98 7.38 20.45 22.33 23.84 25.54 23.18 24.66 49.31 54.09 52.57 56.19
T4 7.15 7.64 21.10 22.90 24.43 26.13 24.05 25.58 50.69 56.01 54.53 58.23
SE.d 0.15 0.16 0.43 0.47 0.50 0.54 0.49 0.52 1.04 1.15 1.12 1.20
CD (P=0.05) 0.30 0.32 0.89 0.97 1.03 1.11 1.02 1.09 2.17 2.38 2.34 2.50
Hybrids
HI 7.01 7.31 20.27 22.03 23.13 24.51 22.93 24.39 48.48 53.37 51.97 55.02
H2 7.00 7.35 20.48 22.30 24.05 25.64 23.03 24.49 48.71 53.73 52.09 55.51
H3 6.72 7.14 19.67 21.36 21.99 24.37 22.63 24.07 48.15 52.87 51.04 54.75
SE.d 0.13 0.14 0.37 0.41 0.42 0.45 0.43 0.45 0.90 0.99 0.97 1.04
CD(P=0.05) NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS
Interaction NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS

Table 2. Effect of integrated nitrogen management and hybrids on

With respect to three hybrids there was no significant yield parameters of tropical sugarbeet at harvest
difference on growth characters like plant height and number Root length (cm) Root girth (cm) Avg. root weight (g)
Treatments
of leaves. Plant height and number of leaves per plant was 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07
Nitrogen management
increased only up to 90 DAS after that there was a decline
T1 35.48 39.49 25.04 27.54 702.63 840.77
trend. The number of leaves on any crop is responsible for the T2 36.54 40.63 25.77 28.38 726.92 869.31
total amount of radiation intercepted. High plant establishment T3 37.72 41.93 26.70 29.43 755.66 907.05
(Draycott et al., 1974) provided better leaf growth per unit T4 38.89 43.41 27.86 30.72 780.58 942.69
SE.d 0.84 0.93 0.56 0.62 15.25 18.50
area throughout the growing season. As yields are significantly CD (P=0.05) 1.74 1.93 1.17 1.29 31.62 38.37
influenced mainly by the amount of solar radiation intercepted Hybrids
by the leaf canopy, it is important to promote as early leaf HI 37.04 41.29 26.17 28.83 771.76 932.12
H2 34.25 38.06 27.35 30.14 794.41 946.24
development as possible. H3 40.19 44.74 25.52 28.08 658.18 791.50
SE.d 0.73 0.81 0.49 0.54 13.20 16.02
Yield Characters CD 1.51 1.68 1.01 1.12 27.39 33.23
Interaction NS NS NS NS NS NS

Yield characters like root length, girth and average root

weight (Table 2) was significantly influenced by integrated Yield and Quality
nitrogen management and hybrids. Application of 100 per cent
N through Urea along with biofertilizer and FYM recorded Integrated nitrogen management significantly influences
highest root length (38.39 and 43.41 cm during 2005 and 2006 the root yield and beet tops yield (Table 3). Application of 100
experiment, respectively), root girth and average root weight per cent N through Urea along with biofertilizer and FYM
(780 and 942 g root-1 during 2005 and 2006 experiment recorded significantly higher root yield of 71 and 89 t ha-1 and
respectively) at the time of harvest. Poor yield characters were beet tops yield of 7.45 and 7.95 during 2005 and 2006
recorded in 100 per cent N through Urea alone. Kucinska et respectively, it was comparable with T3 (50% Recommended N
al., (2004) also confirmed that combination of cow dung and + 25% N through FYM + 25% N through vermicompost). The
chemical fertilizer were the most effective in the enhancement least root yield and beet tops yield were recorded in the plot
of root yield of sugarbeet. received 100 percent N through Urea alone. With respect to
Among the different tropical sugarbeet hybrids, Shubhra quality, highest brix reading was recorded in T4 which was on
recorded maximum root length and followed by Cauvery and par T2 & T3. Among the hybrids, Cauvery recorded higher
Indus. Indus recorded maximum root girth and followed by root yield of 76 and 94 t ha-1, which was on par with Indus.
Cauvery and Shubhra. Among the hybrids, Indus recorded Hybrid Shubhra recorded higher Brix reading of 20 per cent
higher average root weight (794 and 946 g root-1 during 2005 and followed by Cauvery (18 %) and Indus (19 %). However,
and 2006, respectively), which was on par with Cauvery. the beet tops didn’t show any significant differences.
Similarly, Selvakumar et al. (2007) also reported that Cauvery
and Indus hybrids yield characters were comparable. The increase in root yield with T4 (100 per cent N through
Interaction between integrated nitrogen management and Urea along with FYM and biofertilizer) might be attributed to
tropical sugarbeet hybrids exhibits non significant trend. the good nitrogen availability that promoted growth of

