Sugar Tech (2008) 10(2) : 177-180
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Integrated nitrogen management for tropical sugarbeet hybrids
A. Balakrishnan · T. Selvakumar
Received:12 February, 2008 / Revised 4 March, 2008 / Accepted: 2 May, 2008
Abstract The investigation was carried out on tropical
sugarbeet to evaluate integrated nutrient management with
suitable hybrids. The experiment was conducted in strip plot
design. The Factor I consist of four integrated nitrogen
management and the factor II consist of three tropical sugarbeet
hybrids (Cauvery, Indus and Shubhra). Higher crop biometrics
of tropical sugarbeet was recorded in application of 100 per
cent N through Urea along with FYM and biofertilizer treatment.
The yield characters and yield (71 and 89 t ha-1 during 2005
and 2006 respectively) of tropical sugarbeet and brix (18 %)
were higher in application of 100 per cent N through Urea
along with biofertilizer and FYM during both the experiments
conducted during 2005-06 and 2006-07. With respect to tropical
sugarbeet hybrids, Cauvery performed better in terms of yield
(76 and 94 t ha-1 during 2005 and 2006 respectively) and
Shubhra recorded higher brix (20 %). Application of 100 per
cent N through Urea along with FYM and biofertilizer with
Cauvery hybrid performed better for tropical sugarbeet
emergence, establishment, yield and quality.
Keywords Sugarbeet, Hybrids, Integrated Nitrogen
Management, Yield.
Sugar is an essential commodity and an integral part of the
‘food chain’ and demands priority over other alternate uses of
sugarcane. Any imbalance between domestic production and
demand for sugar would lead to spiraling of prices and other
antisocial activities such as hoarding. Even at the present
stage of sugar production, there is a perceived scarcity of
A. Balakrishnan ( ) · T. Selvakumar
Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India.
E-mail: abk1957@rediffmail.com
E-mail: jtselvakumar@yahoo.com
sugar and the government recently allowed private agencies
to import sugar on a limited basis.
Tropical Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris var.
altissima Doll) is a biennial sugar producing root crop, grown
in temperate countries and ranks second important sugar crop
after sugarcane, producing annually about 40 per cent of sugar
production all over the world (Leilah et al., 2005). From the
past studies it was observed that, with the recent development
of tropicalized hybrids of sugarbeet, it is possible to raise the
crop in tropical and subtropical areas in India. Hence, sugarbeet
can be considered as a additional supplementary source for
production of white sugar as well as ethanol in India. Ethanol
produced from sugarcane and sugarbeet being used as bio-
fuel, which is environment-friendly and blended with gasoline.
In Brazil 20-24 per cent of ethanol is blended with gasoline,
while in the USA it is 10 per cent.
Tropical sugarbeet can be cultivated even in land which
has gone wastes due to high salinity and the water requirement
of sugarbeet is one third of sugarcane crop. Further, as the
harvesting period coincide with March to June, the human
resource of Sugar factory in the off season could be efficiently
utilized for processing of sugarbeet by the sugar mills, which
facilitates in continuous functioning of the sugar mills. More
over in the recent past the Indian sugar factories are faced
with danger of drastic reduction in sugarcane production due
to persistent drought. Our attempt is not to replace sugarcane
but to supplement.
Addition of any form of organics has been found to
improve the soil health, soil buffering capacity, water retention
capacity, chelation and release of micronitrogens and
microbiological processes. Balanced application of inorganic
and organic fertilizer to sugar crop may improve sugar content.
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Further, organics increase the crops yields during the year
of application and also found beneficial in sustaining the crop
yields as well as the soil fertility over longer periods. Integrated
nitrogen management using the biodegraded wastes along
with chemical fertilizers has been found very effective in
sustaining the production of crops, in addition to saving of
inorganic fertilizers to the tune of 25 to 35 per cent besides
producing favourable residual effect especially in the cropping
sequences.
The investigations on tropical sugarbeet were carried out
at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to find
integrated nitrogen management with suitable hybrids for
tropical conditions during 2005-06 and 2006-07, which is
situated at 11°North latitude, 76°57’ East longitude and at an
altitude of 427 m above mean sea level. Soil of the experimental
field was well drained clay loam with pH of 8.0 and EC of 0.42
d Sm-1. The soil of the experimental site was low in available
nitrogen (128 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (13.5
kg ha-1) and high in available potassium (372 kg ha-1).
The experimental location experiences tropical climate with
dry summer extending from March to August. A perusal of 50
year weather data of the site reveals that the area received a
mean annual rainfall of 674.2 mm distributed in 45.8 rainy days.
The mean annual maximum and minimum temperature ranged
from 29.2 to 35.2 oC and 17.9 to 23.8 oC, respectively. The mean
relative humidity ranged from 50 to 77 per cent. The mean
wind velocity ranged between 2.7 and 7.0 km h-1. The mean
sunshine hours per day ranged from 4.6 to 9.9. The mean pan
evaporation per day ranged from 3.1 to 6.7 mm. Sugarbeet
hybrids Cauvery, Indus and Shubhra used in this experiment
were obtained from Syngenta India Ltd., Company which are
suitable for Tamil nadu conditions. The experiment was laid
out in factorial randomized block design and the treatments
were replicated thrice.
Treatment Details
Factor I (INM)
T1 - 100% Recommended N alone
T2 - 75% Recommended N + 25% N through FYM
T3 - 50% Recommended N + 25% N through FYM
+ 25% N through Vermicompost
T4 - 100% Recommended N + Biofertilizer + FYM
Factor II (Hybrid)
H1 – Cauvery
H2 – Indus
H3 – Shubhra
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Sugar Tech (2008) 10(2) : 177-180
Design : FRBD Plot size: 5 x 4 m
Spacing: 45 x 15 cm Season: Kharif, 2005 & 2006
The experimental field was ploughed once by tractor drawn
disc plough and twice by cultivator. The soil was prepared
into fine tilth using tractor rotavator. The field bunds were
trimmed, corners were dug, clods were broken, then field was
leveled and the ridges and furrows were formed at 50 cm
distance.
The sowings were taken up as per the technical programme.
A seed rate of 3.6 kg ha-1 was adopted. The seeds were dibbled
on the top of the ridges at 2 to 2.5 cm depth with one seed
hole -1 adopting a spacing of 20 cm with in the row.
Recommended dose of fertilizer 150:75:75 Kg NPK ha-1
(Balakrishnan et al., 2007) was applied as nitrogen through
urea, phosphorus through single super phosphate and
potassium through muriate of potash were applied. Manures
and biofertilizer were also applied as per the treatment schedule
to the respective plot before sowing the seeds.
Irrigation was given immediately after sowing of sugarbeet
and the life irrigation was given on third day after sowing. The
subsequent irrigations were given by surface flow of water as
and when the crop required till to the crop maturity period.
The experimental field was applied with a pre-emergence
weedicide Pretilachlor (Refit 50 EC) 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 on 3 DAS
followed by one hand hoeing and earthing up on 25 and 50
DAS respectively. Need based plant protection measures were
given against pests and diseases. Gap filling was done in 10
days after sowing. The crop was harvested after maturity on
150th day. Matured tropical sugarbeet roots were harvested
and topped manually. At the time of harvest, pre harvest
irrigation was given for easy harvest with out damaging entire
root part.
Growth Characters
Growth character of tropical sugarbeet (Table 1)
significantly influenced by integrated nitrogen management
during both the years of experiment. Plant height and number
of leaves per plant was increased only up to 90 DAS after that
there was a decline trend due to the drying of matured leaves.
The maximum plant height (54.53 and 58.23 cm during 2005
and 2006 respectively) and number of leaves per plant (24.43
and 26.13 during 2005 and 2006 respectively) was recorded in
the plot which received 100 per cent N through Urea along
with biofertilizer and FYM, which was on par with T3 (50%
Recommended N + 25% N through FYM + 25% N through
Vermicompost). The plot received 100 per cent N alone through
urea showed the poor crop growth performance was poor than
the other combination of nitrogen management.
Sugar Tech (2008) 10(2) : 177-180 179

