Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne javanica Reproduction, Potential Crop Yields and Water Use Efficiency at Drip-Irrigated Sugarbeet Fields as Affected by Water Deficit under Semi-Arid Conditions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Sugar Crops Diseases and Pests Research,Sugar Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

2 Department of Plant Physiology and Chemistry, Sugar Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out in sandy soil during two consecutive growing seasons; 2021/22 and 2022/23, at West Nubaryia region in Egypt. The experimental area, which is naturally infested with Meloidogyne javanica, were prepared to evaluate the influence of three deficit irrigation (DI) rates i.e. 40, 60 and 80% from irrigation water requirements (IWR), compared to full (100% from IWR) irrigation rate on reproduction parameters, final population (Pf) and reproduction factor (Rf) of M. javanica root-knot nematode and productivity of sugarbeet. Var. Merador as well as water use efficiency (WUE). The result showed that the DI rates of 40, 60 and 80% from IWR decreased (P≤0.05) significantly Pf and Rf values of M. javanica on sugarbeet plants compared to full (100% of IWR) irrigation rate. Increasing DI from 100 to 80, 60 and 40% of IWR significantly, (P≤0.05) decreased Pf number from 26036 to 18115, 9878 and 5371, respectively and Rf from 12.70 to 8.84, 4.82 and 2.62-fold, compared to initial population, respectively. The sugarbeet yield components, roots, gross sugar and white sugar yields , and quality index then were achieved the highest (P≤.0.05) significant values with an average of 21.85, 3.75 and 3.15 tons/fed and 84.64% , respectively under DI rate of 80% from IWR, while the lowest ones (11.21, 1.8 and 1.47 tons/fed and 78.59%, respectively) were recorded at DI rate of 40% from IWR, compared to full (100% of IWR) irrigation rate, The highest ( P≤0.05) significant values of WUE for gross sugar yield (1.91 kg/m3 water) and white sugar yield (1.61 kg/m3 water) as commercial yields for sugarbeet crop , also , were recorded at DI rate of 80% from IWR, however, the lowest ones (1.27 and 1.02 kg/m3 water , respectively)were achieved by full (100% of IWR) irrigation rate. The previous results revealed that the DI rate of 80% from IWR has significant benefits in four terms of saving irrigation water, reducing damage caused by nematode, increasing yield quantity and quality, and increasing WUE. Thus, it was concluded that the application of the DI rate of 80% of IWR may led to enhance the efficiency of IPM programs to control root-knot nematodes at drip irrigated sugarbeet fields in sandy soils under semi-arid conditions.

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