Two field trials were carried out at Sakha Research Station (Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate) during 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 seasons. Each experiment consisted of 18 treatments representing three sowing dates (1" October (Oct.), 15th October (Oct.) and 1* November (Nov.), three nitrogen rates (65, 80 and 95 kg N/fed) and two row spaces (15 and 25 cm). Treatments were distributed randomly in a split-split plot design with four replicates. Sowing dates were assigned in the main plots, nitrogen fertilizer levels were assigned to the sub plots and row spacing were randomly distributed in the sub-sub plots.
Results showed that sowing on 1st Oct. was the best than other treatments in sucrose %, leaf area index, leaf/weight ratio leaves dry weight, top yield, root yield, and sugar yield (ton/fed) in the two seasons and root diameter, purity %, root fresh weight as well as top yield in the 2nd season. Sowing date of 15th Oct. was suparior for in purity % and total soluble solids in the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively. Sowing date of 1st Nov. surpassed the other dates in root length in both seasons as well as root diameter, root fresh weight and total soluble solids in the 1st season.
Increasing nitrogen fertilizer level up to 95 kg/fed surpassed other levels in leaf area index, leaves dry weight, leaf/weight ratio, root length, diameter and root fresh weight, total soluble solids, sucrose and purity% as well as top and root yields (ton/fed) in both seasons. On the contrary, sucrose and purity% as well as sugar yield decreased in both seasons. Increasing row
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