Promote the Quantitative and Qualitative Production of Three Varieties of Organically Grown Beetroot

A field experiment was carried out for autumn season 2021-2022 in the fields of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering - College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences - University of Baghdad - Al-Jadriya Complex - Station A -To study the effect of cultivars (Red, Dark Red, and Cylindra), organic medium, vermicompost, and cow manure, as well as control treatment (soil only), and spraying with silicon, calcium, and distilled water (comparison) on the growth, yield, and quality of beetroot, within a completely randomized block design as a split-plot experiment. As the cultivars were counted as the main factor, organic medium, and foliar spraying as the secondary factor, with three replicates, the number of treatments reached 27, and the averages were compared according to the least significant difference L.S.D at the level of probability of 5% for each variety, and the results were as follows: The treatment of the triple interaction of the Dark Red cultivar with the Vermicompost planting medium and spraying with silicon was significantly excelled by giving it the highest percentages of the nutrients N, P, and K, as well as the concentration of the element Si in the roots of the beetroot plant, at a rate of (3.53%, 0.48%, 4.07%, and 387.67 mg L-1), respectively. While the treatment V2×F2×S2 was significantly excelled in the percentage of calcium, as it gave 2.19%. The triple interaction treatment of Cylindra cultivar and Vermicompost medium with silicone spraying were significantly excelled in (plant height, blade diameter, number of leaves and percentage of fibers), as it gave (58.56 cm, 11.00 mm, 13.55 leaf-1 and 4.01%), respectively. While the treatment of Dark Red cultivar and Vermicompost media with silicone spray 2V×F1×S2 excelled by giving it the highest root weight and the highest percentage of dry matter (387.97 g root-1 and 9.00%), respectively.


Introduction
One of the most important strategies of developed countries is to place restrictions on the use of plant protection products and mineral fertilizers, which threatens to reduce production.Therefore, it is necessary to search for innovative technologies to produce abundant crops of high quality [1] and because the beetroot crop is strongly affected by the nutritional soil condition and its classification as a functional food ،Because of its benefits in promoting health and preventing diseases due to the high nutritional value, which increased the importance of the crop [2].The organic medium is generally important for increasing crop production, especially for root crops, because it improves the physical, chemical and biological conditions of the soil, which leads to better root growth, where the rational 2 use of fertilizers and conditioners is one of the most important measures to improve soil fertility and increase the productivity of agricultural crops [3].Therefore, new horizons were presented through innovative environmentally friendly organic fertilizers, especially earthworm compost, which is one of the biological methods for recycling organic waste, although microorganisms are responsible for the transformations that occur in organic matter.Earthworms modify the activity of microorganisms due to their high porosity and ability to retain water as well as their high content of nutrients for plants and various microorganisms, so it may be an alternative to mineral fertilizers [4].Cow manure is also considered to have a complete nutritional content and is relatively available for plants, because the nutrients have undergone a transformation in a short period.It was found that the beginning of the decomposition process occurs in the animal's rumen because the microbes are able to function optimally and the time required to break down the cell walls in the rumen is only one day, while in the soil it takes weeks, half of the organic matter is used by the animal and the rest is emitted as waste [5].The advancement of the crop requires the provision of the necessary nutrients to achieve high yields as well as the quality of the product and due to the physiological roles of silicon in improving growth and productivity by increasing the activity of photosynthesis.[6] found that it reduces the angle between stems and leaves, making them more straight, thus preventing self-shading and increasing the efficiency of intercepting solar radiation to the leaf, which increases carbon metabolism and thus increases the percentage of sugars [7,8].In the same context, the importance of calcium, which is one of the nutrients with physiological roles affecting plant growth, is evident, as it contributes to the process of division, cellular expansion, and chromosome stability, as well as its importance in achieving osmotic balance in cells [9,10].Therefore, the study aimed to improve the productivity and quality of the beetroot crop by using organic fertilizers and foliar nutrients.

