Chlorophyll Response to Water Stress and the Potential of Using Crop Water Stress Index in Sugar Beet Farming

Field experiments were conducted in 2019 and 2021 growing seasons to evaluate the chlorophyll readings and crop water stress index (CWSI) response to full and deficit irrigation for drip-irrigated sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) under sub-humid climate of Bursa, Turkey. In addition, the changes of soil water content under different irrigation treatments and statistical relationships between chlorophyll and CWSI values and ET(c), root yield and sugar yield were investigated. Experiments were carried out in a completely randomized blocks design with three replications. Irrigations were scheduled based on the replenishment of 100 (S1), 66 (S2), 33 (S3), and 0% (S4) of soil water depletion within the soil profile of 0–90 cm using 7 day irrigation intervals. Lower and upper baselines obtained by measurements based on the canopy temperature from the treatments full irrigated and non-irrigated were used to calculate CWSI. The variations in CWSI values were consistent with the variations of seasonal soil water contents induced by the different irrigation practices. CWSI values generally varied between 0 and 1 throughout the experimental periods. In 2019, seasonal mean chlorophyll readings varied between 203.3 and 249.1, and mean CWSI values varied between 0.12 and 0.85. In 2021, seasonal mean chlorophyll readings varied between 232.7 and 259.3 and mean CWSI values between 0.19 and 0.89. Unlike chlorophyll values, CWSI decreased with increased irrigation water amount. In both years, statistically significant relationships were determined between chlorophyll readings and CWSI and ET(c), root yield and sugar yield. The greatest root yield was achieved with a seasonal mean CWSI value of 0.12. An exponential equation determined as “Root Yield = 10.804e(−1,55CWSI)” between seasonal average CWSI values and root yield can be used for estimation of root yield in sugar beet farming. The mean CWSI values determined by infrared thermometer technique can be used in determination of crop water stress and irrigation scheduling of sugar beet cultivation under sub-humid climatic conditions.