Magnesium and sulfur and sugar beet yield

Magnesium

Magnesium is a vital constituent of plant chlorophyll. It also activates many enzyme reactions within the plant and is needed for the movement of phosphorus into and around the plant. A correct level of magnesium improves crop establishment.

The magnesium uptake of a 50 t/ha sugar beet crop is approximate 44 kg Mg/ha, with 24 kg/ha in the leaves and 20 kg/ha in the roots.

When plants suffer from potassium and magnesium deficiency the translocation of the products of photosynthesis from leaves into actively growing parts of plants is severely reduced leading to reduced growth and development as shown in sugar beet and bean plants (Hermans et al. 2006; Çakmak and Kirkby 2008).

A balanced nutrition program including magnesium will increase sugar yield.

Sulfur and Sugar Beet Yield

Sulfur is an important component of all proteins and enzymes, and with the protein in greatest quantity being chlorophyll, deficiency can severely reduce yield. The sulfur uptake of a 50 t/ha sugar beet crop is approximate 32 kg S/ha, with 14 kg/ha in the leaves and 18 kg/ha in the roots. 

Plants low in sulfur cannot make full use of nitrogen, so sulfur deficiency symptoms are often very similar to those of nitrogen such as low chlorophyll production. However the distinguishing feature is that due to poor plant mobility, the symptoms appear first in the youngest leaves.