Materials and Methods
The study was conducted in the fields of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences -University of Baghdad -Al-Jadriya Complex -Station A -for the autumn season 2021-2022.The field was divided into sheets with a length of 1.25 m and a width of 2 m.Seeds were sown on 4 lines, the distance between one line and another was 20 cm, and a distance of 15 cm between one plant and another, and the fertilizer recommendation for the beetroot plant was added (150 kg N / h, 120 kg P / h, and 120 kg K / h) [11].

Treatments and Experimental Design
An experiment was conducted with three factors (3×3×3) within split plot with factorial design As the first factor represents three cultivars distributed on the main plots, the second factor represents the agricultural media (3 treatments), and the third factor is spraying with nutrients (3 treatments), bringing the number of treatments to 27 treatments with three replicates, and the total number of experimental units is 81 experimental units (27 treatments×3 replicates).The seeds were sown directly on 10/1/2021. Calcium Ca (2g/L) Source: Tecnokel calcium.After completing the indicators of the field study, the averages were compared according to the least significant difference (L.S.D) at a probability level of 5%.

Study Characteristic
The percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium in the roots of the beetroot plant: Random samples were taken for the roots when harvesting, the samples were dried in an oven at 60-70 °C until the weight was stable, then the samples were digested and the elements were estimated by the following methods:  Nitrogen: using the Microkjeldahl apparatus by the distillation process [12]. Phosphorus: using the Spectrophotometer [13].
 Silicon: Spectrophotometer according to the method given in [15].

Indicators of Vegetative Growth
Ten plants were randomly selected from each experimental unit, and the following indicators were measured:  Plant height (cm): Plant height was measured using a measuring tape, starting from the soil surface to the end of the longest leaf  Blade Diameter (mm): The diameter of the blade was measured using the electronic microvernier  Number of leaves (leaf/plant): The total number of leaves was calculated for randomly selected plants for each experimental unit  yield indicators: Yield measurements were recorded for 24 randomly selected plants from each experimental unit, as follows:  Root fresh weight (g): The roots were separated and the weight of one root of the selected plants from each experimental unit recorded at harvest

Root weight (gm) =
 Percentage of dry matter in the roots (%) Dry matter percentage = dry weight / fresh weight×100 The percentage of fiber: was estimated using the Digestio Apparatus device and followed the method described in [16].