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180 Sugar Tech (2008) 10(2) : 177-180

Table 3. Effect of integrated nitrogen management and hybrids on yield (71 and 89 t ha-1 during 2005 and 2006 respectively) of
yield and quality of tropical sugarbeet tropical sugarbeet and brix reading were higher in application
Beet Tops yield
Root Yield (t ha-1) Brix (%)
of 100 per cent N through Urea along with biofertilizer and
Treatments (t ha-1) FYM. With respect to tropical sugarbeet hybrids, Cauvery
2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07
Nitrogen management
performed better in yield (76 and 94 t ha-1 during 2005 and 2006
T1 66.23 81.18 6.81 7.20 16.95 16.95 respectively) and Shubhra recorded higher brix reading (20
T2 67.96 83.90 6.86 7.32 17.47 17.47 %).
T3 69.74 86.26 7.17 7.60 17.74 17.74
T4 71.22 89.76 7.45 7.95 18.24 18.24
Acknowledgement The authors acknowledged to Tamil Nadu
SE.d 1.42 1.78 0.15 0.17 0.40 0.40
CD Agricultural University, Coimbatore for facilitate conducting the
2.94 3.69 0.32 0.34 0.84 0.84 experiment and government of Tamil nadu for funding the scheme
(P=0.05)
Hybrids under part II plan and to the Syngenta India Ltd., Pune for the providing
HI 76.36 94.61 7.10 7.51 17.57 17.57 of tropical sugarbeet seed material to conduct research.
H2 68.89 85.47 7.15 7.58 15.49 15.49
H3 61.12 75.76 6.97 7.48 19.74 19.74
SE.d 1.23 1.54 0.14 0.14 0.35 0.35
CD 2.54 3.20 NS NS 0.73 0.73 References
Interaction NS NS NS NS NS NS
Ali, M.H., Hashem, F.A. and Wassif, M.M. (2002). Productivity of
sugarbeet and hence resulted in increased root yield. Farmyard sugar beet and soil properties under saline irrigation water. Egyptian
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manure consists of humus substances which increases soil
Anonymous (2007). Ethanol Information India, Ethanol in India -
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Similarly the growth promoting activity of biofertilizer could Anshu Bharadwaj, Rahul Tongia and Arunachalam, V. S., (2007). Scoping
be another reason for better yield. All this conditions creates technology options for India’s oil security: Part I - ethanol for
petrol. Current science, 92(8): 1071-1077.
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Balakrishnan, A., Selvakumar, T., Sundar singh, S.D. (2007). Irrigation
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Topcuoglu (2005) reported that spent mushroom compost as ssp. vulgaris var. altissima Doll). Sugar Tech 9(2&3): 213-216.
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density, irrigation and potassium and sodium fertilizers on sugarbeet.
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The over all observation from the experiment was that the kinds of organic manure and various doses of mineral nitrogen.
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Tropical sugarbeet performed well in the tropical region of compost on sugarbeet. Listy Cukrovarnické a Reparské. 121(3):98-
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Selvakumar T, Balakrishnan A, Sundar singh S.D. (2007). Assessment of
with FYM and biofertilizer performed better emergence, yield maturity of tropical sugarbeet hybrids at different stage of harvest.
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