The present work was conducted at Tamiya Agricultural Research Station, Fayoum governorate in 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 growing seasons to study the effect of ploughing depth, nitrogen fertilizer sources and levels on some quality parameters of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). The present study included eighteen treatments represented the combination between two plowing depths (15 and 30 cm), three nitrogen sources (urea, 46.5% N; ammonium nitrate, 33.5% N and ammonium sulphate, 20.5% N) and three nitrogen levels (60, 80 and 100 kg N/fed). Treatments were arranged in a split-split plot design with four replications. Ploughing depths were allocated in the main plots and nitrogen sources were distributed in the sub-plots, while the sub-sub plots were assigned to nitrogen levels. The obtained results showed that percentages of total soluble solids, sucrose, purity, total nitrogen, sodium and potassium in sugar beet roots did not significantly affected by both ploughing depths and nitrogen sources in both seasons. Percentages of total soluble solids, total nitrogen, sodium and potassium significantly increased while, sucrose and purity percentages significantly decreased as the applied nitrogen fertilization level raised from 60 up to 100 kg N/fed, in both seasons.
Under conditions of the present work, fertilizing sugar beet with 60 kg N/fed can be recommended to obtain the highest quality traits in terms of sucrose and purity percentages. No significant differences were noticed between ploughing depths and nitrogen sources on quality characteristics of sugar beet.