W ', C‘r‘rliid H Ml MUM/l ‘M \ .— 3 , t“ ’1‘ . r] .1) I27! LI! 1"] 3] P1 —l 153,23 mOJN I ‘ ‘r‘lwfi'p- u SUGAR BEET SEED PRODUCTlON 1N MICHiGAN AS INFLUENCED BY SIZE AND SPACING OF STECKLINGS Thesis fur the Degree of M. S. MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE Pcrc Albert Reeve I942 IMHI [@WI’ 3 WFIWIWTWIIW m I1H293 01074 9 HI 4 PLACE IN RETURN Box to remove this checkout from your record. To AVOID FINES return on or before date due. MAY BE RECAHED with earlier due date If requested. SUGAR 3m 3- PRODUCTION IN MICHIGAN AS INFLUHICED BY SIZE AND SPACING OF STECKLINGS PRCALBMREEVE ~39": A TIDE-SIS Suhnitted to the Graduate School of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfilment of the requirments for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Farm Crops 1942 THES‘S ACKNOWLMENT The author wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to the Farmers and Manufacturers Beet Sugar Association for making this study possible. The author is grateful to Mr. H. L. Kohls for his guidance and assistance throughout the experiments and preparation of this thesis and to Dr. 8. '1‘. Dexter for his constructive criticism, also to Dr. I. D. Eaten for his assistance with the statistical analyses. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION REVIEW OF LITERATURE METHODS AND MATERIALS PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF DATA A. B. 1940 Results 1941,Results RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR.GROWING BEET SEED IN MICHIGAN A. B. C. D. E. F. Growing Stecklings Harvesting Stecklings Storage of Stecklings l Tranqfiunnung ofIfluuflflings Care of the Seed Crop Harvesting the Seed Crop SUMMARY BIBLIOGRAPHI Page KOQO‘W 3313 RNRBBB N \h SUGAR BEET SEED PRODUCTION IN MICHIGAN AS INFLUENCED BY SIZE AND SPACING OF STECKLINGS Sugar beet growers in Michigan are dependent upon two sources for seed. In recent years, part of our seed has been grown in the South- western states, but traditionally the sugar beet seed has been imported from.Europe. In the Southwest the sugar beet seed is produced by over- wintering young plants in the field. The "European steckling method“ of seed production requires the growing of mother beets, which are har- vested, stored overwinter in root cellars or pit silos, and replanted the next spring for the production of the seed crop. Previous to 1923, very few attempts had been made to grow sugar beet seed in the United States. During the first'Wbrld‘war when the European seed supply was cut off by the continental blockade, sugar beet companies and growers of this country banded together and produced almost enough seed when combined with that already on hand, to supply the wants of the growers of the United States. However, with the return of nonnal trade relations the seed industry was dropped in the United States, and the sugar beet growers of this country again became dependent on European seed sources. This lack of interest in sugar beet seed growing in the United States has been attributed to two major factors; (1) There was a supply of sugar beet seed from European seed sources at a reasonable price, and (2) it was generally assumed that labor and climatic conditions were such that it was impossible to develop the seed industry in the United States. However, experimental results from Schuyler, Nebraska 1893, and Waverly, Washington 1903 (6) showed conclusively that sugar beet crops from home grown seed.were superior to those from.European seed of the same variety. Furthermore, certain.fanmers of those areas had found.that the production of sugar beet seed.might be a profitable venture. The present experiments deal with sugar beet seed production in Michigan by modifications of the European steckling method. During the emergency of 1914,1918, sugar beet seed was produced in the United States by the steckling method. In 1922-1923 there was discovered in the southwestern part of the United States a method of pro- ducing sugar beet seed by overwinteringwyoung plants in.the field. This practice proved less expensive than the European.system of digging, storb ing, and transplanting the mother hosts, The overwintering*nethod has developed in that area, until it now supplies all of the sugar beet seed used in the United States. ‘lichigan sugar best companies and growers through their cooperative agency, the Farmers and Manfacturers Beet Sugar Association, have bought controlling interests in a‘lestern sugar beet seed company which pro- duces sufficient seed to.meet the demands of the Eastern sugar beet growb ere. Although this arrangement insures a supply of sugar beet seed, better adapted and cheaper seed might be grown nearer the locality where it is to be sewn. Sugar beet growing in the United States is divided into two distinct areas when.varieties and diseases are considered; namely, the area west of the Eastern slope of the Rocky'lountains, and the area east of the Rocky Mountains. The fonmer area needs varieties resistant to the curly top disease, while the latter area requires varieties resistant to cercospera leaf spot. In each area it would be desirable to have both a separate sugar beet breeding program and a means of producing the parent stock and com- mercial seed. Such a program would reduce the danger of varietal adul- teration, introduction of new diseases, insects, and weeds. Sugar beet breeding work has been carried on by the Farm Crops de- partment of Michigan State College for the last twenty years. Promis- ing strains have been developed which met be increased for adequate field trials. In recognition of the advantages and desirability of home grown seed, an intensive program was begun in 