Growing sugar beets: features of planting and care

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Yakov Pavlovich

Professor, Head of the Department of Vegetable Growing

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One of the most important industrial crops is sugar beet or sugar beet - this plant contains a large amount of sucrose in its roots (about 20%), which allows them to be processed and obtain pure sugar. In addition, beets are used as animal feed, soil fertilizer and used in the production of alcoholic beverages. The crop grows well in warm climates and, with proper care, produces a large and healthy harvest.

Climatic standards for growing

Growing sugar beets requires a moderate, sunny climate during the growing season and growth. Beets do not require heavy rainfall, but they do not tolerate drought well. Heavy and prolonged rainfall can negatively affect tuber development and sugar synthesis.

In our latitudes, tropical sugar beets can be sown in the spring, and in hot climate zones and subtropics, the sowing period coincides with the autumn months of September-November, when the eastern monsoon with precipitation of about 350 mm, well distributed throughout the entire growing season of the crop, which promotes growth and has a positive effect on the development of culture. The optimal temperature for beet germination is + 20 – 25ᵒС, for plant growth and development + 30ᵒС, and for the synthesis and accumulation of sugar, temperature norms fluctuate around + 25 – 30ᵒС.

Special technologies

Modern sugar beet hybrids are intensive hybrids, continues Roman Berdnikov. This means that they are responsive to the application of mineral fertilizers and foliar feeding. In addition, modern intensive hybrids place increased demands on protection from weeds and pests throughout the growing season. Compliance with all agrotechnological techniques will allow you to maximize the genetic potential of each hybrid in production crops.

Sugar beets are a rather difficult crop to cultivate, notes Grigory Sergeev, head of the scientific department of the Chance Group of Companies. When growing it, you have to adapt to constantly changing conditions. Ignoring these features inevitably leads to negative consequences: the effectiveness of plant protection products decreases, and their cost increases.

Speaking about technologies for growing sugar beets, the specialist draws attention to the importance of soil preparation. “The work begins in the fall,” says Sergeev. — First, the crop residues of the predecessor crop are disced, and after that, fall plowing is carried out. In the spring, when the soil reaches physical ripeness, when equipment can already enter the field, harrowing begins. Subsequently, when the optimum temperature for sowing is established, cultivation is carried out to control weeds and create optimal physical properties of the soil. Until the seedlings have emerged, if necessary, you can apply a continuous action herbicide. When the first shoots appear, several treatments are carried out with selective herbicides.”

Requirements for hybrids

Roman Berdnikov, General Director
Sugar beet hybrids presented on the Russian market today can be divided into 3 areas: - according to ripening periods (early, middle and late); - according to the ability to accumulate sugar (sugar, high-sugar and high-yield); - according to zoning. The beet growers themselves distribute these hybrids as follows: sugary/early; high-yielding-sugar/medium; productive/late. Each farm chooses its hybrids according to the zoning zone where its beet fields are located, says the specialist. When choosing a particular hybrid, farmers most often pay attention to high productivity - both yield and sugar content - as well as the hybrids’ resistance to disease. In addition, many beet growing farms pay attention to the loss of sugar in molasses during its production. The loss of sugar directly depends on the content of α-amine nitrogen, potassium and sodium: the more there is, the lower the sugar yield. The share of sugary/early hybrids in farms is 10-20%; high-yielding-sugar/medium - 50-60% and high-yielding/late - 20-30%. The distribution of shares depends on the length of the growing season. The longer it is, the greater the proportion of middle and late hybrids. The shorter, the greater the proportion of early and less late hybrids.

Pre-sowing preparation. Soil requirements

Well-drained, loamy soils, sufficiently enriched with organic and mineral complexes, with a pH level of 6.5 to 7% are suitable. Good soil structure is important as sugar beet growth is enhanced by good aeration and drainage. Beets grow poorly in acidic soil, the yield will be negligible; it is not recommended to plant beets in soil with a pH level below 6%.

Before planting, the soil must be plowed, weeds must be selected, and then harrowed and leveled so that the seeds can germinate favorably in it. Furrows for planting must be made at a sufficient distance from each other, approximately 50 cm, so that there is room for the development of tubers and there are no obstacles during irrigation.

To protect beets from diseases, it is necessary to add wood ash and boron to the soil. The fact is that many gardeners do not suspect why black growths and crusts appear at the roots of sugar beets. This is due to an insufficient amount of boron in the soil, and often its absence at all, because boron is inaccessible in soils with a high pH level.

Harvest transportation

Root crops are sent to their permanent location by vehicles with a carrying capacity of 15 to 30 tons. Road transportation over a distance of up to 60 km is economically justified. When the distance is long, rail transport is usually used.

