دوماهنامه
نوع مقاله : مقالات پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 بخش تحقیقات خاک و آب، مرکز تحقیقات، آموزش کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی استان کرمانشاه، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، کرمانشاه، ایران
2 بخش تحقیقات خاک و آب، مرکز تحقیقات و آموزش کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی خراسان رضوی، سازمان تحقیقات و آموزش کشاورزی، مشهد، ایران
کلیدواژهها
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
Introduction
In Iran, sugar beet is the second most prominent irrigated crop after forage corn and wheat, occasionally ranking third after sugarcane in specific years. This versatile plant not only serves as a primary source of sugar but also contains essential nutrients beneficial to human health. Its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions allows it to be cultivated across various regions of the country. Sugar beet production plays a significant role in Iran's agricultural sector, with recent data indicating an increase in production levels over the years. However, achieving optimal performance and desired product quality requires a precise understanding of the nutritional status of sugar beet. Therefore, awareness of its nutritional condition is crucial for enhancing both quantity and quality. Soil tests based on critical levels can indicate the adequacy of nutrients, but in some cases, soil testing alone is insufficient to reveal nutrient deficiencies or nutritional imbalances. Under these conditions, plant analysis leads to better identification of deficiencies as well as understanding the concentration of elements and comparing them with reference concentrations to ensure optimal plant growth. One method for interpreting leaf analysis results is the use of compositional nutrient diagnosis (CND) method. The CND method offers an effective approach for assessing the nutritional status of sugar beet plants by analyzing nutrient composition in plant tissues against standard values. Its primary objective is to identify nutritional deficiencies, optimize fertilizer use, mitigate adverse environmental impacts from excessive fertilization, and boost crop yields. This research aims to evaluate and optimize the nutritional status of sugar beet over two agricultural years in Khorasan Razavi province using the CND method.
Materials and Methods
The study was conducted over two agricultural years on sugar beet crops in Khorasan Razavi province, involving 30 fields in the first year and 31 fields in the second year, with varying soil properties. After selecting the fields, prior to planting and fertilizing the sugar beet, a composite soil sample was taken from each field, covering an area of one hectare and a depth of 0-30 cm. The physical and chemical properties of these samples were measured in the laboratory. Leaf sampling was performed in both years to determine nutrient concentrations, approximately 90 to 120 days after planting, using young, healthy, fully developed leaves. After washing with distilled water, the leaf samples were dried in an oven at 70°C for 48 hours, ground with an electric grinder, and then nutrient concentrations were measured. In this study, the high-yielding group in sugar beet farms was identified using the CND method through mathematical and statistical analysis and the application of the cumulative function.
Result
Soil analysis revealed a wide range of physical and chemical characteristics among the selected fields. The findings in this province revealed that 67%, 52.5%, 82%, 62%, 59%, and 53% of the fields were deficient in phosphorus, potassium, iron, manganese, zinc, and copper, respectively. The results showed that the average yield across all fields was 58.5 tons per hectare, and the median yield of 70.9 tons per hectare was used as the threshold to distinguish between fields with favorable and unfavorable nutritional status. Based on the mean CND indices, 54.27% of the fields in this province were in a balanced nutritional state, while 45.43% were imbalanced. The most limiting macronutrients in low-yield farms were phosphorus (49%) and potassium (44%), while for micronutrients, the main limitations were copper (29%) and manganese (22%).
Conclusion
An assessment of the nutritional status of sugar beet fields in Khorasan Razavi province reveals significant challenges in nutrient balance. Widespread imbalances, particularly in phosphorus, potassium, and copper, along with soil salinity and alkalinity, highlight the need for a revision in fertilization programs. The CND results emphasize that over 45% of fields require adjustments in fertilizer application patterns to prevent the adverse effects of excesses and critical deficiencies. Additionally, the high yield of some fields (20 farms with an average of 70.9 tons per hectare) proves that achieving nutritional balance not only improves productivity but also reduces financial resource wastage and environmental pollution. The CND method, as a precise tool, enables the detection of nutritional imbalances even in cases where soil nutrient concentrations appear optimal. Therefore, it is recommended that management programs based on soil testing and modern diagnostic methods like CND, along with consideration of local conditions (salinity and lime content), be implemented to ensure sustainable sugar beet production in the region.
کلیدواژهها English
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