Drought Stress Management in Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Cultivation

Abstract

Drought stress is one of the main restrictive factors for sugar beet production in arid and semi-arid regions such as Iran and other areas where summer rainfall is significantly lower than potential evapotranspiration. Sugar beet is considered a drought-tolerant crop, but its secondary traits are affected by drought stress. To achieve the maximum potential sugar yield, sugar beet plants should have sufficient moisture available on a daily basis to meet the atmospheric demand so that transpiration, and likewise photosynthesis, can occur without stomatal limitation. However, these proper conditions are often not provided, either because rainfall is insufficient or irrigation water is limited. Sugar forms an integral part of the human diet, and sugar beet is the main source of sugar. Due to the arid and semi-arid climate of Iran, the water shortage has become a key challenge in irrigated agriculture. To address this problem, the development and implementation of water-saving agricultural practices are necessary for providing high yields with low water application. Effects of drought stress on sugar beet could be mitigated by different methods some of which are presented in this chapter.