Growing technology

Growing technology

Nutrition arrangements

Nutrition arrangements

Sugar beet is an outstandingly heavy feeder. To form high yields it needs highly-cultivated soil and considerable quantity of nutrition elements (Table 1).

It is critical to make decision about application of the nitrogenous fertilizers. Both deficiency and excessive fertilising not balanced with other elements leads to negative consequences. Nitrogen deficiency may cause reduction of fertility of sugar beets, and its excessive quantity, especially in the end of growth, leads to considerable depreciation of technological qualities of the root crop and reduction of sugar outcome while processing at the plants.

Nutrition arrangements

Table 1. The sugar beet requirement of nutrition elements depending on the yield level

Conventional yield, t/ha

N

P2O5

K2O

MgO

S

30,0

100-140

45-60

180-210

30-60

8-10

40,0

110-160

60-80

240-280

40-60

10-12

50,0

120-160

75-100

300-350

50-100

12-15

60,0

150-200

90-120

360-420

60-120

18-20

70,0

180-220

105-140

400-440

70-140

25-30

Too high dosage of nitrogen causes disproportional growth of leaf apparatus (the ratio of leaf/root crop gets worse) and this considerably reduces the drought resistance of plants during growth.

It is recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers as early as possible before sowing; it is desirable that its form be ammoniacal or ammoniac. For every field special norms for basic application and nutrition should be defined, the amount of applied nitrogen may be corrected with the help of the foliar application of carbamide (in addition it is essential to avoid leaf scald).

It is also important to provide the plants with sufficient quantity of macro- and microelements, particularly with phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, magnesium, sodium, manganese, molybdenum, zinc and boron (the deficiency of which leads to considerable spread of root rot).

Microelements

Boron is a very important microelement for sugar beet, because it stimulates the metabolic process (especially that of carbohydrates) in the plant cells, and its deficiency may considerably decrease the crop yield and sweetness. That is why it is recommended to provide sugar beet sowings with boron in the most critical (most active) phases of development – molting (8-10th leaf), closing of crop and rows, active growth of the root weight. There are many boron-containing means on the market, they are of various formulizations and shares of the element, however with calculation of the application norm we proceed with the quantity of 500-650 g/ha of active ingredient (undiluted boron) to form the yield of 50-60 t/ha.

Manganese is another important element stimulating the growth and development of extra roots for better water and nutrients consumption from the deeper soil layers. Manganese may be applied both separately and as part of complex "cocktails" of microelements. Optimal application stage is closing of crop and rows.

Furthermore, European practice shows that usage of complex microfertilizers together with herbicides decreases the stress caused by the latter, particularly it concerns the sulphonylurea class herbicides. It is important that with the use of microelements the plant be provided with basic nutrition, otherwise the effect would be minimal.

Soil liming

Soil liming

There are two basic technological schemes of the soil preparation for sugar beet: semi-fallow and improved ones. They both provide almost similar results of preparation.

Semi-fallow scheme of preparation includes tandem disk harrowing right after gathering of the forecrop at the depth of 8-10 cm. In 2-3 weeks deep harrowing is performed at the depth of 30-32 cm with rollers and harrows. At rainfalls and tall weeds appearance 2-3 cultivations with harrowing should be performed. Before freezing subsurface loosening (and smoothing) at the depth of 16-18 cm is done.

Soil liming

Recommended CaO and defecate quantity per 1 ha depending on agronomical soil category and pH.

Liming

1 - Light soil

2 - Medium soil

3 - Hard soil

pH

CaO t/ha

Defecate t/ha

pH

CaO t/ha

Defecate t/ha

pH

CaO t/ha

Defecate t/ha

Required

< 4,5

3,5

11,7

< 5,0

4,5

15,0

< 5,5

5,0

16,7

Appropriate

4,6-5,0

2,5

8,3

5,1-5,5

3,0

10,0

5,6-6,0

3,0

10,0

Specified

5,1-5,5

1,5

5,0

5,6-6,0

1,7

5,7

6,1-6,5

2,0

6,7

Limited

5,6-6,0

0,0

0,0

6,1-6,5

1,0

3,3

6,6-7,0

1,0

3,3

Excessive

> 6,1

0,0

0,0

> 6,6

0,0

0,0

> 7,0

0,0

0,0

1 – Soils containing washed away parts (o<0.02 mm) 11 – 20%.

