SUGAR BEET YIELD AND QUALITY AS AFFECTED BY THE APPLIED LEVELS AND TIME OF PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM IN CALCAREOUS SOIL

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted in the Research and

Experimental Farm of Nubaria Agricultural Research Station during

1997/ 98 and 1998/ 99 seasons. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of sugar beet crop variety "Tarios" to different levels and application time of phosphorus and potassium in calcareous soil. Each experiment included 36 treatments which were the combination of 3 levels of P, 4 levels of K and 3 times of fertilizer application .

Factors under study were :

1- Phosphorus fertilizer at 0, 16 and 32 Kg P205/ fad.

II- Potassium fertilizer at 0, 40, 80 and 120 Kg K20/ fad.

Ill- Application time at sowing (T1), after thinning (T2) and after 30 days from thinning (T3) .

The design was a randomized complete plock with four replications in both seasons. Results could be summarized as follow:

1- Effect of phosphorus fertilizer:

1-The total number of leaves/ plant after six months from sowing did not affect by different levels of P fertilizer until 32 Kg P205/ fad. in both growing seasons .