Abstract:
Two experiments were conducted one at Malakand Dher farm NWFP Agricultural University Peshawar and other at SCRI Mardan in order to study the effect of various doses of potassium with and without boron on yield and quality of sugar beet during 1993-94. The experiments were laid out in two factorial (RCB) design with four replications. Plot size was kept 5x5 m2, row to row distance was 60cm and plant to plant distance was 20cm at Peshawar while row to row distance at Mardan was 50cm with plant to plant distance of 25cm. Nitrogen and phosphorus (P2O5) were applied at the rate of 120 and 90 kgha^(-1) K2O as urea and single sulphate. Potassium was applied at the rate of 0, 100, 200 and 300 kgha^(-1) K2O as potassium sulphate. Boron was applied at the rate of 0 and 2 kgha^(-1) B as borax. Soil of Peshawar was silty clay loam in texture while that of SCRI Mardan was silty clay in texture. At both locations the soil was calcareous, alkaline in reaction, low in organic matter, hot water soluble boron and total nitrogen, sufficient in available phosphorus and potassium. All levels of applied potassium did not increase the yield significantly over check plot at Peshawar, while the yield was significantly increased over check plot at Mardan. Using regression equation maximum yield of sugar beet was obtained at 300 kgha^(-1) at Mardan. Boron had no effect on the beet yield at Peshawar. Boron also had significant effect on yield at SCRI Mardan. However, no interaction was observed between boron and potassium at both locations.
Quality parameters like top root ratio, root length, total soluble solids, present purity and pol % were non significantly affected by potassium and boron applications at both locations except root diameter which was significantly affected by potassium application at SCRI Mardan. The concentration of K2O in soil increased significantly at mid season stage at both locations as compared to check plot. The concentration of boron in soil increased non significantly at mid season at both locations. It was noted that the leaf content of boron was less then 35 mg/kg at both locations.
