Titanium: An element of non-biological atmospheric nitrogen fixation and a regulator of sugar beet plant tolerance to salinity [electronic resource]

Includes bibliographic reference

There is unprecedented interest in the biological and non-biological atmospheric nitrogen fixation via some elements e.g., titanium, nickel, vanadium, etc. to reduce the inputs of mineral N-fertilizers in the future, especially under salinity conditions. Also, synthetic nitrogen fertilization could increase the impurities in the sugar beet. So, A field trial ( as an exploratory experiment) was executed in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) to highlight the role of the Ti element in non-biological atmospheric nitrogen fixation and regulating sugar beet plant tolerance to salinity conditions ( soil EC value =6.25 dSm-1 & irrigation water EC value =4.86 dSm-1). Treatments were as follows; T1: Without Ti (0.0 mg L-1); T2: Adding Ti as foliar application (5.0 mg L-1); T3: Adding Ti as foliar application (10.0 mg L-1); T4: Adding Ti as foliar application (15.0 mg L-1); T5: Adding Ti as soil injection (5.0 mg L-1); T6: Adding Ti as soil injection (10.0 mg L-1); T7: Adding Ti as soil injection (15.0 mg L-1); T8: Combination of both methods (Soil + foliar) [5.0 mg L-1 , (2.5+2.5 for each method)]; T9: Combination of both methods (Soil + foliar) [10.0 mg L-1 , (5.0+5.0 for each method)]; and T10: Combination of both methods (Soil + foliar) (15.0 mg L-1 , (7.5+7.5 for each method)]. At the harvest stage, top &roots yield and juice quality were evaluated. The findings
illustrate that the difference due to the studied treatments was significant, where the sequence order of
the evaluated Ti treatments from the most effective to the less was as follows;T8>T2>T3>T9>T5> T6
>T1> T7>T4>T10. Through the statistical comparison among the studied treatments, it can be noticed
that the combined addition method of Ti (foliar plus soil) was the most effective one then the foliar
application method solely followed by the soil injection method alone. Also, the best Ti rate was 5.0
mg L-1 under all studied application methods, while plant yield parameters decreased thereafter as the
Ti rate increased . Also, it can be noticed that the plant performance under the control treatment was
better than that treated with 15.0 Ti mg L-1 under all studied application methods. Generally, a better
understanding of titanium toxicity in plant tissues may promote risk assessment and safe use of it.
Keywords: Nitrogen fixation, titanium dioxide, sugar beet and salinity.

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