Vol. 16 No. 2
Effect of planting techniques, plant densities and different depths of sowing on production economics, water and sugar productivity of sugarbeet
Author(s): K. S. SAINI, N. S. BRAR, S. S. WALIA AND P. A. SACHDEV
Abstract: An experiment was conducted in Factorial RBD with three replications during rabi season, 2013-14 and 2014-15 at the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to evaluate the effect of planting techniques, plant densities and depths of sowing on production economics, water productivity and sugar productivity of sugarbeet under subtropical conditions. Nine planting techniques corresponding to plant population and two sowing depths were evaluated. A monogerm SZ-35 cultivar of sugarbeet was used in the study. In flat sown treatments, row to row spacing was 50 cm, whereas it was 60 cm under ridge sowing. Under bed planting, the beds are 67.5 cm wide with 37.5 cm top of bed. Two depths of sowing i.e 2-3 cm and 4-5 cm were evaluated in the study. The depths of post sowing irrigations were kept 7.5 cm under flat sown, 6 cm under ridge sown and 5 cm under bed sown crop. All other agronomic practices were kept uniform in all treatments. Planting two rows on bed with planting density of 1.23 lakh plants ha-1 recorded maximum production efficiency (2.98 q ha-1day-1and 2.58 q ha-1 day-1), monetary efficiency (Rs 314 ha-1day-1 and Rs 208 ha-1day-1) and sugar productivity (9.65 t ha-1 and 8.62 t ha-1), which was at par with planting two rows on both side of ridge with planting density of 1.23 lakh plants ha-1 and significantly higher than rest of the treatment. Significantly higher water productivity (11.03 kg m-3and 10.63 kg m-3) was also recorded under same treatment. Sowing depth of 2-3 cm recorded higher production efficiency, monetary efficiency, water and sugar productivity than sowing depth of 4-5 cm in both the years, however, no significant difference was recorded between the depths of sowing. So, to realize maximum production efficiency, monetary efficiency, water productivity and sugar productivity from sugarbeet cultivation under subtropical conditions, planting sugarbeet as two rows on beds with planting density 1.23 lakh plants ha-1 and planting depth 2-3 cm is most viable option.
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