Effect of Sowing Date and Plant Density on Productivity of some Sugar Beet Varieties under North Sinai Conditions

Eldin Zaki, Moamen Salah; Ramadan, BADWY S. H; Hassanin, Mahmoud A; Mahmoud, Elsayed Abd Elaziz; El Afendy, Kaled Taha

doi:10.21608/agro.2025.377726.1673

Effect of Sowing Date and Plant Density on Productivity of some Sugar Beet Varieties under North Sinai Conditions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Agronomy unit, Plant Production Department, Desert Research Center (DRC), Cairo, Egypt.

² Agronomy Department, Faculty of Agricultural, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

³ Agronomy Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

⁴ Professor of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University (Deceased)

10.21608/agro.2025.377726.1673

Abstract

two field trials were conducted during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons at Baloza Research Station, Desert Research Center, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt. The objective was to study the effect of sowing date (1st Sep., 1st Oct., and 1st Nov.), plant densities (42000 and 56000 plants/fed), respectively, and four sugar beet varieties: Halawa, Hussam, Natura and Salama on the productivity and quality of sugar beet plants. Planting sugar beet on 1st Sep. resulted in the best plant growth Leaf Area Index, plant dry weight, and root fresh weight and quality traits in terms of sucrose and corrected sugar percentages. Number of roots, root yield, corrected sugar, increased with planting sugar beet plants on 1st October, in both seasons. plant density 56000 plants/fed are significantly increased sucrose and corrected sugar percentages while decreasing LAI, root fresh weight and sugar molasses in both seasons. Planting sugar beet at 56000 plants/fed finally yielded the highest number of roots/fed., root and corrected sugar during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons. Natura variety exhibited the best LAI in both seasons while additionally, Natura variety showed the highest values of sucrose, corrected sugar percentage, and root yield as well as recoverable sugar yield when planted in both seasons. The interaction between the studied factors was significant for LAI, sucrose percentage, sugar molasses, corrected sugar percentage, root yield, and corrected sugar in both seasons. In conclusion, growing Natura variety at 56000 plants/fed on 1st October could maximize root (34.53 and 26.83 tons/fed) and corrected sugar (5.76 and 4.90 tons/fed).

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