Impact of Nitrogen and Weeds on Glyphosate-Resistant Sugarbeet Yield and Quality

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted in 2010 and 2011 at two locations in Michigan to determine the effects of nitrogen and weed removal on glyphosate-resistant sugarbeet yield and quality. Nitrogen rates were 0, 67, 100, 134, and 67 : 67 kg N ha−1, and weeds were removed when they were < 2, 8, 15, and 30 cm tall. At the beginning of the growing season, weeds responded to N sooner than sugarbeet. Nitrogen assimilation by weeds was three times greater than sugarbeet at 0, 67, 100, and 134 kg N ha−1 and four times greater than sugarbeet with the split application of N (67 : 67 kg N ha−1) averaged over the weed removal timings. Higher N rates increased N sufficiency index values and sugarbeet canopy closure; weeds 30 cm tall had lower N sufficiency index values and a smaller sugarbeet canopy. The effect of N on root yields varied, but the highest N rates (134 kg N ha−1 or 67 : 67 kg N ha−1) were among the highest sugarbeet yields at all locations. Highest yields were achieved when weeds were controlled before reaching 2 cm tall at three of the four site-years. Delaying weed control until weeds were 8 or 15 cm tall reduced yield by 15%, whereas 30-cm-tall weeds reduced yield up to 21%. Recoverable white sucrose ha−1 (RWSH) also was reduced by 8 to 16% if weeds were 8 cm tall. These results indicate that weeds are highly competitive with sugarbeet and can assimilate large quantities of N early in the growing season, especially at larger growth stages. However, it appears that sugarbeets were able to scavenge sufficient N at the N rates used in this study to overcome N removal effects from larger weeds, resulting in no interaction between N rate and weed removal timing for sugarbeet root yield, quality, or RWSH.