Control of manganese deficiency in sugar beet by placement of a manganated compound fertilizer

Authors

• Matti Erjala Sugar Beet Research Centre, SF-25170 KOTALATO, Finland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72235

Abstract

In Finland, manganese deficiency in sugar beet has traditionally been controlled by spraying the foliage with manganese sulphate. According to field experiments, placement of an acid compound fertilizer seems to provide a new possibility of controlling manganese deficiency of sugar beet in heavily limed fields. In 1-year experiments carried out in 1984—1985 in seven fields which showed slight symptoms of manganese deficiency, conversion from top dressing to the placement technique alone increased the availability of soil manganese to sugar beet. The availability was, however, best safeguarded only when manganese (0.7 %) was added to acid compound fertilizer and applied by the placement technique. Placement of manganese (25—30 kg/ha MnSO4; Mn 26 %) together with acid compound fertilizer increased the root yield by 2.0 tons (+ 7%) per hectare in average compared to placement of manganese-free compound fertilizer. The new method of application did not have a significant effect on the quality of sugar beet.