Sugar Beet - Discolouration
Phosphorus deficiency inhibits growth of the sugar beet plants, and the plants have a stiff appearance.
The colour of the leaves ranges from dark green to dull blue-green. Furthermore, anthocyan may be visible, giving the leaf veins and margins a red/violet colour.
Phosphorus deficiency.
Excess N fertilisation also causes dark green leaves, but the plants do not remain smaller then, and they do not have a stiff appearance as they have at P deficiency.
- Acidic or very alkaline (calcareaus) soils
- Low organic matter
- Cold or wet conditions
- Crops with a poorly developed root system
- Soils with low P reserves
- Soils with a high phosphate capacity
- Iron rich soils
- Better crop establishment
- Improved early root development
- Improved yield
- Even crop maturation
