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Sugar Beet

Sugar Beet

The nutrient recommendations below are based on SI 113 of 2022 as well as the Teagasc Green Book for Major & Minor nutrient advice. Any nutrient application to crops should be made in line with regulations around N & P use.

Appropriate nutrition is required to sustain high yielding and profitable crops

The importance of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium is well established for growing crops

Sulphur, Magnesium and Sodium are secondary nutrients which can boost yields in many situations

The appropriate use of micronutrients is essential for maximising crop yield and quality

Having a recent soil analysis at hand is the fundamental first step to building a crop nutrition plan.

Organic manures can be a great source of nutrition for crops. In many cases, they will need to be incorporated into the seedbed

Major Nutrient Requirements (Units/ac)

IndexNitrogen (Units/ac)Phosphorus (Units/ac)Potassium (Units/ac)Sulphur (Units/ac)
11565625620
21244419220
3963212820
464166420

  1. N rates shown above refer to application rates of available fertilizer. Chemical fertilizer rates should be calculated by deducting the available N contained in organic fertilizer applications from the rates shown in the above table.
  2. See accordian below for information on Soil N Index.
  3. The Phosphorus fertilization rates for soils which have more than 20% organic matter shall not exceed the amounts permitted for Index 3 soils.
  4. P rates shown above refer to recommended application rates of available fertilizer.
  5. Chemical fertilizer rates should be calculated by deducting the P contained in organic fertilizer applications from the rates shown in the above table.
Major Nutrient Requirements (Kg/ha)

IndexNitrogen (kg/ha)Phosphorus (kg/ha)Potassium (kg/ha)Sulphur (kg/ha)
11957032025
21555524025
31204016025
480208025

  1.  

    1. N rates shown above refer to application rates of available fertilizer. Chemical fertilizer rates should be calculated by deducting the available N contained in organic fertilizer applications from the rates shown in the above table.
    2. See accordian below for information on Soil N Index.
    3. The Phosphorus fertilization rates for soils which have more than 20% organic matter shall not exceed the amounts permitted for Index 3 soils.
    4. P rates shown above refer to recommended application rates of available fertilizer.
    5. Chemical fertilizer rates should be calculated by deducting the P contained in organic fertilizer applications from the rates shown in the above table.
Fertiliser Programmes

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  1. Assuming all straw is removed
  2. Assuming no organic manures are supplied
  3. Assuming Nitrogen Index = 1
Soil Nitrogen Index System

There is, as yet, no satisfactory Irish laboratory test for N in soils at farm level.

  1. Nutrient N advice for grassland systems (grazing and conservation) depends mainly on land use and farming system, and particularly on the stocking rate.
  2. For crops requiring cultivation, the available soil N can be deduced from the previous cropping and manurial history, and the type of soil. Thus, N fertilizer advice is determined by the soil N supply status. This depends in turn on the previous cropping history.

The supply status is categorised into an Index system for grass establishment and tillage crops.

N Index for tillage crops that follow short leys or tillage

Index 1Index 2Index 3Index 4
Previous Crop
Cereals, MaizeSugar beet
Fodder beet
Potatoes
Mangels
Kale
Oil seed rape, Peas,
Beans
Leys (1-4 years)
grazed or cut and
grazed.
Swedes removedSwedes grazed in situ
Vegetables receiving
less than 200 kg/ha nitrogen
Vegetables receiving
more than 200 kg/ha nitrogen

N Index for pasture establishment or tillage crops that follow long leys or permanent pasture

Index 1Index 2Index 3Index 4
Previous Crop
Any crop sown as the 5th tillage crop following long leys or permanent pasture.Any crop sown as the 3rd or 4th tillage crop following long leys or permanent pasture. If original long ley or permanent pasture was cut only use Index 1.Any crop sown as the 1st or 2nd tillage crop following long leys or permanent pasture (see also Index 4). If original long ley or permanent pasture was cut only use Index 2Any crop sown as the 1st or 2nd tillage crop following very good long leys or permanent pasture which was grazed only.

Soil pH
  1. Beet is one crop that requires high soil pH levels as it utilises
    soil nutrient better at neutral soil pH (7.0).
  2. Ideally lime should be
    applied in advance of sowing the beet crop.
  3. Where lime
    recommendations advise are in excess of 7.5 t/ha, it is good practice to apply the lime over a 3-year period. This helps avoid too much lime applied at any one time which can lead to boron and manganese
    deficiencies.
  4. In addition, certain soil acting herbicides and pesticides
    are not as effective in acid soil conditions.
  5. Check out the Fertilizer Association of Ireland technical bulletin for more information on Liming
Sodium
  1. Sugar beet has a specific requirement for sodium (Na) in addition to K, for growth.
  2. The crop usually takes up about 50 kg Na/ha on a soil well supplied with K, an amount much less than that of K.
  3. Most of the Na is retained in the tops where it is mainly used to sustain the growth of the leaf canopy.
  4. On soils very low in K, Na can replace K in its role of maintaining cell turgor. 
  5. Find out more about Sodium.
Magnesium
  1. A magnesium deficiency maybe observed on light sandy soils during dry / cold periods.
  2. Mg is advisable if soil Mg is less than about 50 mg/l (Index 1 & 2).
  3. On such soils, use magnesium limestone when liming is necessary.
  4. Where there is no lime requirement, Mg should be supplied with Mg-containing fertilizers.
  5. Magnesium deficiency symptoms
    can be transitory in nature, often occurring early in the season when root growth is restricted
    but disappearing again as root growth resumes.
  6. Goulding Soil Nutrition offer Wolf Trax Magnesium DDP as an option to be coated onto fertilisers, Kieserite, a Mg + S fertiliser and Polysuphate (K, Mg, S, Ca) as options to treat Mg deficiencies. Including Magnesium in your fertilisers allows for earlier intervention (seedbed) when magnesium deficiency is a known issue.
  7. Magnesium sulphate (epsom salts) is widely used to correct Mg deficiency and
    comes with the benefit of additional small quantity of S.
  8. Find out more about Magnesium
Manganese
  1. Manganese deficiency (speckled yellows) can occur in beet when the pH is above 7.0 but is
    more likely at pH above 7.5.
  2. Mn deficiency has been recorded at pH 6.5 or lower in peats and dark soils with high organic matter content.
  3. Goulding Soil Nutrition offer Wolf Trax Manganese DDP as an option to be coated onto fertilisers. Coating fertilisers with Manganese allows for earlier intervention (seedbed) when manganese deficiency is a known issue.
  4. Find out more about Manganese.
Boron
  1. Boron leaches readily from all soils. This effect is severe in light sandy soils and less so in heavy soils but B application is generally necessary for all beet crops.
  2. Boron uptake is severely restricted during periods of drought in all soil types. Thus, even
    when soil concentrations are above the critical level, B deficiency can still occur in sensitive
    crops.
  3. Where deficiency is likely to occur, a source of B may be included in the fertilizer to
    supply 3.0 kg/ha of B, preferably applied to the seedbed.
  4. Where the soil test results (hot water extractable B) are less than 1 mg/l B, it may be worthwhile to supplement the soil application with one or more foliar sprays. Foliar applications of boron should be made according to the
    product manufacturer’s recommendations which will normally be once there is sufficient ground cover for absorption, typically the 4-6 leaf stage. Repeat applications may be required where deficiency is severe.
  5. Goulding Soil Nutrition offer Wolf Trax Boron DDP as an option to be coated onto fertilisers. Coating fertilisers with Boron allows for earlier intervention (seedbed) when Boron deficiency is a known issue.
  6. Find out more about Boron.