Comparative botanical studies of some cultivated groups of Beta vulgaris L. (Chenopodiaceae)

The present study carried out in the experimental farm of Agricultural Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University (Assiut Branch), Assiut, Egypt, using two pots and field experiments during the two winter seasons (2019/2020 and 2020/2021). to study and compare the botanical (Morphological characteristics, physiological characteristics, anatomical characteristics, yield and qualitycharacteristics) and taxonomic characteristics of the Beta vulgaris L. (four groups of beets: sugar beet two cultivars, fodder beet two cultivars, garden beet one cultivar, and leaf beet one cultivar) in the family Chenopodiaceae. The obtained results indicated that sugar beet given the highest values ​​in root diameter, fresh and dry weight of the roots and leaves, on the other hand, fodder beet recorded the highest values ​​in root length and lowest values ​​in leaf area, fresh and dry weight of leaves. While garden beet recorded the highest values ​​for the number of leaves and the lowest values ​​for root length. The leaf beet given the lowest values ​​for root diameter, fresh and dry weight of roots, and the number of leaves. Also, the results indicated that leaf beet scored the highest values ​​in leaf concentrations of chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll followed by garden beet, while fodder beet recorded the lowest values ​​ of chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll. On the other hand, sugar beet cultivars are given the highest values in the leaves content of nitrogen and potassium, and the lowest values in the leaves content of phosphorous. While garden beet is given the highest values for phosphorous followed by leaf beet. Data recorded that sugar beet given the highest values ​​in root diameter, parenchyma layer thickness, number and thickness of growth rings, length of xylem arm, midrib thickness, vascular cylinder thickness, vascular bundles thickness in leaves, lowest values ​​for vascular cylinder thickness in the root, mesophyll thickness in leaves. At the same time, fodder beet recorded the highest values ​​for cortex thickness and diameterof xylem big vessels, the lowest values ​​for midrib thickness in leaves vascular cylinder thickness in leaves, and the stomatal density in the leaves. The garden beet had the highest values ​​for vascular cylinder thickness in the root, the stomatal density in the leaves, and the lowest values ​​for root diameter, parenchyma layer thickness growth rings thickness. The leaf beet recorded the highest values ​​for mesophyll thickness in leaves, while the lowest values ​​for cortex thickness, length of xylem arm diameterof xylem big vessels. Also,the results indicated that sugar beet recorded the highest values ​​in the content of sucrose percentage, Extractable sugar percentage, quality ratio, and the lowest values ​​in the sodium content in the root, α-amino N. While fodder beet given the highest values ​​in root content of potassium, sodium, and Impurities percentage, and the lowest values ​​in root sucrose content, Extractable sugar percentage, quality percentage. At the same time, the garden beet cultivar recorded the lowest values ​​of potassium and Impurities percentage in roots. The leaf beet given the highest values in root content of α-amino N. These results reinforce the classification of the beet genus into four cultivated groups, namely and clarify the degrees of kinship and the relationship between them as follows, sugar beet group, fodder beet group, garden beet group, and leaf beet group.