RESULTS OF TRIALS AT WINCHMORE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30200, 3 August 1963, Page 6

RESULTS OF TRIALS AT WINCHMORE

r pHE sugar content of sugar beet grown in trials at the Winchmore irrigation research station in the last season was higher than average and, taking into account the class of land on which the crop was grown, yields were fairly good, Mr E. G. Drewitt, the technician in charge of the trials, said this week. Seven varieties were tested in the trials. Seed

which had been “rubbed" to produce single plants in contrast to the several plants sent up by natural seed was also used. The trial was sown on flai unfurrowed ground, which had previously been ploughed to a depth of nine inches, between November 5 and 9 Where the beet received dressings of nitrolime on February 7 and 9 there was no marked effect on the bulbs. The plots were irrigated on January 14 and February I.

The crop was harvested between May 15 and 22 with yields of beet bulbs varying from 20.8 tons to the acre for a "rubbed” variety of Bush E down to 17.3 tons for a Russian variety, and averaging over-all 20 tons to the acre.

Sugar content ranged from 18.4 per cent, for Sharpe’s Klein E up to 19.5 for the Russian variety, and the average for the trial was 19.1 per cent. On an acreage basis the average production of sugar was 3.77 tons of sucrose, with Bush E at the top of the scale at 3 9 tons and the Russian variety the lowest at 3.4 tons.

The average yield of 20 tons to the acre was achieved under experimental conditions on what is regarded as light stony land, and Mr Drewitt said that where crops were grown commercially in ground of similar fertility on the average farm they would be expected to produce about 20 per cent less.

Because there had been very little difference in the yields of the various varieties, it would be more practical for the average grower to uk the Triplex monogerm variety in view of the work involved in "singling” natural seeds. Mr Drewitt said. The monogerm variety had been bred specifically for single plant production where the normal seed had to be “rubbed” to achieve this condition.

More trials are planned for Winchmore next season.