identification of morpho-physiological traits affecting white sugar yield in sugar beet

this research was carried out to evaluate the effects of some morphophysiological traits on white sugar yield of 10 commercial sugar beet (beta vulgaris l.) varieties. all experiments were conducted in four important sugar beet growing areas in iran, i.e. moghan, khoy, karaj and zarghan in 2006 and 2007. the experiment was arranged as a randomized complete block design with three replications in each environment. total leaf production and cumulative number of senescent leaves were affected more by location than by genotype. there were significant differences among varieties for white sugar yield. multiple regression analysis indicated that leaf death rate at the crop development, mid-season and late-season stages; leaf appearance rate and petiole dry weight at the crop development stage; and root dry weight at the late-season stage affected white sugar yield. leaf death rate had the highest positive effect on white sugar yield at the late-season stage and the highest negative effect at the mid-season stage. in conclusion, leaf death rate at the crop mid-season stage and root dry weight at the late-season stage contributed the most to white sugar yield of sugar beet varieties.