Studies of the effects of soil aggregate size on the emergence and growth of beet (Beta vulgaris L.) II. Leaf development

Abstract

Seedling beet plants grown on a fine soil separate produced more and larger leaves than those grown on coarser separates. This result has been ascribed to the greater quantity of available water, and the better root-soil water contact, in the fine separate compared with the others. Difficulties of root establishment in the coarser separates may retard the start of leaf development relative to that in the fine separates. Soil separates also affected leaf number, in some experiments, through their effect on seedling emergence, in that rapid emergence gave seedlings a slightly longer period for leaf production.Fodder beet plants (variety Red Otofte) had a greater leaf number per plant at all counts than plants of any of the sugar-beet strains grown. Polyploid sugar-beet seedlings had larger leaves than diploid seedling.Nitrogen applications to the seed-bed did not stimulate leaf production. In one instance, heavy fertilizerdressingsretardedleafproduction,probably by an osmotic effect.