2 - Soils containing washed away parts (o<0.02 mm) 21 – 35%.

3 - Soils containing washed away parts (o<0.02 mm) more than 35%.

To calculate the required quantity of defecate multiply recommended CaO quantity by 3.33.

Soil preparation

Key requirements of the sugar beet to soils may be described with optimum criteria which follow:

-        The depth of humus horizon – not less than 60 cm;

-        Humus content – 1.5 to 6.0 %;

-        Plow-layer density – 1.0 - 1.35 g/cm3;

-        рН – 6.5-7.3.

It should be noted that on the fields with pH criterion lower than 6.0 in the vegetation season sugar beets are damaged with root rots, and the fertilizers efficiency decreases by 25 - 30%.

The crop is highly sensitive to physical characteristics of soil and requires its qualitative preparation before sowing.

There are two basic technological schemes of the soil preparation for sugar beet: semi-fallow and improved ones. They both provide almost similar results of preparation.

Semi-fallow scheme of preparation includes tandem disk harrowing right after gathering of the forecrop at the depth of 8-10 cm. In 2-3 weeks deep harrowing is performed at the depth of 30-32 cm with rollers and harrows. At rainfalls and tall weeds appearance 2-3 cultivations with harrowing should be performed. Before freezing subsurface loosening (and smoothing) at the depth of 16-18 cm is done.

Improved scheme of preparation requires tandem disk harrowing right after gathering of the forecrop at the depth of 8-10 cm. Then in 10-14 days shallow ploughing with harrows or rollers is done. In the end of September - the beginning of October under-winter deep ploughing at the depth of 30-32 cm is performed. Before winter entering soil smoothing should be done after ploughing.

In the recent years in the process of planting the sugar beet the so called "preserving soil preparation" is utilized; it is performed with chisel tillage tools for deep loosening. This system of preparation provides results almost similar to those of conventional ploughing. Special requirements: gathering the yield of the forecrop maximum regular chopping and distribution of side products on the entire field area shall be achieved; after gathering of the forecrop disking at the depth of 8-10 cm is required, then compensating dosage of nitrogenous fertilizers shall be applied, in 12-14 days after disk harrowing covering of the mineral fertilizers and weed destruction shall be performed Chisel loosening at the depth of 30-32 cm without soil overturning shall be also performed on the field.

The prerequisite of any soil preparation schemes shall be the smoothening of field surface before entering the winter - in spring it will allow qualitative field preparation for sowing at lower energy consumption and moisture discharge, and will promote regular sprouts, because sugar beet is a crop 70-75% successful planting of which depends on the optimally distributed regular density.

The key principle of spring soil preparation is to achieve lest quantity of machine travels on the field before sowing of crop. It should be considered that sugar beet is an extremely sensitive crop to soil compaction and any spare travel of technical means leads to negative consequences for plants growth. That is why winter soil smoothening in autumn is critical. Performing secondary tillage and sugar beet sowing should be better performed with one tractor: the front hitch is cultivator, the rear one - sowing gouter. In case it is impossible, the time gap between the travels of cultivator for secondary tillage and sowing gouter should not exceed 2-3 tractor travels. The height of ridges after secondary tillage shall not exceed 2-3 cm, this will allow optimal depth of covering of the seeds.

Seeding

Seeding

Considering that modern sugar beet hybrids are resistant to premature seeding and live through comparatively cold temperatures during the sprouting and in the beginning of growing season, they should be sown in early spring, right after the early spring crops. This being said the following should be taken into account: various sugar beet hybrids require 160 – 220 days of growing, that is why the duration of frostless period must be included; spring frost of – 4..5оС is destructive for the sugar beet, and often there is a risk of desiccation of the sowing layer. One should also keep in mind that in a waterlogged cold soil the sprouts often suffer from Pythium disease and weaken or die out of oxygen deficiency, and in a dry one – of moisture deficit.

