Balanced Plant Nutrition in Sugar Beet Cropping Systems for High Yield and Quality

Budapest (Hungary), 1-2 September 1999.
Proceedings edited by I. BUZAS and A. E. JOHNSTON.

The Workshop was cosponsored by the World Phosphate Institute (IMPHOS) and the International Potash Institute (IPI) as a Regional Workshop of Beta Research Institute-IMPHOS (IPI).

Sugar beet is a crop of great agronomic and economic importance in Central/Eastern Europe, it is an integral part of crop rotations in the region. As a deep rooting, leafy crop, sugar beet fits well into cereal dominated rotations not only to recycle nutrients from deep soil layers, but also to control the development of pests and diseases of cereals. Sugar beet has a large requirement for nutrients, it requires a reasonably high soil fertility status ; especially for immobile nutrients such as P and K.

This joint workshop brought together scientists from most of the countries of Central/Eastern Europe to exchange views and experience in sugar beet nutrition. It was aimed to find ways to overcome low yields and to improve the quality of beet, while saving inputs to ensure adequate income for the growers.

In the move towards sustainable growth in sugar beet yields, the workshop advocated clearly enhanced nutrient balances, judging from available research findings and a backlog of data and information. Such evidence must be brought to the attention of producers, extension workers, and decision making bodies so that action is taken to promote more efficient and balanced use of the mineral fertilizers, and make them more available at farm level.

The proceedings include papers presented at the workshop over the three following sessions :
1. Plenary session: Economy of sugar beet nutrition, Nutrition management of sugar beet
2. Panel discussion : Nutritional constraints of sugar beet production in Central Europe
3. General papers : Balanced plant nutrition in sugar beet cropping systems

The workshop attracted the intserest of more than one hundred participants, coming mainly from Central and Eastern Europe.

For further information, please contact IMPHOS or the International Potash Institute-IPI at the following address: Schneidergrasse 27, P.O. Box 1609, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland, Fax: 41 61 261 2925,
www.ipipotash.org