The beets are taken directly from the field on an open truck to be delivered to special storage places - transshipment points, bases, warehouses, warehouses, etc. Root crops are transported in bulk in universal railway cars and grain carriers. They are unloaded from the side or rear. There are also tipper, flatbed - separate cars in which products are quickly weighed at several points and unloaded literally in one overturn.

If sugar beets are harvested in late autumn, they cannot lie on the field for a long time - this threatens freezing and loss of marketable characteristics. Therefore, everyone involved in harvesting is interested in loading and transporting it to storage areas as quickly as possible.

Sugar beet varieties

There are many different varieties of beets and each of them has a different growing season. When choosing a variety, pay attention to the timing of harvest ripening and purchase the most suitable seeds for yourself. When purchasing, purchase several varieties of seeds with different ripening periods, this way you will provide yourself with almost uninterrupted beet products. And when seeds germinate, it will be easier to transplant than seedlings. All varieties of sugar beets are divided into:

• productive - low in sugar but high-yielding;
• high-yielding sugar-rich varieties and hybrids contain about 18.5% sugar, but are slightly inferior in yield to the first group of varieties;
• sugary varieties are endowed with the highest percentage of sugar in the root crop, but these varieties cannot be called high-yielding.

The most common sugar beet hybrids are varieties such as Nancy, Bohemia, Clarina, Bona and others. For example, the Nancy sugar beet variety is a single-sprout diploid hybrid, weighing about 533 grams, with 18% sugar content, tasty and tender pulp. This variety is resistant to diseases such as cercospora and powdery mildew. The average yield of sugar beet varieties is approximately 485 centners per hectare.

Plant characteristics

This is the most important vegetable crop. A biennial plant, which is divided into food and fodder varieties. It contains about 16-21% sugar, many other useful substances, and grows well underground in temperate climates. To grow and harvest a rich agricultural harvest, you will need some knowledge, certain skills, and solid experience in crop production.

Popular varieties are sugar beet and beetroot. The differences in them are minimal; all similar varieties are mainly grown as food for rabbits, pigs and other animals.

Growth stages:

• choosing a suitable soil type and cultivating it;
• soil fertilization, step-by-step technology;
• sowing quality seeds;
• control of pests and weeds during germination and maturation;
• timely watering, loosening, sufficient fertilizer;
• fruit picking;
• preparing the land for the new season.

Advice: the correct ratio of sunlight, moisture, comfortable temperature conditions, and fertilizers will allow you to get maximum profit with relatively little labor input.

After the crop is harvested, it is transported to the storage location using transport specially designed for this purpose.

Sowing sugar beets

Sugar beets are planted in loose, well-fertilized soil when its temperature reaches + 6ᵒC. Beets are not afraid of light frosts, but it is necessary to understand that for the growth and development of the fruit, the temperature must exceed + 20ᵒC. Sugar beet is a heat-loving plant that responds well to fertilizers and black soil. To plant beets, you need to choose a site that is well-drained and sunny; in shaded areas, the beets will grow, preventing the root crops from gaining weight.

It is not advisable to plant beets after grains and legumes. Sugar beets are planted in rows, keeping a distance of half a meter between rows, for ease of care of seedlings and when watering. The seeding depth should be no more than 4 cm; to ensure germination, the seeds are soaked before planting. Beets do not need huge areas; you can even plant them in a pot and grow them on your window in the middle of winter. To do this, you need a medium-sized flower pot and soil. We plant sugar beets in a pot in the same way as in open ground, observing the rules for cultivating this crop. When planting in open ground, beets must be fertilized with compost during the growing season.

It is necessary to carefully select a site for cultivating this crop; the presence of large clods and weedy soil is unacceptable, as this can inhibit the development of tubers. Beets respond well to potash fertilizers and sunlight. To ensure that beet tubers develop well, add bone meal to the soil - a rich source of potassium and phosphorus. Beets will not take up much space on your plot, so they can be planted next to other vegetables. Onions, carrots, and cabbage will be good neighbors for beets. You can also plant beets together with potatoes. Potato, or Nightshade (from the Latin Solánum tuberósum), is a type of perennial...

Before planting, beet seeds need to be soaked in warm water; to do this, fill a bowl with warm water and soak the seeds overnight before planting. You shouldn’t keep them soaked for more than a day; you need to plant them the next day after the procedure. To form rows for planting sugar beets, use garden tools, a hoe, or a rake. Form even rows located at a distance of about 50 cm from each other. Sow the seeds along a sufficiently moistened row, planting to a depth of approximately 2 - 3 cm. After planting, the rows are watered with warm water. Under favorable conditions, seeds will germinate in 4-5 days.