Seeding time

That is why choosing the optimal seeding time particular attention should be paid to the sugar beet thermo requirements:

  • Seeds sprouting (soil temperature):

а) +4-5оС – sprouting starts (seeds germinate in 20-25 days);

b) +10оС – sprouts - in 10-14 days;

c) +15оС – sprouts - in 8-12 days;

d) +20-25оС – sprouts - in 5-7 days;

  • Plants growth (air temperature):

а) cotyledon stage – the plants tolerate night decrease of temperature up to -1-2оС (die out at -3оС);

b) first pair of leaves – they tolerate night frosts up to -4-5оС;

в) harvesting period – they are not affected with night frosts up to -5-6оС;

d) harvested and uncovered beets are damaged at -2-3оС.

As shown above optimal timing for sugar beet seeding is when the soil at the depth of 8-10 cm is warmed up to +6..8оС, and the surface soil has matured and crumbles well. In case of seeding at lower temperatures germination takes form 20 to 25 days, the fact that decreases germination energy and plant emergence, and often leads to formation of thin, unevenly area-distributed sprouts resulting in reduction of yields.

While seeding particular attention should be paid to the factors which allow the sprouts better tolerate possible after-frosts, that is, the type of soil, its structure and moisture content. Because of their agrophysical properties the light soils, relatively dryland conditions as well as loose soil surface presuppose higher risk of the sprouts damage with frosts, and vice versa the risk of damage is lower on hard, optimally moistened soils provided they are compacted. Selection of seed-drill for the sugar beet seeding is by no means less important, particular attention take the press-wheel coverers; the figure below shows schematic vertical temperature distribution in spring frosts period and the impact of the press-wheel coverer on it. As can be seen the finger press-wheel after sowing gouter shows the best results.

Fig. 1. Vertical air temperature distribution in frost period depending on the soil surface on the field sown with sugar beet.

 Planting system and thickness

90 – 100 K of plants per 1 ha for the harvesting period may be considered the optimal thickness of planting for modern hybrids. The seed material should be qualitative – the laboratory germination should be at the level of 96-98% and germination energy – not less than 85%.

It is assumed that the preparation of soil providing field germination of more than 80% is most advantageous. Estimates suggest (Table 2) that it is this level of field germination and sowing of 1.25-1.35 seed units per 1 ha which allows formation of the best density of sugar beet planting.

Table 2. Quantity of plants per 1 ha depending on the sowing rate and field germination of seeds

Spacing in a row, cm

Number of seeds, K/ha

Quantity of plants, K/ha at field germination, %

80

70

60

50

13

171

137

120

103

85

14

159

127

111

95

80

15

148

118

104

89

75

16

139

111

97

83

69

17

134

105

91

78

65

18

124

99

86

74

62

19

117

94

82

70

58

20

111

89

78

67

56

21

106

85

74

63

53

22

101

81

71

61

51

23

97

78

68

58

49

Regular distribution of the sugar beet seeds on the planting acreage is by no means less important; it considerably depends on the sowing qualities of seeds and optimal field germination conditions (Table 3). (We mean that at 80% of germination and seeds sowing with the spacing of 18-19 cm, 80% of the germinated seeds will grow at the distance of 18-19 cm, 16% - at the one of 36-38 cm, 3% - 54 cm and 1% - 72 cm. That is, the higher the field germination of the seeds, the more regular is the plans distribution on the acreage, which guarantees their growth and development, and the higher yield formation).

Table 3. Seeds distribution in a row depending on their filed germination

Field germination, %

n-fold spacing between the plants in a row, %

1

2

3

4

5

6

50

50

25

13

6

3

1

55

55

25

11

5

2

2

60

60

24

10

4

1

1

65

65

23

8

3

1

-

70

70

21

6

2

1

-

75

75

19

5

1

-

-

80

80

16

3

1

-

-

85

13

1

-

-

-

-

Under production conditions the optimal seeds germination conditions should be met to obtain the field germination of more than 80%. Mistakes made while sowing cause the spareness and the irregular distribution of the plants on acreage which practically may not be corrected.

The depth of sowing

The depth of seeds sowing shall be as shallow as possible and as deep as practicable. The practice shows the optimum of 2.5 cm, deeper sowing needs increasing of the sowing rate by 15% per 1 cm of depth.

