Nitrogen is a fundamental element for the yield and quality of vegetables, but there is little information about its application to table beet crop. This work aimed to evaluate the yield, quality and nutritional status of N of the table beet as affected by the rate of N. Four rates of nitrogen were applied (0; 100; 200 and 400 kg ha-1 N) in a randomized block design with four replicates. 28 days after the transplant (dat), the nutritional N status was evaluated through the leaves content of NO-3-N and chlorophyll by the SPAD meter. At harvest (56 dat), the traits evaluated were: leaf area, yield of fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW) of storage roots and leaves contents of NO-3-N and total-N at the leaves, and storage roots and °Brix in the storage roots. With the increase of the doses of N, all the selected characteristics were increased. The NO-3-N and SPAD units at the 28 dat (95% of the maximum yield) were 2,575 mg kg-1 of DW and 44.7, respectively. Considering the quantitative and economic aspects of the yield of storage roots, the rate of 343 kg ha-1 N was the maximum economical efficiency rate. If considering the quantitative and qualitative aspects together, the 193 kg ha-1 of N was the recommended rate.
Beta vulgaris; fertilization; chlorophyll meters; nitrate; °Brix
