REDUCING THE LOSSES IN YIELD, QUALITY AND PROFITABILITY OF SUGAR BEET ROOTS RESULTED FROM PROCESSING DELAY USING POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION

Under El-Minia Govemorate conditions sugar beet is processed in Abou Korkas factory after the end of cane milling season during last week of April and banning of May. Whenever, high temperature and low humidity are prevailing during beet maturity period. So, therefore, this trail was conducted at Mallawi Agric. Res. Station, El-Minia, Egypt, during 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 seasons to study the losses in yield and quality of sugar beet as affected by various potassium fertilizer levels and postharvest delaying of crop delivery to the factory. Potassium fertilizer levels, i.e. zero, 24 and 48 kg K_2O/fed. and post harvest delaying periods were zero (at harvest time), two, four, six and eight days after-harvest. The obtained results revealed that the highest values of po!% (18.13%), rendement (14.97%), roots yield (29.06 tons/fed) and recoverable sugar yield (4.33 tons/fed.)of sugar beet could be achieved at 24 kg K_2O /fed.compared with levels of zero and 48 kg K_2O/fed. Data also showed that the increase in time elapse between harvesting and processing (from 0 to 8 days) exhibited to gradual increase in pol%, a- N, Na and K contents as well as sugar recovery% of sugar beet. On the contrary, roots and recoverable sugar yields were contrary decreased. Therefore, fertilization of sugar beet with 24 kg K_2O/fed. and delivered in the day are recommended under Middle Egypt conditions (El-Minia Govemorate conditions) for increasing beet grower income because it minimized lowest value in the loss of total return per fed as compared with the other potassium fertilizer levels, i.e. zero and 48 kg K_2O/fed.