Seedling care

If all the recommended conditions for planting seeds have been met, then already on the 4-5th day the first sprouts of sugar beets will appear. After this, it is important to provide the seedlings with the first proper care:

1. 3-4 days after planting the seeds, it is necessary to loosen the soil - this is necessary in order to break the crust that has formed after watering and destroy weeds.
2. As soon as the first shoots appear, thin out the seedlings, leaving only the strongest seedlings.
3. As a preventive measure against parasites and diseases, treat seedlings with biological products and insecticides.

The soil in the beds is regularly loosened, removing all emerging weeds and the crust that forms each time after watering. In case of dry weather, the plants are mulched - this way the root system will not dry out and need moisture.

Thinning

In order for beet seedlings to grow strong and healthy, it is necessary to regularly thin out - remove weak shoots and make planting uniform, not thickened. For the first time this is done in a mechanized way, as soon as the beets have formed the first leaf rosettes, the first pair of green leaves has appeared. With the help of light toothed harrows, farmers go across the crops, provided that per 1 sq. more than 20 seedlings sprouted per meter.

4-5 days after the first harrowing, a second harrowing is carried out, but in a different direction - maintaining 30-40° to the direction of the beds. The second thinning can be done manually if the crop area is small. At the same time as weak shoots, weeds are pulled out, which has a positive effect on the strength and strength of the remaining shoots.

Watering and fertilizing

Beetroot loves moisture, but due to excess it becomes starchy and loses its industrial value. Therefore, watering must be carefully adjusted and based on the type of climate and soil - the plant should not dry out, but the soil in the beds should not be swampy. A prerequisite for caring for sugar beets is preliminary drainage of the soil before planting and irrigation of the soil on the eve of planting.

On average, watering of seedlings is carried out 4 times a month in the summer (for heavy loamy soils) and is completely stopped 1 month before harvesting. If the soil on the field is loose and textured, then irrigation should be carried out 2 times a week. In this case, the plant needs up to 25 m3 per 1 ha during the growing season and up to 40 m3 per 1 ha during the growth of tops. Fertilizers are regularly applied along with watering - phosphorus-potassium mixtures and, if necessary, nitrogen are used.

Loosening and mulching the soil

After each irrigation, after 2-3 days it is necessary to loosen the soil in the beds - after drying, a hard crust forms on them, which interferes with the growth of the plant and prevents moisture from getting inside. The first loosening is carried out after the first seedlings appear on the field. Harrowing is carried out 10-12 cm deep into the ground, cultivating the rows along and across the seedling line. For these purposes, farmers use light or medium (if the soil is loamy) harrows, which go through the rows, plowing and loosening the soil.

See also Description and methods of beet pest control

Mulching is necessary when growing sugar beets, because it allows:

1. Protect seedlings from water and wind erosion.
2. Prevent premature evaporation of moisture or, conversely, siltation of the soil.
3. Increase the biological activity of the soil - thanks to mulch, the number of earthworms increases, which improve aeration and promote the growth of root crops.

Straw left over from last year's grain crops (usually wheat or rye) is usually used as mulch for sugar beets. For 1 hectare of planting land, about 2-5 tons of straw mulch are required.

Protection from insects and pests

Beet seedlings are susceptible to various diseases and parasitic organisms that disrupt the connection between the root system and green tops, which ultimately leads to the death of the plant. Among the most common crop pests:

• cutworms (small caterpillars);
• aphid;
• beet flea beetle;
• weevil.

It is possible to protect beets from insect pests only with the help of special insecticides, which are used to treat the seeds before planting and regularly spray the seedlings. The best drug against sugar beet pests is Fitoverm, which does not accumulate in the fruit, but effectively destroys parasites. To prevent bacterial and fungal diseases of beets, use the fungicide “Fitosporin”.

Weed removal

When loosening beds with sugar beet seedlings, all weeds are simultaneously removed, which take nutrients from the soil and prevent the root crops from growing large and strong. In the fields, weeds are removed using harrows, and when growing gardens, they are selected manually or with a hoe.

If the weeds grow too quickly and are quite powerful, then for efficiency it is advisable to use a chemical method of cultivating the soil - applying herbicides immediately after the first shoots. The best preparations for this will be those that contain desmedipham - this is a herbicide with a narrow spectrum of activity, which is used only on sugar and fodder beet seedlings. Occasionally, drugs based on phenmedipham are used, which is a similar pesticide to desmedipham.

