Evaluation of yield and quality of Paya, a newly released drought tolerance sugar beet, cultivar, with foreign check Rasta in Kermanshah province

In order to evaluate root yield and quality of Paya, a newly released drought tolerance sugar beet cultivar and compare it with foreign check Rasta, this experiment was conducted on farmers' fields under both normal and drought conditions in 2016. In this study, half hectare of each cultivar was planted and from the second irrigation, irrigation was done with intervals of 7 and 14 days for each half of the cultivated area. At the end of the growth stage, four samples were harvested (along two 5-meter lines at two rows) and the root pulp for qualitative traits was provided. Economic evaluation was carried out using benefit- cost ratio and partial budgeting. The results showed that the yield for two cultivars in the irrigation interval of 7 days (normal irrigation) was 93.3 tons and in the irrigation intervals 14 days (stress conditions) was 57.6 tha-1. In the irrigation interval of 7 days, the percentage of sugar was 16.5% and the 14-day irrigation interval percentage of sugar was 14%. Irrigation interval did not have a significant effect on the elements in the root (sodium, potassium and nitrogen). There was no significant difference between two cultivars in terms of yield, but the sugar percentage of Rasta cultivar (16.9%) was higher than Paya cultivar (13.7%).  Under drought stress condition for Paya and Rasta cultivars yield reductions were 31% and 46%, respectively. Economic evaluation showed that the Paya cultivar had economic advantage of 95% to Rasta cultivar in 14-days irrigation interval and advantage of 63% in complete irrigation (7-days interval). Therefore, the Paya cultivar under stress conditions has more capability compared to Rasta sugar beet cultivars (one of the good foreign cultivars) and can be recommended for regions with water shortages and disease-free soils.