Results and Discussion
The results in Table (1) indicate the triple interaction treatment between the Dark Red variety and the Vermicompost planting medium and spraying with silicon 2V×F1×S2 excelled by giving it the highest percentages of the nutrients N, P, and K, as well as the concentration of the element Si in the roots of the beetroot plant at an average of (3.53%, 0.48%)., 4.07% and 387.67 mg L -1 ), respectively .While the treatment 1V×F0×S1 gave the lowest percentages of the elements at an average of (2.46%, 0.23%, 2.07%, and 175.00 mg l -1 ), respectively, while the treatment 2V×F2×S2 excelled significantly in the percentage of the element calcium, as It gave 2.19%, compared with the treatment of 1V×F0×S1, which gave the lowest value of 0.34%.The results of the bi-interaction between the cultivar and the cultivation medium in Table (2) indicated that the treatment S2×V2 was excelled in the percentage of nitrogen in the roots, reaching 3.38%, which did not differ significantly from the treatment S2×V1, while the two treatments S1×V3 and S3×V3 gave the lowest percentage.The percentage of nitrogen in the roots was 2.90%.While treatment S1×V2 excelled morally by giving it the highest percentage of phosphorus, amounting to 0.40%, while treatment S1×V3 gave the lowest percentage of phosphorus, amounting to 0.29%.As for the highest percentage of potassium and calcium, it was distinguished by treatment S2×V2 by giving it (3.55 and 1.06).% , While the treatment S1×V3 gave the lowest percentage of potassium, amounting to 2.45%, while the treatment S1×V2 led to a decrease in the rate of calcium, reaching 0.43%.As for the concentration of silicon in the roots, it was characterized by the treatment S2×V1, as it gave 287.89 mg L -1 While treatment S1×V3 gave the lowest silicon concentration of 227.33 mg.L -1 .As for the effect of the interaction between the cultivar and foliar spraying, it is clear from the results of Table (1-b).The treatment F1×V1 was excelled in the percentage of nitrogen in the roots, as it gave 3.40%.While the F1×V2 treatment excelled in the percentage of phosphorus, potassium, and silicon concentration in the roots of the beetroot plant, as it gave (0.45%, 3.30%, and 330.44 mg L -1 ), respectively.While the treatment F2 × V2 was distinguished by giving it the highest percentage of calcium, which amounted to 1.37%, while the lowest rates of nitrogen, calcium and silicon were witnessed by the treatment F0 × V3 by giving it (2.73%,0.43% and 210.56 mg L -1 ) respectively.While the treatment F2×V3 gave the lowest percentage of phosphorous, which amounted to 0.29%, while the lowest percentage of potassium was the effect of the treatment F0×V1, which gave 2.49%.Table (2) also indicated that the interaction between Vermicompost planting medium and spraying with silicon F1×S2 was significantly excelled in the percentage of N, P, K and Si, reaching (3.51%, 0.41%, 3.52% and 340.33 mg L -1 ) compared with the treatment F0×S1 which gave the lowest rates (2.77%, 0.28%, 2.28% and 180.67 mg L -1 ), While the interaction treatment of Vermicompost with calcium spray 2F2×S was significantly excelled in the percentage of calcium as it gave 1.67%, while the treatment S1×F0 gave the lowest rate of calcium, amounting to 0.35%.The results of the statistical analysis of the single study factors showed the significantly excelled of cultivar V3 in the percentage of nitrogen, reaching 3.26%, while the cultivar V1 gave the lowest percentage of nitrogen in the roots, at an average of 2.99%.The results indicated that the V2 cultivar was excelled in the percentages of P, K, Ca, and Si elements in the roots, without a significant difference with the V3 variety in silicon concentration, as it reached (0.39%, 3.11%, 0.83%, and 266.37 mg L -1 ), respectively, compared to the lowest rates.For the elements Pk, Ca and Si in class V1, they amounted to (0.31%, 2.82%, 0.67%, and 251.44 mg L -1 ), respectively.As for the individual effect of the cultivation medium, the results of Table (3) indicated that the medium S2 was excelled on the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and silicon concentration in the roots of the beetroot plant, as it gave (3.31%, 0.37%, 3.13%, 0.90% and 274.11 mg L -1 ) , while treatment S1 witnessed the lowest rates as it gave (3.00%, 0.34%, 2.58%, 0.49% and 239.93 mg L -1 ) respectively.As for the effect of foliar spraying, it is clear from the results of Table (1c) that treatment F1 was superior in the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and silicon concentration in the roots, as it gave (3.27%, 0.39%, 3.18%, and 303.70 mg L -1 ), While treatment F2 excelled by giving it the highest percentage of calcium, which amounted to 1.20%, while the lowest percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and silicon concentration was in treatment F0, as it gave (3.03%, 0.32%, 2.63%, 0.51%, and 220.70 mg L -1 ).The reason for the interaction treatment between the Dark Red cultivar and the mixture of Vermicomposting medium with spraying with silicon was excelled by giving it the highest proportions of the elements nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and the concentration of silicon may be due to the synergistic effect of the agents used.As vermicomposting fertilizer contains high concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients as well as an increase in microbial mass and activity such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria and phosphate-dissolving fungi [17,18] Also, the slow release of nutrients into the soil by organic matter prolongs the processing time of nutrients, which may cause their accumulation in plants [19,20].As for the effect of silicon, it may be due to its role in giving mechanical strength to the cell walls, as it was noted that it enhances the process of (suberinization), as well as the addition of lignin to the epidermal cells, and this creates a better connection between the cells, which causes an increase in the absorption of water and nutrients and improves the exchange of nutrients in the tissues Which enhances the accumulation of nutrients and the accumulation of nutrients in the roots [21].

