Effects of Different Irrigation and Fertilization Levels on the Yield and Quality of Wet Sugar Beet Pulp Used as Animal Feed

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of different irrigation and fertilization levels on the yield and quality of wet sugar beet pulp used as animal feed in the 2019–2020 period. While the yield and quality analyses of sugar beet and the wet sugar beet pulp obtained from it were carried out in Yenişehir College Laboratories and Food and Feed Control Center Research Institute, Bursa, Turkey, BUÜ Yenişehir College Agricultural Production Area was chosen as the research area. In order to determine the effect of the irrigation-fertilization interaction on sugar beet and the wet sugar beet pulp obtained from it, four different irrigation and three fertilization treatments were determined and a total of twelve study treatments were created. In the research, drip irrigation systems were preferred in order to carry out irrigation and fertilization applications in a controlled manner. The amount of plant water consumption (ET) was calculated with the water balance equation (I + P − Dp ± ΔSW). Irrigation water amounts were determined as 800.0–200.0 mm and 820.0–205.0 mm, respectively. ET values were determined as 530.0–228.5 mm and 552.0–340.8 mm, respectively. While sugar beet root yield values in the 2019–2020 research years were determined as 112.0–110.0 t ha⁻¹ and 40.7–40.5 t ha⁻¹, respectively, wet sugar beet pulp by-product yield rates varied between 49.8–50.3% and 39.6–39.4%. When the dual interaction of irrigation-fertilization factors and the yield and quality losses of sugar beet roots and fresh pulp as a by-product are evaluated together, the I₇₅F₇₅ issue should be preferred. As a result, the importance of obtaining sugar from sugar beet roots and using the chemical content of the pulp obtained as a by-product as animal feed has been tried to be revealed.