Plantings are processed only in the early morning or evening on calm days. The air temperature near the ground should be between +15-25°C. In this case, it is necessary to check the weather forecast - there should be no precipitation in the next week after applying herbicides.

Irrigation

Sugar beets are very sensitive to stagnant water at all stages of plant growth. Watering beets should be based on soil type and climate conditions. Before sowing, irrigation is important because during sowing, sufficient moisture is necessary for the plant to germinate.

First of all, irrigation is important for the speedy ripening of the plant and the formation of the harvest. For loose textured soils, irrigation should be done twice a week. And for heavy loamy soils once a week. Watering the plant should be stopped two weeks before harvest. During harvest, if the soil is too dry, light watering is allowed to soften the yield of the root crop. To maintain optimal beet development, the moisture requirement is approximately 850 mm.

Agrofak

“The art of agriculture will come to an end if the farmer, seduced by ignorant, unrelated to science and short-sighted teachers, places all his hopes on universal means that do not exist in nature; when, blinded by fleeting successes, he trusts in the use of these means and forgets about the land, losing out of sight of its value and influence."

Yu. Liebig, 1840

“Even a whole society, a nation, and even simultaneously existing societies taken together are not yet the owners of the land. They are only its owners, using it and as... good fathers of the family, they must leave it improved for subsequent generations.”

K. Marx

“Soil is one of the most valuable natural resources. It is the basis and space of life for humans, animals and plants; part of ecosystems and their material and energy cycles; an important component of the landscape and its use. This implies the need for its environmentally and economically sound use, as well as the preservation and enhancement of its fertility and protection.”

D. Spaar, 1994

Covenant

I remember: my grandfather, leaving the handles of the plow, told us (sweat pouring from his face): “You can circle a friend’s finger, if you’re clever, you can fool your father too; You can deceive your bride, and wife, and mother, if there is no shame, but the earth - let it be known to you - you can never deceive the earth! Sometimes you left something unfinished: “Okay,” I decided, “it will do.” - It won’t do! - Grandfather’s eyes widened. - No! The earth keeps score of everything! It is true that she, dear one, feeds everyone: a seemingly bottomless vessel. No matter what the summer, roots, roots, roots suck at her mighty breast. Everything at once, and there is no damage to her, the earth: look at it - beauty! This is - since she herself is healthy, and healthy means she’s well-fed! Feed her - even though she doesn’t ask for food, give her what she should have, in full - she will pay off the debt with clean grain - the gold of the ears!

S. V. Vikulov

The relationship of sugar beets to soil is determined by: the granulometric composition and physical properties of the arable and subarable layers (looseness, composition, aeration and water regime), as well as the provision of nutrients.

These requirements are better met by well-cultivated soddy-podzolic loamy and sandy loam soils underlain by moraine, which have good moisture holding capacity, air permeability and warmability.

Cultivation of sugar beets on excessively light soils (physical clay - particles of 0.01 mm in size less than 10-12%), underlain by sand is complicated due to frequent lack of moisture, when it is impossible to obtain friendly, uniform shoots and the necessary density and completeness of plantings, high and stable yields root vegetables

Drained deep-lying peatlands are unsuitable for beets, which are characterized by excessive moisture in the root layer of soil (groundwater level less than 0.9-1 m), a high probability of frequent severe spring frosts, and as a result, poor quality of grown root crops (low sugar content and high alpha content). -amine nitrogen).

Sugar beets have a root system that penetrates deeply into the soil and forms a root crop weighing 0.5-1 kg. The optimal depth for root crop growth is 20-25 cm and its density is 1.2-1.4 g/cm3 (N.P. Vostrukhin; A.P. Kolomiets, 1979). Long-term research by the Experimental Research Station for Sugar Beets has established that deeper plowing for sugar beets, as well as subsurface loosening on soils underlain by rocks with a light granulometric composition, does not bode well for anything other than an increase in production costs. Depending on the density of the soil, the size and nature of its threshold space are: moisture capacity and water permeability, aeration and evaporation. Increased density, hardness and resistance of the soil as a result of compaction negatively affect the formation of the root system and root crops of the correct shape, while air exchange and oxygen supply are hampered, water permeability deteriorates, and plant productivity decreases.

Limiting and complicating the cultivation of sugar beets is the rockiness of the soil (more than 200 t/ha or about 5% by weight) and the steepness of the slope (over 6-9 degrees). The presence of hidden stones and a large number of stones larger than 6-8 cm in diameter especially negatively affects the functional reliability and efficient use of harvesting machines - breakdowns and downtime, loss of root crops, and the cost of manual labor (forced manual sorting of root crops) increase.

