Four 2yr-field experiments were carried out at Kalabsho- El-Dakahlia Governorate, in 2012/13 and 2013/14 winter growing seasons to study the effect both individual and combined applications of B, Zn and Mn on juice quality and the content of some macro-and micronutrients of sugar beet, var. Sultan.
The first experiment was devoted to B treatments (0 , 0.5 and 1kg fed-1),the second experiment was devoted to Zn treatments (0 , 1.5 and 3 kg fed-1) the third one to Mn levels (0, 1, 2 kg fed-1) while the fourth experiment was assigned to the mixture of the these nutrients at three levels, i.e 0 B+Zn+Mn, 0.5kg B+1.5kg Zn+1kg Mn fed-1 and 1kg B+3kg Zn+2kg Mn fed-1 at the same levels mentioned befor. Each of the four experiment included 9 treatments which were the combination of 3 micro nutrient levels and three times of soil application, i.e. interaction after sowing, 50 (DAS) or 75 (DAS). Micronurients were applied only once as soil application. The experiments were laid out in complete randomized block design with four replications.
The results of the combined analysis of the two years could be summarized as follows:
Boron application at 0.5 kg fed-1 reduced TSS% at harvest, whereas Zn, Mn and the mixture showed no significant effect on TSS%. All micronutrients had no significant effect on sucrose% at harvest.
Manganese application at 2.0 kg fed-1 significantly raised purity% at harvest. Late application of all micronutrients mixture favorably affected purity% at harvest compared with early application.
The results showed that all micronutrients at all levels and at three application times had significant effect on roots and sucrose yields in sugar beet juice at harvest, also, B, Zn,Mn and their mixture at the highest levels significantly increased roots and sucrose yields.
The results indicated a significant increase in N% in leaves due to application of a mixture containing 0.5 kg B + 1.5 kg Zn + 1.0 kg Mn fed-1 compared with the check treatments and the highest level as well. Significant effect was observed for application time of Mn where application at 50 (DAS) from sowing or at sowing significantly surpassed the later application at 75 (DAS) in affecting N% in roots.
The only significant effect was for Zn when it was applied at the higher level. This effect was also recorded in K% in sugar beet leaves. The interaction between levels and dates of applying micronutrients mixture had significant effect on Zn content in sugar beet root.
Neither level of all micro nutrients nor application time had significant effect on B, Zn and Mn in sugar beet leaves and roots at harvest.