Composted Cattle Manure as a Nitrogen Source for Sugar Beet Production

Abstract

Core Ideas Composted cattle manure has no detrimental effect on sugar beet root yield or sugar quality. Composted cattle manure is a potential nitrogen source for sugar beet production Besides a proper N rate, crop stand, and previous crop are also important to maximize beet yield and quality. Nitrogen management is key to achieving profitable sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) yield and quality. When commercial fertilizer prices increase significantly, producers often consider alternatives, including fresh or composted manure. A 3‐yr field trial was conducted in western Nebraska to evaluate the effects of different rates of composted beef (Bos taurus L.) manure (CManure), and urea on sugar beet yield, sucrose content, and quality. Sugar beet followed maize (Zea mays L.) in 2009 and 2010 and dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in 2011. Agronomic efficiency (AE) of N applied as CManure or urea was also evaluated in this study. There was a trend for reduced AE with increasing rate of N input. Beet yield response to composted manure rates plateaued at 23.0 Mg ha−1 (in 2009–2010) and 13.9 Mg ha−1 (in 2011) with corresponding fresh beet yields of 62.2 and 77.9 Mg ha−1. Composted manure treatments at application rates of 18 and 36 Mg ha−1 statistically matched what urea rates of 67 and 134 kg N ha−1 achieved in terms of beet yield. These findings found no adverse effect of composted manure in beet production and underscore the potential of solely depending on composted manure to meet N requirement in beet production.