The bio-organic nano fertilizer improves sugar beet photosynthesis process and productivity

Abstract

Applications of biological agents intensify the growth of crops, so they more quickly form a maximum leaf area, optimize photosynthesis, increase plant productivity and quality. Chemical producers offer a new generation of bio-organic fertilizers based on nano technologies. Such fertilizers have not been well investigated yet; therefore, the aim of this study was to ascertain the influence of the fertilization rates by bio-organic nano fertilizer, made from cattle manure on the effectiveness of sugar beet crop photosynthesis and productivity parameters. The investigations were carried out in 2011–2012 at Aleksandras Stulginskis University’s Research Station, Kaunas district, Lithuania (54º52′ N, 23º49′ E) on a silty loam Luvisol (Calcari-Epihypogleyic Luvisol, LVg-p-w-cc). Sugar beet plants were sprayed with the fertilizer at doses of 0.5 or 1.0 L ha-1 at the BBCH 18 and/or BBCH 31 stages. Single application of the bio-organic fertilizer at single 1 L ha-1 dose was more effective than at single 0.5 L ha-1 or double 0.5 + 0.5 L ha-1 doses. At the beginning of intensive sugar beet development (BBCH 37–38), single 1 L ha-1 dose increased the number of leaves by 19.6%, leaf area by 13.4%, root diameter by 11.1%, canopy dry biomass by 29.1%, root biomass by 42.6%, net photosynthetic productivity by 15.8%, root yield by 12.6%, sucrose content by 1.03 percentage points and yield of white sugar by 19.2% in comparison with the untreated beets. Double 1 + 1 L ha-1 dose of fertilizer was slightly more effective but economically less suitable than single (1 L ha-1). In general, the application of bio-organic fertilizer revealed a great potential for optimization of sugar beet development, productivity and quality parameters.