Sugar beet yield as affected by seed priming and weed control

Abstract

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to determine the influence of different priming techniques on the germination characteristics and competition of weeds in sugar beet in 2008–2009. Three priming times and four priming methods were used in a laboratory study, and four priming treatments and four redroot pigweed densities (0, 4, 8 and 12 plants m−2) were used in a field study. Sugar beet seeds were treated with polyethylene glycol (PEG 8000), NaCl (1.5 N) and HCl (0.1 N) for 2, 4 and 6 h. Seed characteristics were significantly affected by HCl (0.1 N) treatment for 6 h. In this treatment, the germination percentage was 25 and 9% higher than control and NaCl (1.5 N) treatments after a similar time. An intermediate and low effect has been shown with NaCl (1.5 N) and PEG 8000 seed priming, respectively. Sugar beet root yield was reduced by 13, 54 and 89% compared with control treatment (without weed) at redroot pigweed densities of 4, 8 and 12 plants m−2, respectively. Sugar beet seeds primed with HCl (0.1 N) for 6 h gave a higher root yield than unprimed seeeds and the other primed seeds treatments. Overall, the results showed that weed control can significantly increase sugar beet yield and the seed priming technique can be used for weed control.