Development of season long deficit irrigation strategies for sugarbeet

In a field experiment in 2008-2010 at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center with sugarbeet varieties Betaseed 66RR70 and Hilleshog/Syngenta 9027RR, nine irrigation treatments were compared. Crops were irrigated between 2 July and 24 September. Fully irrigated crop produced the highest beet yield of 31.1 t/ac (69.7 t/ha). This was not significantly different from 30.5 t/ha (68.3 t/ha) from reducing irrigation by 50%. Un-irrigated control produced the lowest yield of 20.4 t/ac (45.7 t/ha). Beet sugar content was unaffected by reducing irrigation to 25%. Added benefit from deficit irrigation was reducing tare as the lack of fine root hairs in the drier treatments meant less soil stuck to beet.