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Stimulation of sugar‐beet hypocotyl extension with potassium nitrate
Author(s) -
DURRANT M. J.,
MASH S. J.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1989.tb03395.x
Subject(s) - steeping , hypocotyl , biology , potassium nitrate , agronomy , sugar beet , seedling , potassium , germination , nitrate , sugar , thiram , horticulture , botany , chemistry , fungicide , food science , ecology , organic chemistry
Summary Steeping sugar‐beet seeds in an aqueous thiram suspension, as now used commercially in the UK, makes seedling emergence more rapid and increases the number of plants established. This study investigated whether the potassium and nitrate, removed by steeping, were needed to stimulate subsequent hypocotyl growth. Experiments under controlled conditions showed that re‐incorporation of KNO 3 by adding the salt to the steeping solution or, less wastefully during pelleting, slightly slowed root protrusion but made hypocotyl extension more rapid, particularly under dry conditions. There were indications that placement of KNO 3 under the seed would be better. Nevertheless, in the field where recommended amounts of fertiliser were applied, incorporation of about 5 g KNO 3 /kg seed during pelleting was consistently beneficial following the four sowings. This amount decreased the time to half‐final emergence by 0.3 days, gave 3% more established plants and, with the later sowings, increased dry weight in mid‐May by 10%.