The effect of chloride and nitrogen on nitrate accumulation and yield in beetroot (Beta vulgaris var. conditiva)

Abstract

A pot and a field experiment were conducted to evaluate the effects of different nitrogen and chloride fertilizer levels on the nitrate content of beetroot. The yield and dry matter content were also determined. Sulphate fertilization was used as a control to chloride fertilization. There was a considerable decrease in the nitrate content of beetroots during the growing season. High nitrogen fertilization caused nitrate accumulation in both experiments. Chloride had a significant decreasing effect on the nitrate accumulation towards the middle of the growing period in the pot experiment. In the field experiment, chloride also decreased nitrate accumulation towards the middle of the growing period, soon after additional application of ammonium nitrate limestone (13.8 % NH4-N; 13.7 % NO3-N). Chloride tends to decrease nitrate accumulation only at an early stage of root development when nitrate is not the only source of nitrogen in the soil. The yield was higher on high nitrogen supply, in the pot experiment also on chloride application. Nitrogen decreased the dry matter content, but chloride had this effect only in the field experiment.