Nutrient uptake traits related to sugar beet yield

The identification of adaptive traits involved in the response of plants to nutritional stress is necessary for maintaining crop productivity at sustainable levels. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships among root elongation rate, root/shoot ratio, nitrate and sulfate uptake rate in sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris, Sugarbeet Group). These relationships were measured in three sugar-beet varieties characterized by different root and sugar yield. Wide differences were observed among the varieties for root elongation rate and nitrate and sulfate uptake rate measured after nutritional depri-vation. These differences were not dependent on seed size. A significant relationship among root elon-gation rate, nitrate and sulfate uptake traits and between these traits and productivity was observed. The above-mentioned morphophysiological traits might be useful indexes in breeding programs aimed at increasing sugar yield under nutritional stress.