Yield and quality of sugar beet as affected by nitrogen source and zinc fertilization under saline soil conditions [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Two field experiments were conducted at El-Sirw Agricultural Research Station, Damietta Governorate (latitude of 31.14° N and longitude of 31.39° E) during the two seasons 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 to investigate the effect of different sources of nitrogen and zinc levels on growth, yield and quality of sugar beet crop (Beta vulgaris var. saccharifera, L.) grown in saline soil conditions. The present work included eighteen treatments, which were the combinations of six nitrogen source including the sole application of urea ( 46.5% N), ammonium nitrate (33.5% N), ammonium sulfate (20.6 % N and 24 S%); combined application of 50:50% of urea and ammonium nitrate and 50:50% of urea and ammonium sulphate as well as 50:50% of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate, in addition to three foliar applications of zinc (without zinc, control), 1000 and 2000 ppm as zinc sulphate (22% zinc). The obtained results showed that fertilizing sugar beet using the sole application of ammonium nitrate and mixture of ammonium nitrate + ammonium sulphate at ratio of 50:50 as nitrogen source produced significant higher root length, diameter, top, root fresh weight, sucrose%, quality %, calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc contents in leaves and zinc uptake in roots as well as root, top and sugar yields/fed compared with that recorded by the other N sources.

Summary in Arabic.

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