Relationship of growth indices with yield components in monogerm cultivars of sugar beet

to determine the relationship of growth indices with yield components in sugar beet, seven monogerm cultivars Rasoul, Shirin, Jolgeh, Gadouk, Zarghan, SBSI001 and SBSI002 were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications at Engineer Abdolrasoul Motahari Research Station, Karaj, Iran. Each plot included six rows of 8m length. The distance between rows was 50cm and the distance between plants after thinning on rows was 20cm. The measurements were conducted on 15 randomly selected plants from the three middle rows of each plot. To compare the cultivars with respect to growth indices such as leaf area index, crop growth rate and relative growth rate, four times sampling from the shoots and roots per plot were carried out with a 14- day interval, the root yield of the cultivars were determined and quality analysis of the samples was conducted in Sugar Technology Lab of Sugar Beet seed Institute. Results showed significant differences among cultivars for root yield and quality and growth indices. Results of correlation analysis showed that with a decrease in impurities such as Na, K and N in roots, the sugar content, sugar yield and white sugar content increased. With increase in specific leaf area, the impurities in roots and mollas sugar was also increased and alkalinity and extraction coefficient of sugar decreased. Further more, leaf area duration had a correlation with leaf area index, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and total dry weight. There fore, in breeding programs, it is advised to look for lines with a low specific leaf area and high leaf area duration.