Growth, Productivity, and Quality Traits of Fodder Beet in Response to Potassium Applications and Drip Water Regimes

Abstract

Increasing water-use efficiency and reducing its losses have been one of the major challenges in agriculture. To investigate the response to a combination of different sources of potassium application levels of "Voroshenger" fodder beet variety on growth; yield and quality traits under different levels of drip irrigation regimes. Two field experiments were carried out at Nubaria Agricultural Research Station, EL-Behira Governorate, Egypt, during the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 winter growing seasons. A split-plot design was used in three replicates. The main plots were allocated to the irrigation water regimes (I1= 100%, I2= 80%, and I3= 60% ) of potential evapotranspiration (ETo), whereas the sub-plots were devoted to the sources of potassium application levels (T1= 0 K2O, T2= 106.66 K2O kg/ha (soil dressing), T3= 106.66 K2O kg/ha (soil dressing) + 2.38 l/ ha potassien (foliar spray). and T4= 106.66 K2O kg/ha (soil dressing), + 4.76 l/ ha potassien (foliar spray)). The results in two seasons revealed that; the final increasing irrigation levels led to a significant increase in growth; yield and quality traits. The maximum values were obtained with irrigation at 100% ETo while the lowest values were recorded with irrigation at 60% ETo. As well as, data declared that the potassium application levels affected significantly all traits under study. Using T4 recorded the highest values followed by treatment T3, whereas the lowest values were obtained from T1. The interaction between irrigation regimes and potassium fertilization levels was found to be significant for all traits. The highest values were achieved from wet treatment I1 in combination with T4, while the lowest values were revealed for treatment I3 in combination with T1 (without potassium). Seasonal applied water was increased as irrigation rate increased, where the values of both seasons recorded (5102.2, 4126.1 and 2974.1 m3/ha) and (5208.7, 4152.3 and 2853.0 m3/ha) with 100, 80 and 60% ETo irrigation regimes respectively. Water utilization efficiency was enhanced under irrigation at 80% in the first season whereas 60% ETo in the second season. The lowest record value for W.Ut.E. registered with 100 % ETo in both seasons. Generally, it was obvious that irrigated by 80% ETo and T4 treatment of potassium application level produced to save 20% which is the major disquiet nowadays for the arid regions.