Table 1. Effect of integrated nitrogen management and hybrids on growth of tropical sugarbeet
No. of leaf Plant height (cm)
Treatments 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS
2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07
Nitrogen management
T1 6.69 6.89 19.19 20.79 21.55 23.63 21.77 23.14 46.19 50.81 49.90 52.72
T2 6.82 7.14 19.81 21.55 22.40 24.06 22.45 23.89 47.60 52.38 50.22 53.67
T3 6.98 7.38 20.45 22.33 23.84 25.54 23.18 24.66 49.31 54.09 52.57 56.19
T4 7.15 7.64 21.10 22.90 24.43 26.13 24.05 25.58 50.69 56.01 54.53 58.23
SE.d 0.15 0.16 0.43 0.47 0.50 0.54 0.49 0.52 1.04 1.15 1.12 1.20
CD (P=0.05) 0.30 0.32 0.89 0.97 1.03 1.11 1.02 1.09 2.17 2.38 2.34 2.50
Hybrids
HI 7.01 7.31 20.27 22.03 23.13 24.51 22.93 24.39 48.48 53.37 51.97 55.02
H2 7.00 7.35 20.48 22.30 24.05 25.64 23.03 24.49 48.71 53.73 52.09 55.51
H3 6.72 7.14 19.67 21.36 21.99 24.37 22.63 24.07 48.15 52.87 51.04 54.75
SE.d 0.13 0.14 0.37 0.41 0.42 0.45 0.43 0.45 0.90 0.99 0.97 1.04
CD(P=0.05) NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS
Interaction NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS

