According to historians, the ancient Babylonians were the first to use beets, although so far only as a medicine. And the ancient Greeks believed that it was this root vegetable that gave a person strength and youth. Centuries have passed since then, and contemporaries still use beets both as food and as medicine. At the same time, the vegetable has undergone many changes thanks to the work of breeders and was divided into numerous varieties.
In this article we will talk about such varieties of beets as sugar and fodder. What are their differences and how they are used, you will learn further.
What is the difference between the types
Fodder (beet) and sugar beets differ from each other in many respects. It's not just about the appearance, but also about the composition, as well as the scope of application. So, let's take a closer look at the main differences between these subspecies.
Chemical composition
This is the most important quality indicator of a vegetable. Fodder beets contain 5-8 g of carbohydrates, 9 g of proteins and 1 to 3% sucrose.
Sugar beets have a completely different composition: 20 g of carbohydrates, 0.12 g of protein and about 20% sucrose. This group of root beet varieties was developed through selective breeding. At the beginning of the 19th century, the sugar concentration in sugar beets was only 5-7%.
Differences in depth of growth
The first sign by which sugar beets can be distinguished from fodder beets is the depth of growth. Sweet root vegetables are always completely in the soil, with only the tops outside.
The fodder is usually located a few centimeters above the ground, sometimes even two-thirds of the length of the entire vegetable without tops. Because of this, the above-ground part of fodder beets fades in the sun. It also makes manual harvesting easier, which cannot be said about machine harvesting.
Appearance
It is also easy to understand by appearance which vegetable is in front of you. So, what is the visual difference between one variety and another?
Sugar beet:
- elongated shape;
- color white, beige, gray;
- the tops are dense (50-60 leaves), green;
- the leaves are small, inconspicuous, light green.
Fodder beet:
- round or oval shape;
- color red, pink, orange;
- the tops are less dense (35-40 leaves), beet-colored, green;
- the leaves are small, ovoid, glossy, green.
Features of care
At this point, we’ll start with the choice of soil, since fodder and sugar beets have different requirements.
Chernozem and sierozem soils and peat bogs are suitable for sugar varieties. Before planting them, it is advisable to grow winter wheat or barley in the intended location. The soil horizon should ideally hold water at a depth of 70 cm.
Forage varieties feel better on slightly alkaline, saline soils. Chernozem will also suit them. The main thing is high fertility and additional feeding. The predecessor crops of beetroot in the garden are cereals, vegetables or legumes.
Rules for caring for sugar beets:
- During germination of seedlings, two thinnings are made - by 5-6 cm and by 15-18 cm.
- Abundant watering immediately after sowing.
- Regular weeding.
- Application of fungicide and insecticide to protect against pests during the growing season.
Rules for caring for fodder beets:
- A few days after sowing and after rain, loosening is carried out.
- It is necessary to weed several times during the growing season.
- Avoid watering a month before digging.
- Use mineral fertilizers.
- Apply Nitroammofoska to the soil before planting.
Productivity
This indicator also varies between beet and sugar varieties. In the first case, the average harvest amount is 30-60 tons per hectare of land. In the second - 15-30 tons.
The best varieties of beetroot:
- Lada;
- Hope;
- Milan;
- Vermont;
- Jamon;
- Starmon.
The best sugar varieties:
- Bohemia;
- Bona;
- Araksia;
- Big Ben.
Description of beets
Beets are considered one of the most common vegetables in the world. There are a large number of varieties of root crops, among which the most popular are fodder and sugar varieties, which differ in purpose, chemical composition, and cultivation characteristics.
Important! The size of the leaves directly affects the size of the root crop. The larger the foliage, the more active the process of photosynthesis takes place and the more intense the vegetable grows.
Sugar
Sugar beet is a commercial sugar crop that belongs to the goosefoot family and is a biennial plant. In the first year of development, the vegetable forms a rather thick, elongated, cylindrical-shaped, white root crop and lateral basal leaves. In the second year, the plant forms generative organs. The root system is presented in the form of a rod, where there is a main root and lateral roots growing from it, the length of which can sometimes reach up to 50 cm.
The leaves of the plant are thick, smooth, collected in a rosette, and have a green or pale green color. The stems are strong, long, up to 1.5 m high. The crop blooms with small flowers collected in a loose spikelet. The fruits are small, shaped like nuts, collected in 2-6 pieces in clusters. The main purpose of sugar beets is the production of sugar, and in rare cases, animal feed.
In many ways, the chemical composition of a vegetable and its taste will be determined by the conditions in which it is grown. Sugar beets are 75% water, the rest is sucrose, the amount of which can reach up to 20%. The root vegetable has a sweet taste and in some cases is used as a natural sweetener for desserts, baked goods, and jams.
Did you know? Sugar beets are the result of selective breeding. At the beginning of the 19th century, the percentage of sucrose in it was only 5%. Annual selection work made it possible to increase this figure to 20%, which, in turn, made it possible to significantly increase the volume of sugar production in the world.
Stern
Fodder beet is a biennial plant that is used as feed for animals, in particular cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, etc. In the first year of growth, the crop forms a root crop and a rosette of leaves located near the roots. In the second year, vegetative shoots are formed, which subsequently produce seeds and fruits. Depending on the species, the color of fodder beet can vary from yellow and orange to pink and purple. The root system of the plant is poorly developed; the main root is a taproot and is not large in size or length.
