Exogenous Micronutrients Modulate Morpho-physiological Attributes, Yield, and Sugar Quality in Two Salt-Stressed Sugar Beet Cultivars

• Published in: Journal of soil science and plant nutrition 2021-06, Vol.21 (2), p.1421-1436
• Main Authors: Abd El-Mageed, Taia A., Rady, Mohamed O. A., Semida, Wael M., Shaaban, Ahmed, Mekdad, Ali A. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Cell division; Chlorophyll; Crops; Cultivars; Ecology; Environment; Enzymes; Foliar applications; Impurities; Iron sulfates; Leaves; Life Sciences; Manganese; Micronutrients; Mixtures; Nutrients; Nutrition; Nutritional status; Original Paper; Photosynthesis; Physiology; Plant Sciences; Saline soils; Salinity; Salinity effects; Salinity tolerance; Salt; Salt tolerance; Soil Science & Conservation; Sucrose; Sugar; Sugar beets; Toxicity; Zinc; Zinc sulfate
• ISSN: 0718-9508; 0718-9516
• DOI: 10.1007/s42729-021-00450-y

Exogenously applied micronutrients (M) have been reported to boost salinity tolerance and improve yield and quality. However, very little is known about the effect of M mixture foliar application under saline soil condition. Our objective was to investigate the influences of M mixture foliar application on morpho-physiological traits, yield, and quality and nutritional status of sugar beet under saline (9.39 dS m −1 ) soil. Two consecutive (2018/2019–2019/2020) field trials were conducted on both Romulus and Francesca sugar beet cultivars treated with M mixture (0 ppm; [M 0 ], 150 ppm [M 150 ; 75 Fe (FeSO 4 ), 50 Zn (ZnSO 4 ), 25 Mn (MnSO 4 )], and 300 ppm [M 300 ; 150 Fe (FeSO 4 ) 100 Zn (ZnSO 4 ), 50 Mn (MnSO 4 )]. M 150 or M 300 significantly boosted growth, water status, photosynthetic efficiency, nutritional status, and productivity of sugar beet. M 300 increased root yield (RY) by 11.5% and 42.0% and true sugar yield (TSY) by 22.7% and 92.9% compared to M 150 and M 0 , respectively. M 300 -treated plants had higher sucrose, true sugar, and quality index but lower loss sugar and non-sugar impurities M 300 markedly improved sugar beet performance owing to increase leaf hydration status, photosynthetic efficiency, nutrients (K + , Fe 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Mn 2+ ) uptake, and K + /Na + ratio. Romulus exhibited enhanced growth, yield, and quality, reflecting more salt tolerance when compared with Francesca. Stepwise regression indicated plant fresh weight, SPAD chlorophyll, and leaves number plant −1 are the most influential RY- and TSY-attributed characteristics in salt-stressed sugar beet. M 150 or M 300 are more effective and may offer a potential economic alternative for salinity-stress alleviation in salt-stressed sugar beet.