YIELD RESPONSE AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF SUGAR BEET IN SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENT UNDER DIFFERENT DEFICIT IRRIGATION REGIMES
Abdul Malik*, Abdul Sattar Shakir**, Muhammad Jamal Khan***, Muhammad Latif**, Zia-ul-Haq*
ABSTRACT
A field study was conducted to find the effect of deficit irrigation regimes on yield and water use efficiency ofsugar beet under furrow irrigation system during the cropping season of 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 at Sugar Crops Research Institute Mardan, Khyber Pakhtun Khawa, Pakistan. Randomized Complete Block Design was used to conduct the experiment and three replications were applied. Four levels of irrigations, designated as full irrigation, 20% deficit irrigation, 40% deficit irrigation and 60% deficit irrigation were tested. Results showed that for all deficit irrigation treatments the root yield was low but the sugar content and water use efficiency were improved. Average root yield for full irrigation was found as 59.75 tonnes ha-J where for 60 % deficit irrigation root yield was 32.02 tonees OO-J• Average sugar content for full irrigation was 14.14%, and for 60 % deficit irrigation sugar content was 16%. Where, the root water use efficiency was in the range of 8.13 for full irrigation to 10.87 kg m-3 for 60% deficit irrigation. The sugar water use efficiency was in the range of 1.15 for full irrigation to 1. 74 kg m-3 for 60% deficit irrigation. Yield response factor was in the range of 0.91 to 1.08. The relationship obtained between root yield and evapotranspiration was linear. It can be concluded from the study that, for better sugar beet yield, full irrigation treatment should be used for semi arid conditions with no water shortage. However, in water limited situation, sugar beet may be irrigated at 80% offull irrigation. This might decrease the sugar beet root and sugar yields by 13.7% and 9.10%, however it may save 20% irrigation water that can be used to bring more area under irrigation.
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