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4.3 Sugar Beet Production and Deficit Irrigation
Sugar beet is considered a relatively new crop in Egypt, where its experimental
cultivation started in the late 1990s. It is considered the second source of sugar production in Egypt after sugarcane. The crop has the ability to grow in marginal soils
that usually suffer from salinity and can tolerate poor quality of irrigation water. It
can be grown in soils with varying texture from light sands to heavy clay under supply adequate amounts of plant nutrients, as well as water (Abdel-Mawly and
Zanouny 2004). Wide expansion in the cultivated area of sugar beet is occurring on
the behalf of legume crops. This situation is due to sugar beet high profitability,
compared to other winter crops.
Sugar beet is a deep-rooted, salt-tolerant crop that can be used as part of a cyclic
reuse program to reduce agricultural drainage water volume and to conserve high
quality water (Kaffka et al. 1999). There is considerable evidence that crop yield
and sugar production is directly related to the amount of radiation intercepted by
sugar beet foliage between sowing and harvest: the greater the incident of radiation,
the higher the yields that may be expected (Blackburn 1984). Therefore, its cultivation on raised beds resulted in higher yield and lower applied irrigation water values
than the values obtained under furrow cultivation (Malik et al. 2018).
4.3.1 Effect of Water Stress on Sugar Beet
Water stress is the most limiting factor for sugar beet production. Esmaeili and
Yasari (2011) concluded that the effect of water stress on root yield was significant.
Taheri-Asghari et al. (2009) showed that water deficit stress had an adverse effect on
leaf dry weight and root length but root diameter was not affected by drought stress.
Baigy et al. (2012) reported that water deficit stress led to an increase of chlorophyll
index in sugar beet. Furthermore, drought stress had a negative significant effect on
roots dry weight, total dry weight, root yield, leaf temperature, leaf dry weight,
crown dry weight, harvest index and root yield of investigated genotypes of sugar
beet (Moosavi et al. 2017).
4.3.2 Effect of Deficit Irrigation on Sugar Beet
Deficit irrigation was practiced for sugar beet by several investigators in Egypt.
El-Darder et al. (2017) indicated that 8% yield losses in sugar beet was obtained
when 23% saving in the applied irrigation water in sandy soil under sprinkler
4 Field Crops and Deficit Irrigation in Egypt
4.3 Sugar Beet Production and Deficit Irrigation
Sugar beet is considered a relatively new crop in Egypt, where its experimental
cultivation started in the late 1990s. It is considered the second source of sugar production in Egypt after sugarcane. The crop has the ability to grow in marginal soils
that usually suffer from salinity and can tolerate poor quality of irrigation water. It
can be grown in soils with varying texture from light sands to heavy clay under supply adequate amounts of plant nutrients, as well as water (Abdel-Mawly and
Zanouny 2004). Wide expansion in the cultivated area of sugar beet is occurring on
the behalf of legume crops. This situation is due to sugar beet high profitability,
compared to other winter crops.
Sugar beet is a deep-rooted, salt-tolerant crop that can be used as part of a cyclic
reuse program to reduce agricultural drainage water volume and to conserve high
quality water (Kaffka et al. 1999). There is considerable evidence that crop yield
and sugar production is directly related to the amount of radiation intercepted by
sugar beet foliage between sowing and harvest: the greater the incident of radiation,
the higher the yields that may be expected (Blackburn 1984). Therefore, its cultivation on raised beds resulted in higher yield and lower applied irrigation water values
than the values obtained under furrow cultivation (Malik et al. 2018).
4.3.1 Effect of Water Stress on Sugar Beet
Water stress is the most limiting factor for sugar beet production. Esmaeili and
Yasari (2011) concluded that the effect of water stress on root yield was significant.
Taheri-Asghari et al. (2009) showed that water deficit stress had an adverse effect on
leaf dry weight and root length but root diameter was not affected by drought stress.
Baigy et al. (2012) reported that water deficit stress led to an increase of chlorophyll
index in sugar beet. Furthermore, drought stress had a negative significant effect on
roots dry weight, total dry weight, root yield, leaf temperature, leaf dry weight,
crown dry weight, harvest index and root yield of investigated genotypes of sugar
beet (Moosavi et al. 2017).
4.3.2 Effect of Deficit Irrigation on Sugar Beet
Deficit irrigation was practiced for sugar beet by several investigators in Egypt.
El-Darder et al. (2017) indicated that 8% yield losses in sugar beet was obtained
when 23% saving in the applied irrigation water in sandy soil under sprinkler
4 Field Crops and Deficit Irrigation in Egypt