Based on the totality of natural conditions and soil cover, the territory of Belarus is divided into three latitudinal strips or parts: northern, central and southern. The beet-growing areas of the Brest region are included in the central and southern parts, the Grodno region - in the central part, and the Minsk region - in the northern and central part.

Under the influence of climate, vegetation, relief, soil-forming rocks and beneficial human activities, three main types of soils were formed here: soddy, soddy-podzolic and peat-bog.

The most suitable for cultivating sugar beets are soddy-podzolic loamy soils, developing on silty and moraine loams, and sandy loam soils, underlain at a shallow depth (0.5 m) by moraine loam. In arable lands of the Brest, Grodno and Minsk regions they are 15.1, 61.7 and 54.8%. The presence of such soils in the main beet-growing areas of these regions, as well as the scoring of arable land fertility, are given in Table. 2.7. With periodic liming, application of the required amount of fertilizers and adherence to agricultural technology, high sustainable yields of sugar beets and other crops can be obtained.

In the Brest region, sandy loam and sandy soils prevail, underlain by sand - 74.2% of the area (Grodno region - 37.6 and Minsk region - 36.5%), which are characterized by an unstable water regime (high water permeability and low moisture capacity), low absorption capacity and the degree of saturation with bases, low content of humus, mobile phosphorus and potassium. On these soils, sugar beets suffer most severely from lack of moisture during fairly frequently recurring dry periods. In addition, they are susceptible to wind erosion, as a result of which sugar beet seedlings thin out (perish), and the density and completeness of plant stands decreases. Therefore, beet yields are subject to large fluctuations from year to year and government purchases of root crops (Zhabinkovsky Sugar Plant) are extremely unstable. Since in modern conditions it is impossible to eliminate the discrepancy between soils and the plants cultivated on them even by excessive use of intensification means (M. A. Kadyrov, 2004), this should be taken into account when setting purchase prices for beets or other methods of differentiated financial support for its producers.

Peat swamp soils are widespread on the territory of Belarus. Their largest share in arable land falls on the following districts: Lyubansky - 40.5%, Ivatsevichisky - 25.5, Soligorsk - 23.4, Luninetsky - 23.3, Starodorozhsky - 21.8 and Pinsky - 21.3%. After proper reclamation, development of the correct fertilizer system and processing, they are able to produce high yields of sugar beets. But due to the undesirable acceleration of the rate of decomposition of organic matter of peat during the cultivation of sugar beets, the susceptibility of seedlings to frequent frosts, waterlogging of the soil, the difficulty of suppressing weeds (increased herbicide load) and the use of technical means, poor quality of root crops (low sugar content and high content of alpha-amine nitrogen) Placing sugar beets on deep-lying peatlands is extremely undesirable - it should be excluded! (N.P. Vostrukhin, 1971,1997).

The suitability of soils for cultivating sugar beets in the republic varies greatly between regions and especially between farms (and within farms). The results of scientific research (N.P. Vostrukhin and others) and the practice of beet sowing require, when determining and correcting the development strategy of this industry, mandatory consideration of the dynamics of the actual structure of the soil cover, the fertility and water regime of the soil, the productive capacity of arable land for cultivation and other factors.

The increasing intensification of agriculture (fertilizers, new varieties and technologies for cultivating crops, etc.) is limited primarily by the level of effective soil fertility as a prerequisite for the use of all factors involved in increasing crop yields (A. N. Kashtanov et al., 1983; N. S. Tikhonovsky, 1991; I. M. Bogdevich, 2001). Increasing the efficiency and sustainability of agriculture and obtaining high, stable yields can only be achieved by implementing a set of measures to increase soil fertility. Expanded reproduction of soil fertility should become the primary responsibility of society, since this is the most reliable way to increase food resources and ensure the social well-being of the people.

What is alarming is that in the republic, mainly for objective reasons, in a number of cases there is a tendency towards a decrease in the fertility of arable land - the indicators characterizing it are far from optimal (Table 2.8).

Soil fertility is understood as the ability to provide plants with nutrients, water, air, create favorable physical, physicochemical and biological conditions for them and form their harvest (V.R. Williams, 1950, 1951; V.D. Pannikov, 1964 etc.) .

Based on a synthesis of numerous scientific studies (I.D. Rudai, 1985, etc.), three groups of main indicators of potential (natural and artificial) soil fertility are distinguished:

— agrochemical — humus, bulk and mobile forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, microelements, pH of salt and water extracts of soil, hydrolytic acidity, soil absorption complex;

— agrophysical — particle size distribution, structure, bulk density, density, total porosity;

- biological - the total number of microorganisms, nitrification and nitrogen-fixing ability, enzymatic activity, intensity of CO release, and cellulose decomposition.

