Effects of Methanol on Yield and Some Quality Characteristics of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) cv. Rasoul in Drought and Non-Drought Stress Conditions

To study effects of methanol on yield and some quality characteristics of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) cv. Rasoul a field experiment was conducted under drought and non-drought stress conditions in Research Field Station/ Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran, in 2008 growing season. A factorial arrangement using RCBD with three replications was employed. Factor A included five levels of methanol: 0 (control), 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35% (v/v) methanol (Two grams of glaycine was added to each level). Factor B included two levels of irrigation: drought stress (irrigation after 70% depletion of available soli water) and non- drought stress (irrigation after 40% depletion of available soil water). Methanol solutions were sprayed three times on foliar parts of sugar beet with two weeks intervals. Results showed that methanol had significant effect on root yield, leaf yield, sugar content, sugar yied, white sugar content, white sugar yield and nitrogen concentration. Irrigation levels had also significant effect on root yield, leaf yield, sugar content, white sugar content, white sugar yield and sodium concentration.