Title: Effect on irrigation and fertilizer levels on yield and quality of sugar beet grown on clay soils.

Location:
Normal soil: Soil and Water Management Research Unit, NAU, Navsari South Gujarat Heavy Rainfall Zone I, AES III Salt affected soil: Coastal Salinity Research Station, NAU, Danti/Umbharat South Gujarat Heavy Rainfall Zone I, AES IV

Background information:
Sugar beet is gaining importance in sugar industry because of its advantages over sugarcane i.e., short duration (150-180 days), higher sugar recovery (15 -16 %), less water requirement (1200 mm), relatively tolerant to soil salinity/ sodicity as well as high temperature, less cost of cultivation and can be grown as inter crop. Gujarat being water scarce state, cultivation of high water consuming crop like sugarcane is becoming more difficult than earlier. Similarly, the area under salt affected soils in canal command as well as coastal area is also sizable in sugarcane growing belt of South Gujarat. Under both the situations viz., water scarcity and slat affected soils, sugar beet seems to be a better option than sugarcane. Because of these reasons, sugar beet is acquiring importance in the states viz., Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra and Karnataka. In Gujarat also this crop is having good scope. However, there is no information about sugar beet cultivation in Gujarat. Hence, present study is proposed with the following objectives.

Objectives: Performance evaluation of sugar beet under normal and salt affected soil conditions To determine the optimum irrigation and fertilizer levels under normal and salt affected soil conditions Study the quality of sugar beet in relation to different treatments Assess the effect of different treatments on soil properties. Year:
Commencement: Completion: Crop and variety: 2011-12 2013-14 Sugarbeet (cv. Cauvery)

Experimental details
a. Treatments:
Factor I: Irrigation levels I1 Drip : 0.6 PEF I2 Drip : 0.8 PEF I3 Drip : 1.0 PEF Factor II: Fertilizer levels Bo 75 % RD of N & K B1 100 % RD of N & K B2 125% RD of N & K Control: Surface IW/CPE: 1.0, depth = 60 mm (outside experiment) Drip: Full dose of P and 10% of N/K will be applied as basal and 90% N & K will be applied in 10 equal splits at an interval of 10 days starting from 30 DAS. Surface: Full dose of P and 50% dose of N and K as basal. Remaining 50% N & K will be applied in two equal splits at 60 and 120 DAS.

b. Design: c. Replications: d. Fertilizer: e. Spacing: f. Plot size: Observations to be recorded: -

FRBD 4 As per treatment (RDF:120: 60: 60 NPK kg/ha) I1, I2 & I3 : Paired row = 20 x 40 (3 rows) x 70 cm Control: 20 x 50 cm Gross: 6.0 x 8.0 m Net: 3.0 x 7.2 m Biomass yield Tuber and leaf yield Biochemical parameters Brix Pol % Sugar (Reducing sugar & Non-reducing sugar) Protein Plant nutrients N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Na Soil analysis (initial and after harvest of crop) pH, EC, ESP, OC, avail. N, P and K, Fe, Mn, Zn & Cu Water stable aggregates