The main plant growth factors directly involved in the formation of biological yield include soil fertility indicators such as humus, gross and mobile forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and microelements. Other factors contribute to the creation of soil fertility and the formation of crops. All these indicators are interrelated and have different effects on soil fertility.

Soil fertility is largely determined by the content of organic matter (humus), since its chemical, physical and biological properties depend on this, which together significantly improves the growing conditions of cultivated plants and helps increase their productivity. “From whatever side we consider the soil - from the point of view of its origin, its composition, its chemical and physical properties and the processes occurring in it, will we consider the issue of soil fertility or the content of nutrients in it, will we talk about drainage or irrigation - the question of the organic matter of the soil as the main factor that determines its entire character, all its properties, the entire physiognomy of the soil comes up everywhere now” (V.R. Williams).

The problem of humus has been very effectively developed in Western European countries. On soddy-podzolic soils, similar to the soils of Belarus, a humus content level of 1.5% is considered critical. French farms maintain the presence of humus in the soil at the level of 1.5-3.0%, considering that higher is unprofitable (Z. M. Shugla, 1995).

German researchers define the effect of humus in soil as follows:

— gradual release of substances that nourish the plant (nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur);

— binding of plant nutrients with humus;

— maintaining optimal soil structure;

— improving moisture capacity is the most important function of humus on light soils;

— increase in soil temperature due to stronger light absorption (dark color of humus soils);

— increasing the level of filtration and buffering of the soil, neutralizing toxic substances (“Seibit.” 2003. No. 6).

When assessing soil fertility, they usually use the indicator of the total content of organic matter (humus) in it, which is not enough, since the part of it that is subject to decay, namely nutritious humus, is of particular value for practical agriculture. The other part is persistent humus, which, as a rule, does not mineralize. Even in the works of I.V. Tyurin, it was emphasized that the influence of humus on the physical and physico-chemical properties of the soil depends on its composition - the presence of stable (stable) humic substances and easily decomposed (labile). With a predominance of stable humus and a minimal proportion of labile humus, the effective soil fertility, even with a high level of total humus, sharply decreases. Consequently, the presence of labile forms of humus is a direct indicator of effective soil fertility (S. S. Sdobnikov, V. A. Boykov, 1993). Research conducted by the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy (A.I. Gorbyleva, V.B. Vorobyov, 2003) also established that the closer relationship of the crop is not with total humus, but with its active (labile) forms, which, in turn, , is determined by the formation and behavior of organomineral colloids in the soil. Their quantity determines the absorption capacity of the soil, which determines the amount of loss of basic plant nutrients and their replacement with fertilizers.

As a result of 26 long-term practical experiments conducted in Europe, it was confirmed that there is a close relationship between the humus content (the total amount of dead organic matter) and the fine fraction of the soil (clay and fine dust). The greater the proportion of fine fraction in the arable layer, the higher the humus content, which in mineral soils ranges from 0.8 (sand) to 5.2% (loam).

According to Korschens, there are strictly limited and environmentally determined indicators for the optimal content of nutritious humus. For normal production conditions they range from 0.3 to 0.1%. The traditional ratio of carbon and nitrogen in humus is 10:1, which corresponds to a nitrogen content of 0.02 to 0.06%. If the indicators are below the specified limits, the yield decreases; if higher, we should expect losses of carbon and nitrogen that occur during the decay of organic matter (The role of humus in the soil. “Seybit.” 2003. No. 6).

The task of science and practice is to find and implement accelerated ways of accumulating humus in the soil to a certain level, first of all, maintaining the optimal content of mobile forms in it, creating conditions for the least possible mineralization. For a deficit-free humus balance (I.P. Makarov, 1985; P.I. Nikonchik, 1995; N.P. Vostrukhin, M.I. Gulyaka et al., 1999; T.F. Persikova, 2003) it is necessary:

— increase the proportion of legumes and grasses in crop rotations (12-20%), ensuring high rates of humus replenishment;

— introduce soil cultivation technologies that allow limiting the processes of humus mineralization;

— increase the production of organic fertilizers through the use of straw, peat, copropels, green manure, sugar beet tops, etc.;

— move to the use of organic and mineral fertilizers on a calculated, balance basis, ensuring an increase in the utilization rate of nutrients and replenishment of part of the soil organic matter;

— prevent soil destruction by water and wind.