It is important to control the access of capillary moisture to seedbed and covering with a light crumb layer of soil.

It is critical to control the seed-drill working speed: it's better to have it worked at a lower speed than at a too high one, because it will prevent the irregularity of sowing in terms of depth and spacing in a row.

It is important to maintain the sowing direction: after qualitative soil preparation the seeds should be sown in the direction of primary cultivation - this will provide the regularity of emergence of seedlings and decrease the crop wastes. It is also important to provide the capillary moisture access to every sown seed and its successful germination.

Sowing process control

For single-grain sowing both pneumatic planters and mechanical seed-drills are used. They provide almost similar results meeting all possible requirements. It should be considered that mechanical seed-drills provide best results at the working speed of 6 km/h, and modern pneumatic planters function properly at the speed of 7-8 km/h.

Before sowing it is necessary to carefully check the technical condition of the seed-drills paying attention to the parameters which follow:

-         correct seeding plates;

-         cleanness of the seeding plate openings;

-         easiness of the gouter and plates drive shaft spinning;

-         the space between the plate and cleaner, wear of he cleaner;

-         gouter sharpening;

-         the signs of wear on the housing of the seed plates.

During the seeding time the following should be monitored:

-         horizontal position of the hookup;

-         medium quantity of the seeds in the seedboxes;

-         quality of operation of the seed coverers;

-         seeder unit running speed using MTM;

-         meeting the requirements of the row width, seed spacing and the depth of seeds sowing;

-         the seed coming in proper contact with the soil;

-         the wet soil not sticking to the gouters and wheels;

-         the depth of seeds sowing with every sowing element.

It is also critical to monitor the level of the opener tip wear. As experience shows this parameter is not always considered; this leads to negative consequences (Fig. 3-4).

Fig. 3 The place of the opener tip wear

Fig. 4. Consequences of the work with the worn opener tips.

Running seed-drill with worn opener tips may lead to interrupted sprouts because of the seed and hard seedbed contact disturbance and lack of moisture for its germination.

Experience shows that increase of speed of motion of the seeding unit leads to increase of the probability of missing, double sowing, insufficient seed and soil contact and irregularity of seeds covering with the soil. It is the net travelling time of the seed-drill that is spared, but not the time for turnings, re-equipment, stops to add the seeds and monitor the sowing. It is required to prevent the speed of the mechanic seed-drills that exceeds 6 km/h, because the higher the motion speed is, the lower the quality of performing of sowing is, while the time savings are negligible. E.g.: increasing the seed-drill motion speed from 6 km/h up to 8 km/h, it is possible to spare 8 min. per 1 ha with a six-row seeder, and with a twelve-row one - only 4.5 min. It is easy to check the seeder travelling speed, measuring a 50 m distance on the field and noting the time of its travel by the unit:

  • 60 s. – 3.0 km/h;
  • 50 s. – 3.6 km/h;
  • 40 s. – 4.5 km/h;
  • 30 s. – 6.0 km/h;
  • 25 s. – 7.5 km/h;
  • 20 s. – 8.0 km/h;

Make sure you monitor and timely change the worn parts: gouters, flipper, comb roller, cell wheels. It is also recommended to choose the seed plates meeting the given spacing of the seeds in a row. The excessively high circular speed of the disk leads to interruptions and seeds damaging, whereas the excessively low one - to insufficient precision of seeding.

Seeding density

After germination of the sugar beet the density of seeding and regularity across the acreage should be checked to take better decisions on the crop tending. This could be done the following way:

A distance on the field 100 times exceeding actual spacing in a row should be measured and the sprouts counted. The number of plants on this distance will correspond to field germination.

The actual spacing in a row is defined by measuring in 6 – 10 places on the field of the distance taken up by 10 plants. Average length of this distance divided by 10 will make up the actual spacing of plants.

Plants density is defined as follows: given spacing of 45 cm the row length per 1 ha is 22 222 LM. To calculate we take 1 thousandth of this distance, that is, 22.2 m, and count the number of plants. To make it more accurate calculations should be performed in various places on the field. The more replications there will be, the more accurate result is obtained.