1933 to find a practicable means of growing sugar beet seed in Michigan. In order to utilise the promising strains more fully, H. L. Kohls, sugar beet breeder of this station, started experiments on methods of comnercial seed production. The following may be enumerated: (1) over- wintering in the field without protection, (2) overwintering in the field giving the young beets protection with coverings of hay and straw, (3) seeding beet seed with cats and barley and overwintering of the beets in the stubble, (1.) seeding and overwintering beats in cold frames and trans- planting in the spring with tomato and cabbage planters, (5) watering the young beets heavily in the fall to increase their resistance to unfavor- able weather conditions, and (6) growing stecklings the size of a lead pencil to an inch in diameter, storing overwinter and transplanting the next spring. Varying degrees of success were obtained with the different methods, but none have proven to be economically sound. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Various experiments have been run to determine the effects of spac- ing on the yield of commercial beats in the United States, but the infor- mation dealing with spacing and size of stecklings and their effects on the production of sugar beet seed in the United States is limited. Ware é8) as early as 1898, stated that some growers in Europe were enthusiastic over small stecklings for sugar beet seed production, but that other ex- periments showed that there was very little advantage, if any, in using small stecklings for seed production. However, he states that the small steckling method offers certain advantages of economy not to be overlooked. Tracy (7) , found in Colorado that six to ten ounce roots proved most pro- fitable for seed production because such roots kept better in the silo and considered on an acre basis were less bulky and expensive to dig, store, and transplant and with slightly closer spacings, fully as heavy seed-pro- ducers as larger roots. Also, these sizes developed seed stalks earlier, more nearly at the same time, and matured their seed crop earlier than larg- er roots. Harris (3) in speaking of size of stecklings for seed production in Utah found that the use of small stecklings did not seem to reduce the amount of seed produced, and concludes that there is a very good profit in the growing of sugar beet seed. Kohls (5) transplanted stecklings the size of a lead pencil to an inch in diameter, found them much easier to transplant, and obtained a yield of 860 pounds of seed to the acre with- out the use of fertilizer. He found that the small stecklimgs deveoped seed stalks, flowered and matured earlier than did the larger roots of the same variety. The stecklings less than one inch in diameter gave signi- ficantly higher yields than stecklings over one inch in diameter, may of the larger roots failing to produce seed stalks. He attributes this pecul- iarity to late transplanting of the stecklings (May 8). Brown (2), in let- ters of instructions to his sugar beet seed growers in Canada for 1912, states that any steckling between one half and four inches in diameter is satis- factory for growing seed. The beets above three inches in diameter should be cut lengthwise through the crown and planted as separate roots in halves or quarters. He states that the best size for pitting and planting is around one to one and one-half inches in diameter. However, that even the one half inch diameter stecklings were perfectly good for seed pro- duction, providing they were planted in rich ground and had moist earth finned around than. it llichigan State College, Bird (1) , conducted an experiment to de- termine the influence of different spacings of stecklings in the row and between the rows. Treatments of plots included 18', 24', and 30" spac- ings between rows with 6', 12", and 18" spacings in the row. He found that the 30 inch spacing between rows gave significantly higher yields than either the 24" or 18' rows. No significant differences in seed yields were found between spacings in the row. He concluded that stock- lings planted in rows 30' apart were superior in yield of seed per acre to stecklings planted in rows 18" or 21.. apart. Amoniun sulphate at 200 and [.00 .pounds per acre gave no increase in seed yield above the un- fertilized plots. (The field had been in alfalfa the previous year). Harris (1.), of Utah State Agriculture College, reporting on the re- sults of emerimental work and actual growing of sugar beet seed (1905- 1917) advocates planting seed at the rate of eight pounds per acre with no thinning for growing of stecklings. This method of growing stecklings reduced labor in handling and space in storing in addition to producing a large number of stecklings per acre. He states that the cost of pro- ducing sugar beet seed varies so much with conditions that definite figures are almost useless, but gives the following as suggestive: Estimated cost of raising one acre of sugar beet seed. Rent of land (value $250 an acre) $20.00 Plowing and preparing land 5.00 Hauling stecklings frcm silo and planting 15.00 Cultivating and irrigating 6.00 fleeing 2.00 Cutting seed 5.00 Threshing and cleaning ‘ 15.00 Cost of mother seed and stecklings 0.00 Total £108.00 He concludes, "A comparison of these figures for cost with the price obtained for seed (15 cents per pound with an average production of 1461 pounds per acre) shows that a good profit may be made. This profit, taken with the fact that domestic seed is better than the imp ported, surely justifies the establishment of a sugar beet seed industry in.America.” METHODS AND MATERIALS In the spring of 1939 