Document Type : Research Paper
Abstract
In this study, the performance of different cultivation methods on sugar beet fields was evaluated. Eight treatments were considered: a) use of a rolling cultivator twice during the growing season; b) use of a rolling cultivator three times during the growing season; c) use of a crescent cultivator twice during the growing season; d) use of a crescent cultivator three times during the growing season; e) use of a furrower as a cultivator twice during the growing season; f) use of a furrower as a cultivator three times during the growing season; g) manual weed control twice during the growing season; and h) manual weed control three times during the growing season. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used in this research. Parameters such as sugar beet yield, percentage of sugar, sugar yield, percentage of sugar in molasses, weeds remaining in the field and nitrogen, potassium, and sodium content of the sugar beet root were measured for each treatment. Results show that there was no significant difference between the treatments for sugar beet yield, percentage of sugar, percentage of sugar in molasses, and nitrogen and potassium content of the sugar beet root. The difference between treatments was significant for weed weight remaining in the field, sugar yield, and nitrogen and sodium content of the sugar beet root. Of the treatments tested, manual weed control three times during the growing season showed the best performance for weed control and use of a furrower as a cultivator twice during the growing season produced the poorest performance. Use of a rolling cultivator three times was the most economic of the methods tested.
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