Indicators of Vegetative Growth and Qualitative Yield of Beetroot for the Autumn Season 2021
The results of Table ( 4) indicated the superiority of the triple overlap treatment of cultivars, medium and foliar spray 3V×F1×S2 in (plant height, blade diameter, number of leaves and percentage of fibers).It gave (58.56 cm, 11.00 mm, 13.55 leaf plant -1 and 4.01%) sequentially without a significant difference from the treatment 2V×F1×S2 in plant height, while the treatment 2V×F1×S2 excelled by giving it the highest root weight and the highest percentage The dry matter was (387.97 gm root -1 and 9.00%), respectively Followed by, without significant difference, the treatment 3V×F1×S2 in the percentage of dry matter compared with the lowest rates in (plant height, blade diameter, number of leaves, weight of roots, percentage of dry matter and percentage of fibers) in the treatment 1V×F0×S1 reached (41.22 cm, 6.57 mm, 8.00 leaf.plant - and 155.91 gm root -1 , 5.40% and 0.98%), respectively.As for the effect of the binary interaction between the cultivar and the medium, the results of Table (5) indicated that the S2×V3 treatment was excelled in (plant height, number of leaves, and 1259 (2023) 012055 IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1259/1/0120557 percentage of fibers).It gave (54.37 cm, 12.44 leaf.plant - and 2.92%) sequentially, while the treatment S1×V3 excelled by giving it the largest leaf blade diameter of 9.53 mm without significant differences with S3×V3 and S2×V3, while the treatment S3× excelled V2 by giving it the highest root weight of 329.81 g without significant difference from treatment S2×V2.As for the lowest rates in the traits (plant height, blade diameter, number of leaves), it was in the treatment S1×V1 by giving it (43.41cm, 7.25 mm, 8.77 leaf.plant - ) respectively.,While treatment S1×V3 gave the lowest root weight of 186.29 g root -1 , while treatment S2×V1 excelled by giving it the highest dry matter percentage of 8.05% without significant difference from treatment S1×V1.As for the lowest percentage of dry matter, treatment S2×V3 reached 6.17%, while treatment S3×V2 gave the lowest percentage of fiber, amounting to 1.37%.While the effect of the interaction between cultivar, spray and foliar was clear, where treatment F1×V3 excelled by giving it the highest plant height, number of leaves, and percentage of fibers (54.81 cm, 12.70 leaf.plant - , and 3.20%), respectively, without a significant difference from treatment F1. × V2 in the characteristic of plant height, while treatment F0 × V1 gave the lowest rates (45.74 cm, 8.37 leaf.plant - , and 1.35%), respectively.While the treatment F0 × V3 excelled in the blade diameter trait as it gave 9.95 mm, which did not differ significantly from the treatment F1 × V3, while the treatment F2 × V1 saw the lowest diameter of the leaf blade amounted to 7.53 mm, while the results of Table (5) indicated excelled on Treatment F1×V2 by giving it the highest root weight of 334.70 g root -1 .As for the lowest root weight, it was witnessed by the F0×V3 treatment, where it gave 201.90 g root -1 .While the treatment F1×V1 excelled by giving it the highest dry matter percentage of 8.05%, while the treatment F2×V3 gave the lowest dry matter percentage of 6.10%.As for the effect of the bilateral interaction between the culture medium and foliar spraying, treatment F1×S2 was characterized by giving it the highest rates in plant height, blade diameter, number of leaves, root weight, and percentage of dry matter (55.07 cm, 9.39 mm, 11.55 leaf plant -1 and 350.54 g root -1 and 7.84%), respectively, which did not differ significantly from treatments F1×S3 and F1×S1 in blade diameter.While the treatment F1×S3 gave the highest percentage of fiber amounting to 2.64% without a significant difference from the treatment F1×S2, while the treatment F0×S1 gave the lowest rates as it reached (44.82 cm, 7.96 mm, 9.22 leaf-1 and 177.79 g root -1 , 6.31%, and 1.37%, respectively.As for the individual effect of the treatments, it