Using Vinasse as a Source of Potassium Fertilization for Sugar Beet and a Sandy Soil Amendment

Abstract

TWO field experiments were conducted in a sandy soil at Al-Hossein Agricultural Farm located at 64thkm, Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, Egypt, in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons, to check the possibility of using cane vinasse as a source of potassium fertilization for sugar beet, and its effect as an amendment on some properties of soil. A randomized complete block design was used. The present work included 13 treatments as follows: - 100% K2O: 48kg K2O/fed ``fed = 4200m(2)'' as K2SO4 ``48% K2O'' (control). - Three treatments represent the sole application of 100% equivalent to 48kg K2O/fed, in the form of raw (V-1), photo-chemically (V-2) and biologically (V-3) treated vinasse, i.e., 707.6, 707.6 and 817.7L/fed, respectively. - Nine treatments, using 75, 50 and 25% of the recommended rate as K2SO4 combined with 25, 50 and 75%, successively, equivalent to 48kg K2O/fed, from each of V-1, V-2 and V-3. The lowest value of hydroxyl methyl furfural (HMF) was recorded with V-3 and phenolic compounds with V-2. The maximum activity of dehydrogenase enzyme was found with adding (50% K2O+50% V-3)/ fed. Adding (50% K2O+50% V-3) significantly increased root yield/fed. The different treatments including V-3 markedly increased sugar yield/fed, as compared to that gained with 100% K2O/fed, in both seasons. The addition of [50% of the recommended rate of K-fertilizer (24 kg K2O) as K2SO4+50% of the biologically treated vinasse (408.85liters)/fed] could be recommended to get economical root and sugar yields, which means saving 50% of mineral potassium sulphate required for sugar beet crop.