Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-rvbq7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-08T13:29:43.291Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of single or split applications of nitrogen fertilizer to in situ sugar-beet seed plants in the spring of their second year's growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

P. C. Longden  and
M. G. Johnson
P. C. Longden
Affiliation:
Broom's Barn Experimental Station, Higham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP28 6NP
M. G. Johnson
Affiliation:
Broom's Barn Experimental Station, Higham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP28 6NP
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Nine field experiments (1970–5) investigated the effects of single or split applications of nitrogen fertilizer in February, March, April and May to in situ sugar-beet seed plants in their second year's growth. All experiments were within commercial crops of existing multigerm and monogerm varieties grown on fertile, deep soils in south Lincolnshire, north Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire and on shallow limestone soils in the Cotswolds.

Yield of seed averaged over years and sites ranged from 4·3 to 4·6 t/ha and so was not affected by nitrogen treatments, which also did not noticeably delay harvest. The usable proportion of seed from multigerm crops was 350–650 g/kg, and from monogerm ones 90–200 g/kg but neither was affected by nitrogen treatment. Application of nitrogen in May reduced laboratory germination by about 3% and seedling emergence in the field by about 5 seedlings per 100 fruits sown. The proportion of single seedlings fmonogermity') was not affected by nitrogen treatments, although it was affected by the monogerm or multigerm nature of the crop. An attempt to assess seed vigour was made by determining average seedling weight when grown in the field in the year following harvest, but results were inconsistent. Leaf petiole nitrate concentrations declined progressively throughout the season, but were increased by about a quarterin the month following nitrogen application. At all times they were large and probably not limiting growth. The test had no value for predicting nitrogen application rates or times.

In practice it appears that the spring top dressing of nitrogen fertilizer should be made as a single application at the end of February or as soon as possible thereafter.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 89 , Issue 3 , December 1977 , pp. 609 - 620
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Hibbert, D. & Woodwark, W. (1969). Germination testing of sugar beet seed on different types of paper substrate. Journal of the International Institute for Sugar Beet Research 4, 169–74.Google Scholar
Holt, J. B. (1961). A seed aspirator. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 7, 276–80.Google Scholar
International Seed Testing Association (1966). International rules for seed testing. Proceedings of the International Seed Testing Association 37, 1–152.Google Scholar
Longden, P. C. (1969). A machine for rubbing small samples of sugar-beet fruit. Journal of the International Institute for Sugar Beet Research 4, 160–8.Google Scholar
Longden, P. C. (1970). Manuring the beet seed crop grown in England. NAAS Quarterly Review 87, 112–18.Google Scholar
Longden, P. C. (1972). Monogerm sugar-beet seed production experiments. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 78, 497–503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Longden, P. C. & Scott, R. K. (1973). Growing sugar beet for seed in England. ADAS Quarterly Review 9, 10–23.Google Scholar
Pultz, L. M. (1937). Relation of nitrogen to yield of sugar-beet seed and to accompanying changes in composition of the roots. Journal of Agricultural Research 54, 639–54.Google Scholar
Scott, R. K. (1969). The effect of sowing and harvesting dates, plant population and fertilizers on seed yield and quality of direct-drilled sugar-beet seed crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 73, 373–85.Google Scholar
Scott, R. K., Harper, F., Wood, D. W. & Jaggard, K. (1974). Effect of seed size on growth, development and yield of monogerm sugar beet. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 82, 517–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tolman, B. (1943). Sugar-beet seed production in Southern Utah, with special reference to factors affecting yield and reproductive development. United States Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin No. 845, 1–35.Google Scholar
Williams, R. J. B. (1969). The rapid determination of nitrate in crops, soila, drainage and rainwater by a simple field method of using diphenylamine or diphenylbenzidine with glass fibre paper. Chemistry and Industry 17, 36–6.Google Scholar