TDR Review• Volume 9(2)2012 1
Technical Data Report

Review
Prepared by J.R. Martineau, Ph.D.
Director of Technical Services
An Evaluation of Two Application Methods of NUTRIPLANT™ SL on Sugar Beet Production

Objective
The objective of the study was to determine the most effective application method of Nutriplant SL on production of sugar beets.
Materials and Methods
Field trials were conducted on sugar beets (Beta vulgaris sp.) at the independently owned and operated agricultural research facility, Irrigation Research Foundation, at Yuma, Colorado, USA under the supervision of Colorado State University. Two application methods of Nutriplant SL at planting were evaluated: 1) direct application to the seeds and 2) in-furrow application over the planted seeds. Application directly to the seeds was tested in 2005 and 2006. In-furrow application was tested in 2010 and 2011. Planting population was 116,000 seeds/ha (47,000 seeds/acre) in 2005 and 2006, and 110,100 seeds/ha (49,000 seeds/acre) in 2010 and 2011. Test plots consisted of 4 rows 76 cm (30 inches) wide. The plot length ranged from 30 to 213 meters (100 to 700 feet). Two uniform plots were selected for each trial. One plot was treated with Nutriplant SL applied directly to the seeds or applied in-furrow on the seeds. The control plot was left untreated. For treatment directly to the seed, Nutriplant SL was applied at 1.3 ml/kg of seeds (2 fl oz/100 lb of seeds) in 2005 and 2.6 ml/kg (4 fl oz/100 lb) of seeds in 2006. For in-furrow treatment, product was applied at 300 ml in 38 liters/ha (4 fl oz in 4 gal/acre) of water. Cultural practices, including fertilization, irrigation and pest management, followed local practices and were the same for treated and untreated plots. Beet yield and percent sugar were determined at harvest. Sugar yield was calculated based on beet yield and sugar content.
Results
Application of Nutriplant SL directly to the seeds at planting increased sugar beet yields by 9,887 kg/ha (4.40 ton/acre) in 2005, a 23.4% increase over the untreated control (Table 1). In 2006, Nutriplant SL increased yield by 14,696 kg/ha (6.54 ton/acre), a 25.6% over the untreated control. The average sugar beet increase over the two years was 12,292 kg/ha (5.47 ton/acre) or 24.5%.
Table 1. Effects of Nutriplant SL applied directly to the seeds at planting on sugar beet yields. Irrigation Research Foundation, Yuma, Colorado, USA.

TDR Review• Volume 9(2)2012 2
In 2005, treatment with Nutriplant SL increased percent of sugar from 15.02% to 15.32% (Table 2). In 2006, the treatment increased percent sugar from 12.97% to 15.06%. Combined with the increase in beet yields, in a two year average, the treatment increased sugar yield by 2,529 kg/ha (2,250 lb/acre), a 36.6% over the untreated control. The highest sugar production increase of 40.7% was obtained in 2006 when crop was exposed to high winds and extreme heat early in the season.
Table 2. Effects of Nutriplant SL on percent sugar and sugar yield. Irrigation Research Foundation, Yuma, Colorado, USA.

Application of Nutriplant SL in-furrow at planting increased sugar beet yields by 9,506 kg/ha (4.23 ton/acre) in 2010, a 14.3% increase over the untreated control (Table 3). In 2011, Nutriplant SL increased yields by 6,225 kg/ha (2.77 ton/acre), an 8.6% increase over the control. The average yield increase for the two years was 7,866 kg/ha (3.50 ton/acre), an 11.5% increase over the untreated control. In both years, the crop was exposed to abiotic stress of low temperatures, indicating that Nutriplant SL applied in-furrow helped overcome the negative effects of stress. These results are consistent with the effects of Cytozyme products on dryland and irrigated winter wheat, when the greatest yield increases were observed in years when the wheat was exposed to extreme abiotic stress of heat and drought.
Table 3. Effects of Nutriplant SL applied in-furrow at planting time on sugar beet yields. Irrigation Research Foundation, Yuma, Colorado, USA.

Sugar content was slightly lower in the treated compared to non-treated beets but because of the beet root yield increase, in a two year average, the treatment increased sugar yield by 905 kg/ha (805 lb/acre), a 7.7% over the control (Table 4).
Table 4. Effects of Nutriplant SL on percent sugar and sugar yield. Irrigation Research Foundation, Yuma, Colorado, USA.

TDR Review• Volume 9(2)2012 3
The evaluation of these two methods of application of Nutriplant SL to the seeds indicated that direct application to the sugar beet seeds is more effective than application in-furrow, increasing both sugar beet yield and sugar content in the beets.
Conclusions
Both methods of application were very effective, but direct application of Nutriplant SL to sugar beet seeds was more effective than in-furrow application.
In a two year study, Nutriplant SL applied directly to the seeds at planting increased sugar beet yields by an average of 24.5% compared to the untreated control and when applied in-furrow, increased yields by 11.5%.
Nutriplant SL applied directly to the seed increased sugar production by 36.6% and applied in-furrow increased production by 7.7% over control.
References
SBEEUSCO0501
SBEEUSCO0601
SBEEUSCO1001
SBEEUSCO1101