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The Reduction of Storage Losses in Sugar Beets by Preharvest Foliage Sprays of Maleic Hydrazide
Author(s) -
Wittwer S. H.,
Hansen C. M.
Publication year - 1951
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1951.00021962004300070011x
Subject(s) - preharvest , sugar , horticulture , hydrazide , state (computer science) , mathematics , postharvest , biology , chemistry , algorithm , food science , organic chemistry
M hydrazide, a unique inhibitor of plant growth (4), has been reported effective as a preharvest foliage spray for the control of storage sprouting in carrots and onions (6, 7). These studies, and the possibility that maleic hydrazide may influence carbohydrate metabolism in plants (3), suggested its use as a preharvest foliar spray for reducing sugar losses and breakdown of sugar beets subsequently held in storage piles. Sugar losses in beets held in storage at processing plants frequently exceed 1 pound per ton per day (1, 5). Preliminary experiments established that spray concentrations ranging from 500 to 5000 parts per million of maleic hydrazide applied to sugar beets at intervals between 6 weeks and 48 hours of harvest produced no noticeable effects on the plants growing in the field. Furthermore, the chemical, irrespective of dosage or time of application, did not influence yield, beet size, or the percentage of sugar in the beets at harvest time. However, with sugar beets subsequently held in storage, preharvest foliar applications of maleic hydrazide at concentrations of 2500 parts per million or above resulted in complete inhibition of sprout and root growth even at high temperatures where control lots sprouted profusely. Sprays applied several weeks prior to harvest were especially effective in storage sprout inhibition. On the basis of these preliminary findings, the following experiment was designed. One-half acre of a sugar beet planting grown on a productive upland soil near the Lansing processing plant was sprayed with an aqueous solution containing 2500 parts per million of maleic hydrazide on October 5, 1950. To 100 gallons of water was added 1 gallon of 30% maleic hydrazide formulation with 1 pint of Triton B-1956 as a wetting agent. This mixture was applied by means of a power sprayer operated at 300 pounds pressure to thoroughly wet the leaves on the half acre of sugar beets. There was no rainfall within 5 days of treating.