EFFECTS OF METHANOL FOLIAR APPLICATION ON NUTRIENT CONTENT AND RWC OF SUGAR BEET UNDER WATER DEFICIT STRESS

To study the effect of methanol foliar application on sugar beet under water deficit stress an experiment was conducted. Treatments were water deficit stress in three levels, a(1): mild stress (50% FC irrigation), a(2) : fair stress (75% FC irrigation) and a(3): normal irrigation (100% FC irrigation) and the foliar application of methanol in seven levels [b(1) : 0, b(2) : 5, b(3) : 10, b(4) : 15, b(5) : 20, b(6) : 25 and b(7) : 30 (v/v)]. The analysis of variance showed significant effect of water deficit stress and methanol foliar application on concentration of alpha-amino N, Na, K, RWC and sugar content (p < 0.01). Results showed that alpha-amino nitrogen and K contents were the highest in mild stress and the lowest in 20% (v/v) methanol foliar application. However, Na content was the highest in normal irrigation and 30% (v/v) methanol foliar application. Sugar content was the highest in mild stress (16.40%) and the lowest in the normal irrigation (15.86%). Besides, the results also proved that 20% (v/v) and 30% (v/v) methanol foliar application had the highest (17.16%) and lowest (15/31%) sugar content, respectively.