Impact of delaying harvesting dates for sugar beet varieties under recent environmental changes

The present study was conducted at Experimental Sennuris District in Fayoum Governorate, Egypt (latitude of 29024/26//N and longitude of 30052/00//E) to investigate the effect of harvest dates on some sugar beet varieties concerning their yield and quality. Two successive field experiments were carried out in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. A randomized complete block split plots were assigned for the four harvesting dates (mid-February, 1st week of March, mid-March and 1st week of April), i.e. at the age of 180, 195, 210 and 225 days after sowing. The sub-plots were occupied by the four sugar beet varieties i.e. (Faraida, Jampol, Fantazja and Melodia). The obtained results revealed that there were significant differences among the four studied harvesting dates concerning root length, diameter and weight as well as root yield in both seasons. The highest values were obtained by delaying the harvesting up to 225 days from sowing. Concerning the quality traits, neither the harvesting date nor the varieties affected sucrose, purity (QZ), sodium, potassium, α-amino N and sugar recovery percentages in both seasons. However, the upper mid-harvesting date i.e. age of 195 days from sowing recorded the lower significant impurities and SLM percentages in the 1st season only.