Show positive effect on yield, sugar content, leaf area. Acceleration of maturing, stimulation of metabolite redistribution from leafs to root.

Control of black leg, Peronospora downy mildew and Cercospora leaf spot.

Sugar beet is one of the most economically important plant species in agriculture. One can note, that while the average profitability of agriculture in 2004 was 15 %, in case of sugar beet it was 81 %. In addition, sugar beet is one of the most Albit-sensitive cultures: yield increase due to Albit application is 65 centners/hectare averagely. The minimal detected yield increase over control in conducted trials was 17 centners/hectare (in Tula oblast), the maximal one was 145 centners/hectare (Krasnodar kraj). In farms of Krasnodar kraj (Chapaev pedigree cattle farm, Kuban pedigree farm, etc.), the average yield increase due to Albit was stably 25-30% in 1999-2004. Also, Albit increases sugar content in roots averagely by 0,3–2,5 % andaccelerates maturation.

Albit is officially registered in Russia as a fungicide against black leg, cercospora leaf spot and downy mildew of sugar beet. The average Biological effectiveness of Albit against these diseases is 40-70 %, the maximal one is 88 %.

Fungicidal activity of Albit against sugar beet diseases is detected for disease prevalence of 41-50 % and disease development of 7-38 %. It is necessary to note, that BE of Albit gets lower the higher prevalence is (above 30 %). In this case, application of Albit with halved doses of chemical fungicides (fungicidal seed treatment agents) is recommended.

In practice, Albit is used for yield and sugar content increase, acceleration of phenological growth stages, relieving of herbicidal stress, protection from diseases (black leg, downy (perenosporosis), cercospora blight), increase of drought resistance. Presowing seed treatment and 1-3 foliar sprayings are recommended. Maximal effect from Albit application could be achieved by combination of seeds pretreatment and foliar sprayings.

Application recommendations:

Presowing seed treatment with Albit protects plants from black leg, downy, and cercospora blight; increases germination and provides growth stimulation, accelerate phenological growth stages  development (especially at the stage of 4-6 leaves (BBCH 15)); increase yield. Albit consumption rate is 50-100 mL / ton of seeds. Process solution consumption is 30-50 L / ton of seeds.

Application rate of Albit is 50 or 100 ml/tonne of seeds, in field conditions and at use of coating technology respectively. 

BE of Albit seed treatment against black leg is approximately the same as that of chemical protectants (fungicides based on a.i. Tiram), but cost of Albit treatment is more than 8 times lower. After such treatment, the period of defense against black leg was 25 days from the moment of germination. At use of coating technology, Albit is compatible with chemical fungicides and insecticides; it relieves chemical protectant-mediated retardation of plant growth and germination. Combined use of chemical protectants and Albit in seed coating technology makes possible prolonged storage of Albit-treated seeds before sowing (All-Russia Institute of Plant Protection, 2005).

Despite of high efficiency of Albit presowing seed treatment, many farms have to use only Albit foliar spraying, because seeds are already treated (coated). Thus, Albit should be integrated into existing seed treatment technologies to use its high potential.

The most effective method of Albit application on sugar beet is foliar spraying. Albit should be applied from the stage of 4-6 real leaves (BBCH 15) up to 50% leaves cover of ground (BBCH 35) (fig. 1). Albit application before and after mentioned period could not provide the desired effect. Albit should be applied together with scheduled treatments of sugar beet with herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. When combined with chemical pesticides Albit efficiency increases significantly, since in this case Albit acts not only as biostimulant and immunizer, but also as an antidote (relieves stress impact of pesticides on sugar beet).

First foliar spraying provides prerequisites for future high yield and sugar content (by means of growth stimulation), increases drought resistance, immunizes plants against downy mildew, and relieves herbicidal stress.

Fig. 1. Аntidote effect of Albit on sugar beet according to stages when Albit was applied in tank mixture with herbicides (field trials All-Russian Institute of plants protection, 2008-2009)

Herbicidal stress can lead to growth retardation, withering, decrease of photosynthesis intensity; yield loss might be up to 50%. Being mixed with herbicides for the first treatment, Albit abolishes these negative herbicidal effects and provides high yield increase. 

Albit might be also used separately, after 4-7 days after herbicidal treatment. Such treatment relieves effects of herbicide overdosage(especially at use of several strong herbicides), abolishes growth retardation and plant oppression.

Albit also grants increase of drought resistance by 10-60%; plant can easier survive hot weather and lack of water. For example, using of Albit in Krasnodar kraj in droughty 2003 helped to get the same yield, as in not-droughty 2002. Albit is the only formulation, officially recommended in Russia as a mean for increase of drought resistance of field crops.

The second foliar spraying promotes redistribution of nutrients from leaves to roots, increases sugar content and accelerates maturation. As was demonstrated in trials of All-Russia institute of Plant Protection, presowing seed treatment influences only on yield, but not on sugar content. To increase the sugar content, it is necessary to use Albit foliar spraying. The second foliar spraying also provides reliable immunization against cercospora leaf spot. Since Albit suppresses disease development through immunization, to control air infections it should be used before appearance of the first signs of disease. At the danger of epiphytoty the second Albit foliar spraying should be combined with halved doses of fungicides. High effectiveness of such approach was demonstrated in Chapaev pedigree cattle farm of Krasnodar kraj.

As was already mentioned above, Albit treatments of sugar beet accelerate its maturation. This acceleration makes possible gathering in a good harvest even on the very north of beet growing region: in Mordovia, Moscow and Nizhnij Novgorod oblasts.

Albit shows high economic efficiency on sugar beet. Each liter of Albit provides additional yield on average 599 centners of roots.