Sugar beet protection

Sugar beet protection

The fungous protection strategy shall be developed taking into consideration the field history (basic weeds, tillage, protection applied in the forecrop), scheduled seeding times and current climate conditions, but chiefly 3 to 5 treatments (sprayings) are scheduled. Additionally "zero" treatment with glyphosate-based preparations 7-14 days before seeding may be applied.

If the sugar beet has been sown as soon as practicable and there are no frosts, first herbicide treatment should be performed in steps, in 10-20 days after sowing. Every next treatment shall be executed at interval of 8-11 days in order not to miss new wave of the weeds growing and to prevent the excess growing of those weeds which have been missed by previous treatments. Thus it is possible to reach the sowings purity even up to the moment of the sugar beet closing of rows with minimum crop inhibition.

Anticrop treatment is scheduled in accordance with the presence of monocotyledonous weeds, their range and harmfulness; in some cases it may be combined with basic herbicides.

Herbicide protection scheme for sugar beet seedlings at "Zakhidnyi Buh" PE

І. Betanal Expert 0.8 l/ha + Goltix 1.5 l/ha

ІІ. Betanal Expert 0.8 l/ha + Goltix 1.0 l/ha + Pyramine Star 1.0 l/ha

ІІІ. Betanal MaxPro 1.5 l/ha

ІV. Betanal MaxPro 1.5 l/ha + Lontrel 0.3 l/ha (optionally) + Karibu 0.020 kg/ha (optionally)

Pests protection is the matter of range and pests quantity, i.e. application of insecticides is economically efficient only provided the harmfulness threshold is achieved, and the preparation type will depend on the focus objects, however, as practice shows, contact insecticides are less efficient for "corrugated" sugar beet leaves, than systemic ones (organophosphorous, neonicotinoide ones).

Fungous protection is usually applied on the fields heavily filled with sugar beets, however under the conditions of high moisture application of fungicides must not be doubted. Cercospora blight is the most widely spread disease; it is one of the first to appear on the seedlings (in the end of June). Such preparations as Rex Duo, Madison, Amistar Extra, Sfera Max etc. are advantageous for the sugar beet.

The fungous protection strategy shall be developed taking into consideration the field history (basic weeds, tillage, protection applied in the forecrop), scheduled seeding times and current climate conditions, but chiefly 3 to 5 treatments (sprayings) are scheduled. Additionally "zero" treatment with glyphosate-based preparations 7-14 days before seeding may be applied.

If the sugar beet has been sown as soon as practicable and there are no frosts, first herbicide treatment should be performed in steps, in 10-20 days after sowing. Every next treatment shall be executed at interval of 8-11 days in order not to miss new wave of the weeds growing and to prevent the excess growing of those weeds which have been missed by previous treatments. Thus it is possible to reach the sowings purity even up to the moment of the sugar beet closing of rows with minimum crop inhibition.

Anticrop treatment is scheduled in accordance with the presence of monocotyledonous weeds, their range and harmfulness; in some cases it may be combined with basic herbicides.

Herbicide protection scheme for sugar beet seedlings at "Zakhidnyi Buh" PE

І. Betanal Expert 0.8 l/ha + Goltix 1.5 l/ha

ІІ. Betanal Expert 0.8 l/ha + Goltix 1.0 l/ha + Pyramine Star 1.0 l/ha

ІІІ. Betanal MaxPro 1.5 l/ha

ІV. Betanal MaxPro 1.5 l/ha + Lontrel 0.3 l/ha (optionally) + Karibu 0.020 kg/ha (optionally)

Pests protection is the matter of range and pests quantity, i.e. application of insecticides is economically efficient only provided the harmfulness threshold is achieved, and the preparation type will depend on the focus objects, however, as practice shows, contact insecticides are less efficient for "corrugated" sugar beet leaves, than systemic ones (organophosphorous, neonicotinoide ones).

Fungous protection is usually applied on the fields heavily filled with sugar beets, however under the conditions of high moisture application of fungicides must not be doubted. Cercospora blight is the most widely spread disease; it is one of the first to appear on the seedlings (in the end of June). Such preparations as Rex Duo, Madison, Amistar Extra, Sfera Max etc. are advantageous for the sugar beet.