It is usually customary to compare soil fertility with the yield of agricultural crops: more fertile soils, other things being equal, are capable of providing a high yield, and less fertile soils - a lower one. However, the harvest, being an integral result, depends not only on the level of effective fertility, but also on the organizational and production activities of humans, weather, the variety grown, the quality of seeds and soil treatment, fertilizers, timing of sowing and harvesting, and measures to combat weeds and pests. and diseases, etc. The size of the harvest, although it is one of the objective criteria of soil fertility, in itself does not provide a comprehensive idea of ​​the nature of the processes that directly or indirectly determine the totality of soil properties that provide the vital needs of plants. Therefore, along with taking into account the harvest, when developing measures to increase potential and effective fertility, it is necessary to study in detail the nature, intensity of soil processes, their direct and indirect impact on the properties of the soil and, ultimately, on the growth and productivity of cultivated plants (V.F. Zubenko, 1974; I. A. Geller, 1974; N. S. Tikhonovsky, 1983).

Each soil has its own natural (natural) fertility, which is determined by the potential reserves of nutrients, the content and composition of humus, water-physical properties, the reaction of the soil environment, etc. The fertility of mineral soils in Belarus largely depends on the granulometric composition and the nature of the structure of the soil-forming rocks. The most fertile are light and medium loamy soils, characterized by a relatively stable water regime and a large supply of nutrients. They are slightly inferior to sandy loams, underlain by moraine loam. The least fertile soils are sandy soils, characterized by low moisture capacity and high water permeability. Research by the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has established the existence of a close relationship between the agrochemical properties of the soil and the yield of agricultural crops, and has developed an integral model of the optimal properties of sod-podzolic medium- and light-loamy soils, the effective fertility of which makes it possible to obtain 4.5-6.0 t/ ha of grain crops or 6.5-7.5 t/ha unit. (T. N. Kulakovskaya, I. M. Bogdevich et al., 1978; N. I. Smeyan et al., 1984).

The optimal values ​​of the main parameters of the arable layer of such soils are characterized by the following indicators: humus content - 2.0-2.5%, available forms of macro- and microelements (mg per 1 kg of soil): nitrogen - (N03 + NH4) - 30 40, mobile phosphates (according to Kirsanov) - 250-300, exchangeable potassium - 200-250, magnesium - 100-120, cobalt - 0.8-1, molybdenum - 0.2-0.4, boron - 0.5-0.6 , zinc - 6-7; soil solution reaction: pH (KS1) - 6-6.5, pH (H20) - 6.5-7; there is no mobile aluminum, hydrolytic acidity is 1.5-2, the sum of absorbed bases is 8-12, the degree of saturation of the soil absorption complex with bases is 80-90%; volumetric mass - 1.1-1.2 g/cm3, total porosity - 50-55%, air capacity - 25-30%, high activity of soil enzymes: invertase (more than 1 mg of glucose), polyphenol oxidase (more than 3 mg of purpurgalin), catalase (more than 1.3 ml of oxygen); low peroxidase activity and high nitrification capacity. These soils are characterized by the absence or slight manifestation of erosion or bouldering, the reserve of productive moisture in the 0-50 cm layer at the beginning of the growing season is 130-150 mm, the coefficient of utilization of annual precipitation is 0.6-0.7.

Cost standards for changing the properties of soddy-podzolic loamy soils have also been established. To increase the humus content in such soil by 0.1%, the application of 30-40 t/ha of manure is required; to increase by 1 mg per 100 g of soil P205 and K20, respectively - 40-45 kg/ha of phosphorus and 60-70 kg/ha active ingredient of potash fertilizers; to shift the pH in the first year by 0.15-0.2 on loamy soils and by 0.2-0.35 on sandy loam soils, add 1 ton of high-quality lime materials (T.N. Kulakovskaya, 1986; V.M. Kovalev, 1987).

Based on the principle of primary soil fertility for crop formation, the creation of a highly fertile background is a mandatory condition that guarantees more stable high yields of agricultural crops over the years.

Among the factors that ensure increased soil fertility and largely determine the level of crop yield, fertilizers play a leading role. The greatest effectiveness of fertilizers is achieved when used in crop rotation. This is very convincingly confirmed by our studies with sugar beets (Table 2.9.). In a field crop rotation with 20% saturation of sugar beets, the application of 12 tons of litter manure, 220-230 kg of active substance NPK per hectare of crop rotation area and 5-6 tons of dolomite flour in two beet fields allows increasing and maintaining the agrochemical properties of the soil at level close to optimal.