three quarters of an acre of land was seeded to sugar beets for the production of stecklings. The seed was sown at the rate of twelve pounds per acre and the beets were not thinned. The beets were cultivated and weeded during the summer, and the stecklings were placed in storage that fall in a root cellar.v Before storage the stecklings were graded for size into three classes; namely, small, Q” to 1' in diameter, medium, 1" to 2" in diameter; and large 2'. and over in diameter. All sizes kept equally well and the stecklings were in good condition for transplanting the next spring. In the spring of 1940, stecklings of each size were planted at four spacings; 123" by 18", 24" by 24", 30" by 30", and 36" by 36-. Each treat- ment was replicated three times. The stecklings were transplanted on April 26, and the seed was harvested August 6. The plots were four rows wide and forty four feet long. Seed from the two middle rows was har- vested and weighed to secure comparative seed yields. The basis of the field plan and the statistical analyses was a split plot design both in 1940 and 1941. In addition to the experimental plots, a 2.7 acre field was set out with stecklings for seed production. From this field records were kept to be used in determining the cost of production for the various treatments. The costs were then prorated for the different treatments. In the spring of 1940 three quarters of an acre of land was again seeded to produce stecklings for the 1941 eaqaeriments. The stecklings were handled and graded into sizes much the same as in 1939, and were stored in the same root cellar. The stecklings kept equally well and were in good condition for transplanting in the spring of 1941. In the 1941 experiment, stecklings of four sizes were used; namely, small, i" to 1" in diameter; medium, 1" to 2" in diameter; large, 2" and over in diameter; and field run, which were stecklings unsorted as to size. Stacklings of each size were planted at five spacings; 18" by 18", 21." by 24". 30" by 30". 36" by 36". and 1.2" by 42"- Each treat- ment was replicated six times in plots fifty feet long and four rows wide. The stecklings were transplanted May 2. The seed was harvested July 22 from the two center rows of each plot. The procedure followed was the same as in 1940. To secure cost of production data for the 1941 experiment, field run stecklings were set out at 30'' by 30'I in a 4.56 acre field. PRESENTNTION OF BETA From a count of the stecklings in the field which had been seeded at the rate of twelve pounds of seed per acre in 1940, it was estimated that 64,800 stecklings were grown per acre. However, an actual count the following summer showed.that 58,948 stecklings were produced, over- wintered, and transplanted per acre of stecklings grown. The loss in storage was slightly less than one per cent. 0n the basis of these fig- ures, a twenty five per cent reduction of the field estimate (64,800 to 48,600) should be sufficient to cover losses in harvest, storage, and deviations in stand. Table 1 indicates the number of stecklings required for the produc- tion of an acre of seed. It should be noted that the closer spacings (18" by 18" and 24' by 24') require several times as many stecklings as the 36” by 36' and 42” by 42" spacings. Table 1. The number of stecklings required per acre for the various spacings used. Also, the number of acres of transplants possible from one acre of stecklings, assuming 48,600 usable roots. _ Number of stecklings Acres of transplants per Spacing lg * required per acre acre of etc s wn 18" by 18" 19,360 2.51 24" by 24' 10,890 4.47 30' by 30' 6.970 6-9? 36' by 36' 4,840 10.0% 52 p; 5.2- 355; . 1 41.3412 Using the above outline as a basis, the different sized stecklings were set out for seed production both in 1940 and 1941. The data per- taining to seed.yie1ds and estimated costs of production under the above conditions are presented and discussed in the pages following. 1940 RESULTS Table 2 summarizes the 1940 seed.yie1ds. The seed yields from.the various treatments indicate that the small stecklings do not produce plants large enough to use the full productivity of the soil.when spaced at the wider intervals. At the closer spacings seed yields are essentially the same regardless of the size of stecklings used. These data indicate that no particular spacing can be recommended as the "best.' Instead, the spacings should be Judged according to the size of the stecklings that are to be transplanted. Closer spacings may be used when the average size of the stecklings are below an inch and a half in diameter. Hide spacings seem advisable if the stecklings average over two inches in diameter. Allowing for the usual land rental, overhead, and field operations, at current rates, costs of production for each plot were calculated from the data obtained from the 2.7 acre field of sugar beet seed grown on the college experimental.farm~ Lack of experience and inadequate equipment increased.many of the cost items. However, the costs are reasonably indi- cative of what can be done on the average farm in Michigan. Table 3 gives the cost factors involved in growing an acre of sugar beet seed with the various treatments. Table 4 summarizes the cost of growing, harvesting, and storing an acre of stecklings. Table 5 gives the net profits from each seed plot as calculated from the data of tables 2 and 3. Twelve cents was allowed per pound of seed produced. Difference required for significance between means of treatments at 5% level 8 394 lbs., at 1% level I 543 lbs. Table 2. ‘Iields of sugar beet seed in pounds per acre in 1940. Rep. Rep. Rep. 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