Effects of Biochar Rates on Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Sugar Beet Plants Grown under Drought Stress

ABSTRACT

In this study, research has been made on the impact of applications of biochar (BC) in different doses on the efficiency yield and nutrient uptake of sugar beet plant grown under drought stress. In the research four different doses of biochar being obtained from rosehip seeds as 0% (control), 0.5% (50 g pot⁻¹), 1.0% (100 g pot⁻¹) 2.0% (200 g pot⁻¹) have been applied to pots and three different drought stresses (100%, 75%, 50% of the field capacity (FC)) have been applied. In the study, the yield of sugar beet plant and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) concentrations have been determined. As per the outcomes being obtained, it was determined that the highest shoot dry matter of sugar beet plant was obtained as 29.82 g pot⁻¹ with the application of 100% FC and 2% BC. In the study, the highest N concentration of sugar beet plant was obtained in 75% FC and 2% BC application with 1.72% N, the highest P concentration was obtained in 100% FC and 0.5% BC application with 1.01% P, the highest K concentration was obtained in 50% FC and 2% BC application with 5.33% K. Research results has shown that with the increasing biochar doses, especially in drought stress applications, efficiency was significantly improved with respect to controlling and that K, Mg, and Mn concentrations have also increased.

KEYWORDS:

• Biochar
• drought stress
• yield
• nutrient uptake
• sugar beet