A New Way to Grow Sugar Beets Without Extra Water by Planting in Autumn

Jenn Hoskins
16th July, 2024

A New Way to Grow Sugar Beets Without Extra Water by Planting in Autumn

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers from Aydın Adnan Menderes University found that autumn-sown sugar beets can be grown without irrigation in the Aegean Coastal Zone
  • No frost-induced seedling loss or bolting occurred during the two-year study, ensuring healthy plant development
  • The Terranova cultivar showed the best performance in terms of root yield, sugar content, and photosynthetic efficiency
Sugar beet cultivation in regions facing water scarcity, such as the Central Anatolia Region of Türkiye, presents significant challenges. To address this, researchers from Aydın Adnan Menderes University conducted a two-year study to test the feasibility of autumn-sown sugar beets without irrigation in the Aegean Coastal Zone, an area where this crop is not traditionally grown[1]. The study was designed to explore whether sugar beets could be successfully cultivated in this region using ridge sowing, a method intended to minimize bolting (premature flowering) and protect the plants from excessive winter rainfall. Three sugar beet cultivars—Terranova, Aranka, and Dionetta—were sown on December 1, 2020, and November 30, 2021. The researchers aimed to determine if these conditions could yield a viable crop without the need for irrigation, thereby conserving water resources. The findings were promising. Throughout both years, there was no frost-induced seedling loss during the winter growing season, and no bolting occurred in the following spring. The study found that growing degree days (GDD), a measure of heat accumulation used to predict plant development rates, were higher in the first year (1956 vs. 1497), which correlated with higher yields. Additionally, higher solar radiation during the first year (757.30 kWh m−2 vs. 673.80 kWh m−2) was positively associated with GDD and yield. The Terranova cultivar, in particular, performed exceptionally well in terms of root yield, sugar content, SPAD value (a measure of chlorophyll content), and Fv/Fm (a measure of photosynthetic efficiency). These results suggest that autumn-sown sugar beet can be grown successfully in the Aegean Coastal Zone using ridge sowing, without the need for irrigation, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional cultivation in the Central Anatolia Region. This study builds on previous research that highlights the importance of climatic conditions on crop yield. For instance, a study on German winter wheat found that temperature-related factors, such as heat stress, had a significant impact on yield development[2]. Similarly, the current study underscores the importance of solar radiation and heat accumulation (GDD) in determining sugar beet yields. Moreover, the findings align with research on the effects of frost and sowing dates on crop yields. A study conducted in the semi-arid Khorasan province of Iran found that frost damage was a significant risk for autumn-sown crops, but careful selection of sowing dates could mitigate this risk[3]. In the current study, no frost-induced seedling loss was observed, indicating that the chosen sowing dates and ridge sowing method effectively mitigated frost risk. The study also touches on the physiological responses of plants to stress conditions, similar to research on waterlogging stress in cucumber plants[4]. While the focus of the current study is on water scarcity rather than water excess, both studies highlight the importance of understanding plant responses to abiotic stressors to optimize cultivation practices. In summary, the research conducted by Aydın Adnan Menderes University demonstrates that autumn-sown sugar beet can be successfully cultivated in the Aegean Coastal Zone without irrigation, using ridge sowing. This method not only conserves water but also ensures high yields and sugar content, offering a viable alternative for regions facing water scarcity. The study's findings contribute to a growing body of research on the importance of climatic conditions and stress responses in crop cultivation, providing valuable insights for sustainable agriculture practices.

AgricultureEnvironmentSustainability

References

Main Study

1) An Alternative to the Water Scarcity in Conventional Summer Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Cultivation: Autumn-Sown and Non-irrigated Under the Aegean Coastal Zone Conditions

Published 15th July, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-024-01444-7

Related Studies

2) Decoupling of impact factors reveals the response of German winter wheat yields to climatic changes.

https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15073

3) Risk assessment of frost damage to sugar beet simulated under cold and semi-arid environments.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-019-01682-5

4) Waterlogging Causes Early Modification in the Physiological Performance, Carotenoids, Chlorophylls, Proline, and Soluble Sugars of Cucumber Plants.

https://doi.org/10.3390/plants8060160


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