Effects of Foliar Application of Micronutrients on Agronomic Traits of Beet Cv. Sonja under Dsa (Hot Summer Continental) Climatic conditions of Naqadeh Iran

Abstract

Plants need different macro and micro nutrient elements to grow and reproduce. Their malnutrition results in unhealthy growth. The soils of Naqadeh area, Iran are deficient in micronutrient elements. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of micronutrients application on some qualitative and quantitative parameters of economically important monogerm sugar beet cv. Sonja. The plants were foliar sprayed with iron, boron, zinc, and manganese. The studied traits were potassium, sodium, nitrogen, extraction coefficient, sugar percent, recoverable sugar, alkalinity, molasses, root yield, and white sugar recovery yield. The effect of micronutrients was significant on all studied traits. The highest extraction coefficient of 89.31 was related to the foliar application of iron (Fe) and the highest recoverable sugar percent (16.91%) was obtained from Zn application. Also, the highest mean root yield (74.120 t ha-1) and white sugar yield (12.137 t ha-1) were noted after foliar treatments of boron (B) and Fe, respectively.