GROWTH AND YIELD OF SUGAR BEET VARIETIES AS INFLUENCED BY SPACING AND SOWING METHOD

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University farm, Dhaka to study on growth and yield of sugar beet varieties as influenced by spacing and sowing method during November, 2018 to May, 2019. Terrace Soils under Tejgaon soil series. The experiment consisted of three factors. Factor A: Two sugar beet variety viz., V 1 = Shubhra and V = Cauvery; Factor B: Three plant spacing viz., S 1 = 40 cm × 20 cm, S 2 2 = 50 cm × 20 cm and S = 60 cm × 20 cm and Factor C: Two sowing method viz., M 1 3 = Direct sowing and M = Transplanting. The experiment was laid out in 2×3×2 factorial design with three replications. Plant height, leaves plant -1 , beet length, beet girth, fresh shoot weight, fresh beet weight, fresh weight of plant, total dry weight of plant and yield were compared for different treatments. Results indicated that, variety, plant spacing and method of sowing had significant influence on most of the growth, yield and yield components of sugar beet. The maximum yield (76.33 t ha -1 ) was obtained from sugar beet variety V (Shubhra) and the minimum yield (75.22 t ha -1 ) was obtained from V 2 1 (Cauvery). Under this investigation it was revealed that the highest yield (77.63 t ha -1 ) was recorded with 50 cm × 20 cm spacing and the lowest yield (73.69 t ha -1 ) was obtained from 40 cm × 20 cm spacing. The maximum yield (78.37 t ha -1 ) was obtained from the sowing method M 1 (Direct sowing) and the minimum yield (73.19 t ha -1 ) was obtained from the sowing method M 2 (Transplanting). Variety V (Shubhra) along with plant spacing S 2 (50 cm × 20 cm) and sowing method M 1 (Direct sowing) produced maximum yield (81.93 t ha -1 1 ) of sugar beet than variety V (Cauvery) along with plant spacing S 1 2 (40 cm × 20 cm) and sowing method M

(Transplanting) which produced (71.30 t ha -1 ) of sugar beet. So it was concluded that variety V 1 (Shubhra) along with plant spacing S (50 cm × 20 cm) and sowing method M 1 2 (Direct sowing) could be the best production package for sugar beet cultivation.