Effect of N Fertilization on Sugarbeet Crown Tissue Production and Processing Quality¹

Abstract

Over the past 4 decades, sucrose content of sugarbeets (Beta vulgaris L.) has decreased while root yield has increased. Reasons reported include processing of more crown material, because mechanical harvesting removes less crown tissue than hand‐topping methods, and incre ased use of N fertilizer. Our objective was to determine the relationship between N application rate and sugarbeet crown tissue production, and its effects on processing quality of sugarbeets. Reported are the results of two studies conducted in 1975 and one in 1976, each using a different sugarbeet cultivar and seven N rates. Green petiole material was removed before each sugarbeet was sectioned into root and crown tissues for yield and quality analyses. Crown tissue increased linearly as rates of N application increased. Root tissue and recoverable sucrose yields were near maximum when spring soil NO3‐N or soil NO3‐N plus added N reached 200 to 225 kg/ha. At higher N levels, crown tissue yield increased and sucrose content in both root and crown tissues decreased, offsetting any potential benefits from increased whole beet yield. When N was adequate for maximmn sucrose production, crown tissue contributed approximately 20% of the total recoverable sucrose per ha. As N rate increased, sucrose concentration, extractable sucrose per metric ton, and purity decreased whereas Na, K, amino‐N, invert sugar, and imaturity index values increased for both root and crown tissues. Root tissue always had higher levels than crown tissue of extractable sucrose and purity and lower levels of Na, amino‐N, invert sugar, and impurity index. Crown tissue production can be minimized, and processing quality of sngarbeets can be improved by conservative use of N fertilizer.

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) storage quality in large outdoor piles is impacted by pile management but not by nitrogen fertilizer or cultivar

“…Brei was frozen and shipped to MSC for analyses of sucrose and quality parameters according to industry standards (Carruthers and Oldfield 1961). Sucrose content was determined by the polarimeter method (Halvorson et al 1978), and clear juice purity (CJP), as well as brei impurity amino-N were determined according to methods described by Last et al (1976).…”

Effect of tillage system and crop sequence on irrigated sugarbeet production

“…For maximum sugar storage in sugarbeet roots, available N in soil should be nearly depleted by August as excess N produces undesirably high concentrations of Na, K and Amino-N and excess crown tissue with low sugar content (Halvorson et al 1978;Rogers Sugar Ltd. 1999). Significantly more soil N remained after conventional tillage than after minimum or no tillage in August 2001.…”

“…Nitrogen concentration was slightly higher after dry bean than after fallow (Table 4 ). Excess available N in soil reduces extractable sugar and increases amino-N, K and Na (Halvorson et al 1978). There may have been more available N after dry bean than after fallow, causing a slight increase in sugarbeet N content.…”

Improving Nitrogen Management in Pacific Northwest Sugarbeet Production

“…Compared to other crops, sugarbeets require a relatively narrow range of N supply to optimize yield, quality and economic return. Many research studies have been conducted to evaluate N management in sugarbeet production across the U.S. (Adams et al, 1983;Anderson and Petersen, 1988;Carter et al, 1974 andHartman, 1975 and1980;Halvorson et al, 1978;Hills and Ulrich, 1976;Hills et al, 1978 andLamb and Moraghan, 1993;Stark et al, 1997;and Stevens et al, 2007). In Idaho, the Cooperative Fertilizer Evaluation Program (CFEP) was conducted from 1993 to 1997 to update fertilizer recommendations for sugarbeets using 37 on-farm trials (Stark et al, 1997).…”