is noted from Table (6) that the V3 variety was excelled in plant height, blade diameter, number of leaves and percentage of fibers by giving it (51.86cm, 9.38 mm, 12.00 leaf.plant - and 2.25%), respectively.While the V2 cultivar was significantly excelled by giving it the highest root weight and the highest percentage of dry matter, which reached (298.26 gm root-1 and 7.611%), respectively.The lowest rates for plant height, blade diameter, number of leaves, root weight, and percentage of dry matter were in the V1 cultivar , which was given (46.52 cm, 7.83 mm, 8.85 leaf.plant - and 229.92 g root -1 and 6.568%), respectively, while the V2 variety gave the lowest percentage of fiber, amounting to 1.63%.As for the effect of the medium, it is noted that the treatment S2 was excelled in trait (plant height, number of leaves, root weight, and the percentage of fibers), as it gave (51.20 cm, 10.49 leaf.plant - , 290.07 g root-1, and 2.13%), respectively, and no significant differences were observed.For the S3 treatments in the number of leaves leaves.plant - 1 ,While treatment S3 excelled by giving it the largest leaf blade diameter of 8.68 mm and without significant differences with treatment S2, while the lowest rates in (plant height, blade diameter, number of leaves, weight of roots and percentage of fibers) were in treatment S1 by giving it (47.25 cm, 8.27 mm)., 9.64 leaf.plant - , 206.09 gm root -1 and 1.84%), respectively, It is also noted from the results of Table (6) that medium S1 was significantly excelled in the percentage of dry matter by giving it 7.34%, while the lowest percentage of dry matter was in the treatment of medium S3, at an average of 6.48%.While the results of foliar spraying showed the excelled of the F1 treatment in (plant height, number of leaves, root weight, and percentage of fibers), as it gave (51.72 cm, 10.93 plant leaf-1, 289.62 g root-1, and 2.56%), respectively, while the treatment gave F0 the lowest rates were (47.44 cm, 9.70 leaf-1 and 224.82 g root-1 and 1.57%), respectively, while the F0 treatment was excelled in blade diameter and percentage of dry matter as it gave (8.72 mm and 7.15%) , it did not differ significantly from treatment F1 in the blade diameter traits , but the lowest rates were due to the effect of treatment F2, as it gave (8.13 mm and 6.67%), respectively.The reason for the excelled of the treatment with Vermicompost fertilizer in increasing the indicators of vegetative growth may be due to its role in increasing the percentage of nutrients (Table 1), especially the role of nitrogen in plant growth and development, as it is the basic component of amino acids, proteins and nucleic acids, as well as its entry into the building of the basic porphyrins ring in The composition of chlorophylls [22], which improves carbon metabolism and its reflection on improving the transport processes of organic compounds synthesized in the leaves from the source to sink of the storage roots, causing an increase in the weight of the roots and its reflection on the percentage of dry matter [23].Silicon spraying leads to an increase in the size of chloroplasts and the number of grana discs, and then an increase in the concentration of chlorophyll in the leaves.It also works to regulate the absorption of nutrients and the transport of nutrients across cell membranes when it is deposited in the cell walls [24], as well as its role in Regulation of sugar metabolism, hormonal homeostasis and stimulation of the root system [25].

Table 1 .
The effect of triple interactions of cultivars, media and organic fertilizers on the concentration of nutrients in the roots of beetroot for the fall season 2021.

Table 2 .
The effect of triple interactions of cultivars, media and organic fertilizers on the concentration of nutrients in the roots of beetroot for the fall season 2021.

Table 3 .
The effect of triple interactions of cultivars, media and organic fertilizers on the concentration of nutrients in the roots of beetroot for the fall season 2021.