The Effect of Different Seed Primings on Some Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

To investigate the effect of different seed primings on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of two sugar beet cultivars a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications, was carried out in both laboratory and field at the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of West Azarbaijan province in 2015-16. The factors were two cultivars (Ekbatan and 7233) and five kinds of seed primings (seed hardening, priming with nano fertilizer, priming with pigeon manure extract, hydropriming and control). The results of combined analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences between genotypes for root yield and white sugar content. It was also, revealed that primings for all traits, except percent of sugar extraction, alkalinity and white sugar content, were significant. In this study, cultivar 7233, as compared with Ekbatan, produced higher root yield and sugar content. Furthermore, hydropriming produced higher germination percentage (96.50%), speed of germination (9.56 seeds/day), root yield (80.33 t.ha-1), sugars content (23.11%), sugar yield (18.38 t.ha-1) than other seed primings. Based on stepwise regression analysis, four traits, like sugars content, root yield, sugar extraction percentage and molasses sugar, justified 98% of white sugar yield variations. Thus, these four traits were identified as the most effective ones for white sugar yield. It can be, therefore, concluded that hydropriming would be a proper seed priming to improve the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of sugar beet.