Summary
Sugarbeets (Beta vulgaris L.) on a Panoche clay loam soil were subjected to 3 different irrigation frequencies and 3 irrigation cutoff dates prior to harvest to determine the effects on evapotranspiration, growth, and sucrose yield. Lengthening the irrigation interval from 1 to 3 weeks reduced evapotranspiration without a significant decline in sucrose production. Increased irrigation cutoff from 3 to 7 weeks prior to harvest significantly increased sucrose percentage within the root and resulted in similar total sucrose yields. Lengthening the irrigation interval only slightly reduced both fresh vegetative biomass and leaf area index (significant differences occurred only at one plant sampling date). The combination of less frequent irrigation and an early cutoff date increased the amount of soil water extracted by sugarbeets. The water use of sugarbeets can be reduced without a significant decline in sucrose production through optimizing irrigation frequency to about 14 to 20 days on this soil and cutting off irrigations about 40 to 45 days before harvest, provided irrigations replenish soil water depletions.
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Contribution from USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Water Management Res. Laboratory, 2021 S. Peach Avenue, Fresno, CA 93747, USA
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Howell, T.A., Ziska, L.H., McCormick, R.L. et al. Response of sugarbeets to irrigation frequency and cutoff on a clay loam soil. Irrig Sci 8, 1–11 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00256811
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00256811