Influence of Bio and Inorganic Fertilizers on Productivity and Quality of some Sugar Beet Varieties

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at Sinnuris district, Fayoum Governorate, Egypt, during 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons to study the possibility of using bio-fertilizers as a partial alternative to inorganic NPK fertilizers and their effects on yield, quality and economic returns of some mono-germ sugar beet varieties (Preziosa KWS, BTS smart 9830, and Jampol). Fertilization treatments included; T1: 100% of the recommended rates of inorganic NPK fertilizers (80, 30 and 24 kg of N, P2O5, and K2O/fed, respectively), T2: Soaking sugar beet seeds before sowing in specialized liquid media of biofertilizers “LBFsooked” containing (Azospirillum lipoferm, Azotobacter choococcum, Bacillus polymyxa, and klebsiella pneumonia) at 2 L/fed + foliar spraying with a combination of liquid bio-fertilizers "LBFfoliar" [(A. lipoferm, A. choococcum, B. polymyxa and K. pneumonia) + liquid vinasse as a carrier] at the rate of 10 L/fed + 75% of NPK/fed, T3: LBFsooked at 2 L/fed + soil inoculation with a combination of liquid bio-fertilizers "LBFsoil" at the rate of 15 L/fed divided into [(5 L of Sporolactobacillus lavolacticus) and 10 L of (A. lipoferm + A. choococcum + B. polymyxa + k. pneumonia)] + 75% of
NPK/fed, T4: LBFsooked at 2 L/fed + LBFfoliar at 5 L/fed + LBFsoil at 10 L/fed divided into (5 L of S. lavolacticus) and 5 L of (A. lipoferm + A. choococcum + B. polymyxa + k. pneumonia)] + 75% of NPK/fed, T5: LBFsooked at 2 L/fed + LBFfoliar at 15 L/fed + 50% of NPK/fed, T6: LBFsooked at 2 L/fed + LBFsoil at 20 L/fed divided into [(5 L of S. lavolacticus) and 15 L of (A. lipoferm + A. choococcum + B. polymyxa + k. pneumonia)] + 50% of NPK/fed, and T7: LBFsooked at 2 L/fed + LBFfoliar at 10 l/fed + LBFsoil at 15 L/fed divided into [(5 L of S. lavolacticus) and 10 L of (A. lipoferm + A. choococcum + B. polymyxa + K. pneumonia, at 10 L/fed)] + 50% of NPK/fed. A strip plot design was used. The results showed that T4 treatment resulted in the most favorable values of sucrose and extractable sugar percentages in the 1st season, quality index% in the 2nd one, root fresh weight/plant (RFW) and root and sugar yields/fed, in both seasons. Variety BTS Smart 9830 had the maximum values of RFW in the 1st season, sugar yield/fed in the 2nd one, and root yield/fed in both seasons. Significant interaction effects between fertilization treatments and varieties on the studied traits were discussed. Based upon the
obtained results, sowing BTS Smart 9830 sugar beet variety fertilized with T4 treatment can be recommended to attain the best root and sugar yields and economic return per feddan.