THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF FOLIAR FERTILIZATION OF SUGAR BEET WITH MARINE CALCITE

Abstract

In 2010-2012, in Sahryń (Lubelskie Voivodeship), a field experiment was carried out, the aim of which was to assess the cost-effectiveness of foliar nutrition of sugar beet with marine calcite Herbagreen Basic containing silicon. The fertilizer was applied in two variants: 1) 1 kg/ha at the 4-6 leaf stage of sugar beet (BBCH 14-16) + 2 kg/ha 21 days later; 2) 2 kg/ha at the 4-6 leaf stage of sugar beet (BBCH 14-16) + 2 kg/ha 21 days later; the effects were compared with the control (without foliar nutrition with marine calcite). Additionally, in the years 2011-2012, an identical experiment was carried out with another sugar beet cultivar. For each combination, the gross production value, foliar nutrition costs, the net production value and profitability index were calculated. The total cost of application of foliar calcite was 190 and 240 PLN/ha. The gross production value of sugar beet in experiment 1, on average over three years of research, increased in combination 1 by 24.8% and in combination 2 by 25.6% compared to the control; in experiment 2, on average for 2 years of research, in combination 1 by 15.7%, and in combination 2 by 15.0%. The increase in the net production value in experiment 1 amounted to 22.8 and 23.2% respectively, and in experiment 2 - 13.9 and 12.8%. The indicator of the profitability of foliar nutrition with marine calcite in experiment 1, on average, for the period 2010-2012, amounted to 12.6 in combination 1 and 10.3 in combination 2. In experiment 2, the index of profitability of foliar nutrition, on average, for the period 2011-2012, reached the value of 8.96 for object 1 and 6.77 for object 2.

Keywords

• foliar fertilization
• marine calcite
• profitability of production
• silicon
• sugar beet