Response of Beet Root Tubers to Gypsum, P Levels, Boron and Iron Sulphate in Salt-Affected Soils

Abstract

A field-experiment was conducted in salt-affected soils of Dodda Seebi tank command area of Tumkur district, Karnataka during rabi season of 2007 to study effect of gypsum, P level, borax and iron sulphate on beet root tuber yield and nutrient uptake. Treatments included two main-plot treatments, viz., M0: Control (without gypsum) and M₁: gypsum application @ 9.0 t ha^-1 and eight sub-plot treatments, viz., S₁: Phosphorus @ 100 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1, S₂: Phosphorus @ 150 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1, S₃: S₁ + Borax @ 5 kg ha^-1, S₄: S₂ + Borax @ 5 kg ha^-1, S₅: S₁ + FeSO₅ @ 25 kg ha^-1, S₆: S₂ + FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1, S₇: S₃ + FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 and S₈: S₄ + FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1. Recommended N and K were applied to all treatments. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Beet root, a salt-tolerant crop, was sown for testing its performance in salt-affected soils. Significantly higher tuber yield of 12.70 t ha^-1 was realized when the crop received gypsum @ 9.0 t ha^-1 compared to control (7.73 t ha^-1), besides higher nutrient uptake by the tubers. Among the nutrients, application of P at higher level (150 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1) plus recommended NK along with borax and iron sulphate realized higher tuber yield (15.72 t ha^-1) as well as nutrients uptake by tubers. Crop that received gypsum in combination with P at a higher level plus recommended NK, along with borax and iron sulphate, resulted in highest tuber yield (19.72 t ha^-1) and nutrient uptake.