The growth of sugar beet under different water regimes

Abstract

In a small plot experiment in which the crop was protected from rain, the application of large amounts of water to keep the soil water stress to a minimum gave very large crop yields. One-fifth of this amount of water gave 80% of the maximum yield. Small, frequent applications of water appeared to give higher yields than the same amount of water in one large application. Yield differences were due to differences in leaf areas rather than to differences in net assimilation rates.