The system of application of fertilizers in crop rotation on sod-podzolic soils of the beet-growing zone of Belarus should provide for a consistent increase in the productivity of field crops and a high return on their yield based on the creation of a stable plant nutrition regime (elimination of excess soil acidity by liming, application of organic and mineral fertilizers to meet plant needs in available elements of mineral nutrition throughout the growing season), ensuring a positive balance of humus and elements of mineral nutrition, maintaining their reserves in the soil at an optimal level.

Yield and Harvest

Sugar beets ripen for about three months; yellowed leaves and fruit appearing from the ground indicate the maturity of the vegetable and the beginning of harvesting. To harvest beets, just pull the top and the root crop will come out on its own. If the vegetable is hard to come out of the ground, wet the soil with the beets and wait a little, after this procedure, the ground will become soft and you can easily harvest. The average yield under favorable conditions is about four hundred centners per hectare. The average size of a ripe fruit should be 5-10 centimeters in diameter. After harvesting, the length of the petioles should not exceed 2 centimeters. Beets should be stored in a cool, well-ventilated area, avoiding direct sunlight on the root crop.

Storage

1. 
   Immediately after harvesting, the beets are placed in piles that are located at the edges of the fields. Such storage is considered intermediate, but it is necessary for the fruit. The piles need to be covered with straw, and then the vegetables should be covered with it. This manipulation helps protect the beets from frost, wind and rain.

2. It is necessary to place the piles in places that will be accessible to transport, even in bad weather.
3. The beets are then transported for further long-term storage. Root crops are placed in piles. But before planting, you need to distribute the vegetables into groups: completely healthy ones, as well as fruits with minor mechanical damage. Fruits that are affected by pests and diseases should not be stored for long-term storage.
4. It is important to ensure that the beets do not sprout. Since such root vegetables spoil quickly. To avoid this, you need to choose only well-dried logs that can be ventilated. And just before laying the logs, they are treated with a 1% solution of sodium salt. You will also need to trim the tops off the beets.

The benefits of sugar beets

Sugar beets are a type of table beet. It represents a species - an evolutionarily established set of individuals, characterized by a single..., on which various breeders worked to obtain a type of sugar beet that would meet its main purpose - the production of sugar and ethanol. An interesting feature is that breeders accidentally noticed the similarity between table beets and sugar cane, which at that time was the only “supplier” of sugar. From this moment, breeders began their work to improve the sweet qualities of fodder beets, step by step following their goal. And after a few years, they achieved success, the first variety of sugar beet was obtained, the ancestor of which was the Silesian beet.

Sugar beets are grown not only for processing into sugar and for the production of ethanol. It also serves as a feed source for many livestock farms. Animals happily consume not only root vegetables, but also the green tops of plants, as well as waste from sugar production, such as bagasse. Molasses is also obtained from sugar production waste; it is used in the confectionery industry, in the manufacture of bakery products, and is also a natural sweetener.

Sugar beets contain a rich vitamin mix. All B vitamins, vitamin C, E and A, nicotinic acid, vitamin PP, folic acid. From microelements: calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, sodium, iodine and others. In addition, sugar beets also contain a variety of bioflavonoids, pectins and betaine. If you just think about the composition of sugar beets, you can conclude that it is without any doubt a very healthy vegetable that can solve immune problems, improve the body’s metabolic processes, regulate digestion, and help with vitamin deficiencies and other diseases associated with a major lack of vitamins and minerals.

Any product has contraindications, and sugar beets are unfortunately no exception. Due to the large amount of glucose it contains, sugar beets are contraindicated for people with endocrine system disorders (diabetics). Also, the root vegetable has the property of lowering blood pressure, therefore it is contraindicated for hypotension.

Diseases and pests

Pests can almost completely destroy a crop, so it is worth starting to fight them when preparing the soil for sowing, processing, and disinfecting seed material with solutions of a certain composition. The most common parasites:

• wireworm;
• aphid;
• nematode;
• flea;
• weevil;
• beet fly.

  
  If pests are noticed, the crop is carefully sprayed with special chemicals, many of which comprehensively combat both parasites and most diseases:

• rhizomania;
• root cancer;
• cercospora;
• root beetle;
• mosaic;
• hollowness.

Plants are often damaged by animals and birds:

• rats, mice, hamsters;
• nutria;
• hares;
• wild boars;
• rooks;
• pigeons;
• sparrows.

Of the weeds, the ford is the most dangerous - it grows into the tissues of the root crop, entangling it with yellow fibers, taking away water and useful substances. As a result, the plant withers and dies. During loosening, it is important not to sprinkle soil on the growing point - the top from where all the tops grow; they can rot.