Table 2. Effect of integrated nitrogen management and hybrids on

With respect to three hybrids there was no significant yield parameters of tropical sugarbeet at harvest
difference on growth characters like plant height and number Root length (cm) Root girth (cm) Avg. root weight (g)
Treatments
of leaves. Plant height and number of leaves per plant was 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07
Nitrogen management
increased only up to 90 DAS after that there was a decline
T1 35.48 39.49 25.04 27.54 702.63 840.77
trend. The number of leaves on any crop is responsible for the T2 36.54 40.63 25.77 28.38 726.92 869.31
total amount of radiation intercepted. High plant establishment T3 37.72 41.93 26.70 29.43 755.66 907.05
(Draycott et al., 1974) provided better leaf growth per unit T4 38.89 43.41 27.86 30.72 780.58 942.69
SE.d 0.84 0.93 0.56 0.62 15.25 18.50
area throughout the growing season. As yields are significantly CD (P=0.05) 1.74 1.93 1.17 1.29 31.62 38.37
influenced mainly by the amount of solar radiation intercepted Hybrids
by the leaf canopy, it is important to promote as early leaf HI 37.04 41.29 26.17 28.83 771.76 932.12
H2 34.25 38.06 27.35 30.14 794.41 946.24
development as possible. H3 40.19 44.74 25.52 28.08 658.18 791.50
SE.d 0.73 0.81 0.49 0.54 13.20 16.02
Yield Characters CD 1.51 1.68 1.01 1.12 27.39 33.23
Interaction NS NS NS NS NS NS

Yield characters like root length, girth and average root

weight (Table 2) was significantly influenced by integrated
nitrogen management and hybrids. Application of 100 per cent
N through Urea along with biofertilizer and FYM recorded
highest root length (38.39 and 43.41 cm during 2005 and 2006
experiment, respectively), root girth and average root weight
(780 and 942 g root-1 during 2005 and 2006 experiment
respectively) at the time of harvest. Poor yield characters were
recorded in 100 per cent N through Urea alone. Kucinska et
al., (2004) also confirmed that combination of cow dung and
chemical fertilizer were the most effective in the enhancement
of root yield of sugarbeet.
Among the different tropical sugarbeet hybrids, Shubhra
recorded maximum root length and followed by Cauvery and
Indus. Indus recorded maximum root girth and followed by
Cauvery and Shubhra. Among the hybrids, Indus recorded
higher average root weight (794 and 946 g root-1 during 2005
and 2006, respectively), which was on par with Cauvery.
Similarly, Selvakumar et al. (2007) also reported that Cauvery
and Indus hybrids yield characters were comparable.
Interaction between integrated nitrogen management and
tropical sugarbeet hybrids exhibits non significant trend.
Yield and Quality
Integrated nitrogen management significantly influences
the root yield and beet tops yield (Table 3). Application of 100
per cent N through Urea along with biofertilizer and FYM
recorded significantly higher root yield of 71 and 89 t ha-1 and
beet tops yield of 7.45 and 7.95 during 2005 and 2006
respectively, it was comparable with T3 (50% Recommended N
+ 25% N through FYM + 25% N through vermicompost). The
least root yield and beet tops yield were recorded in the plot
received 100 percent N through Urea alone. With respect to
quality, highest brix reading was recorded in T4 which was on
par T2 & T3. Among the hybrids, Cauvery recorded higher
root yield of 76 and 94 t ha-1, which was on par with Indus.
Hybrid Shubhra recorded higher Brix reading of 20 per cent
and followed by Cauvery (18 %) and Indus (19 %). However,
the beet tops didn’t show any significant differences.
The increase in root yield with T4 (100 per cent N through
Urea along with FYM and biofertilizer) might be attributed to
the good nitrogen availability that promoted growth of

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180 Sugar Tech (2008) 10(2) : 177-180

Table 3. Effect of integrated nitrogen management and hybrids on yield (71 and 89 t ha-1 during 2005 and 2006 respectively) of
yield and quality of tropical sugarbeet tropical sugarbeet and brix reading were higher in application
Beet Tops yield
Root Yield (t ha-1) Brix (%)
of 100 per cent N through Urea along with biofertilizer and
Treatments (t ha-1) FYM. With respect to tropical sugarbeet hybrids, Cauvery
2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07
Nitrogen management
performed better in yield (76 and 94 t ha-1 during 2005 and 2006
T1 66.23 81.18 6.81 7.20 16.95 16.95 respectively) and Shubhra recorded higher brix reading (20
T2 67.96 83.90 6.86 7.32 17.47 17.47 %).
T3 69.74 86.26 7.17 7.60 17.74 17.74
T4 71.22 89.76 7.45 7.95 18.24 18.24
Acknowledgement The authors acknowledged to Tamil Nadu
SE.d 1.42 1.78 0.15 0.17 0.40 0.40
CD Agricultural University, Coimbatore for facilitate conducting the
2.94 3.69 0.32 0.34 0.84 0.84 experiment and government of Tamil nadu for funding the scheme
(P=0.05)
Hybrids under part II plan and to the Syngenta India Ltd., Pune for the providing
HI 76.36 94.61 7.10 7.51 17.57 17.57 of tropical sugarbeet seed material to conduct research.
H2 68.89 85.47 7.15 7.58 15.49 15.49
H3 61.12 75.76 6.97 7.48 19.74 19.74
SE.d 1.23 1.54 0.14 0.14 0.35 0.35
CD 2.54 3.20 NS NS 0.73 0.73 References
Interaction NS NS NS NS NS NS
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Anonymous (2007). Ethanol Information India, Ethanol in India -
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