The foliage of forage varieties is less rich than that of the “sugar” representatives. The leaves are ovoid in shape, have a smooth, shiny surface, and are arranged horizontally. In comfortable conditions, the number of leaves on one plant can reach 20–30 pieces. Small flowers are formed on the upper parts of the shoots, which during the ripening process form infructescences - small balls, each of which contains from 2 to 6 seeds.
Fodder beet contains about 89% water, the rest is ash, proteins, fiber and fats. Root vegetables are characterized by good taste and high juice content, due to which they are a favorite treat for many animals. The taste of fodder beet is a little sugary and has a specific smell, so it does not have any special nutritional value for humans.
Important! Fodder beets are almost always larger than sugar beets in size and weight. If the weight of the first can be several kilograms, then the last - 500–800 g
Areas of use
Sugar beets are widely used in sugar production. In Russia it is the main resource for sugar production.
Black molasses is also obtained from these varieties. It is a dark brown, syrupy liquid, a byproduct of sugar production from beets or cane. Another name for molasses. It is used in dishes such as ribs in sweet sauce and certain types of beer. It is believed that this is not only a tasty, but also a healthy product. The tops are used to feed livestock or to fertilize the soil.
Fodder beets are used to feed livestock . It has a beneficial effect on the milk of domestic animals qualitatively and quantitatively. During the cold season, it helps to obtain the necessary vitamins, microelements and proteins.
Usage
Culture finds application in various areas of human activity.
The bulk of sugar beets is used for processing and production of a valuable food product - sugar. You can also use it in cooking. Waste from the beet sugar industry has found wide application in agriculture. Tops and substandard root crops are used as valuable feed for livestock. Pulp contains a lot of protein, which allows you to balance the nutrition of animals and increase their productivity; molasses contains up to 60% sugars. The dirt remaining after processing is also used as fertilizer.
Both root crops and plant tops are used as food. It is especially useful to include succulent roots rich in vitamins in your diet in winter.
The differences between fodder beet and sugar beet allow you to choose a crop that meets the existing growing conditions and direction of use.
For which animals is fodder beet grown?
This type of root vegetable is suitable for cows, pigs, goats, chickens and even rabbits.
Cows love this vegetable very much. It significantly increases their milk yield and increases the fat content of milk. The daily norm is no more than 18 kg. And 15 days before calving, it is necessary to stop feeding this crop.
For goats the effect is similar. The daily norm for an adult goat is 4-5 kg.
When root crops and beet tops are consumed by chickens , the shells of their eggs become stronger, the yolk acquires a beautiful bright yellow color, and the health of the bird itself improves.
Pigs can be given the vegetable either raw or cooked. Since beets normalize digestion and fat metabolism, eating them by pigs increases their body weight while reducing the amount of fat.
Rabbits actively eat both the tops and roots of beets. It improves the appearance of their fur and the taste of the meat. In addition, digestion and general health are normalized. So, regardless of the purpose of keeping rabbits, beetroot is useful for them.
Features of choice
Any variety of beet is distinguished by its unpretentiousness in care, resistance to various environmental conditions, etc. With such “modest” requirements, the vegetable produces an excellent harvest of valuable and healthy root crops, widely used in various fields: for animal feeding, sugar production, food of people. A large selection of varieties allows you to choose the one that is optimally suited to certain climatic conditions and soil.
The most productive types of fodder beet are those that have a cylindrical, round or spherical shape. The most popular varieties are Lada, Voriak, Leitevitskaya, Ursus Poly, Pervenets
Among sweet beets, it is worth paying attention to the varieties Nancy, Boheme, Bona, Clarina, which are characterized by a high content of sucrose
Beetroot is a unique vegetable in its composition, which has restorative, restorative, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties. It is rich in vitamins B, P, PP, a complex of amino acids, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, and organic acids.
- The benefits of the vegetable are as follows:
- improves the digestion process, promotes better metabolism, relieves constipation;
- has a beneficial effect on hematopoietic processes;
- has a positive effect on the immune system, increases the body’s resistance to external factors;
- increases potency in men, improves the functioning of the reproductive system;
- normalizes the functioning of the nervous system;
- improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
- relieves insomnia;
- cleanses the body, removes toxins and waste.
Fodder and sugar beets are healthy and unpretentious vegetables, which are characterized by high nutritional value, low maintenance requirements and a long shelf life. Sweet varieties are grown industrially for sugar production, as well as for home use as a base for some dishes. It is advisable to grow fodder beets if the farm contains animals. Such a root vegetable will become a useful, accessible and inexpensive food, used almost all year round.
How to distinguish these two types visually
For clarity, the photo below shows sugar beets and fodder beets. It is easy to distinguish them by appearance. The main thing is to remember the main points:
- Sugar - white, fodder - burgundy-pink.
- Sugar - elongated, stern - round.
These are the main distinguishing features that will not allow you to doubt the definition.
Sugar beet.
Video: Beetroot - benefits and harm
It is one of the oldest and most widespread plants in the world. There are several types of this plant, differing not only in appearance, but also in purpose. So, both, and are, however, they have many differences, different purposes and characteristics of cultivation.
The global significance of this crop is especially important for Ukraine, since it is in 6th place in the world in the production of sugar.
The top three included France, Russia and Germany. In addition, this particular vegetable is on the list of the most grown crops in the country. The reason for such good growth of these crops in Ukraine is the presence of black soil and temperate climate.
A little history and the benefits of beets
All species that exist today originated from wild beets and were improved by breeders, each species for its own purposes. At the same time, India and the Far East are considered to be the birthplace of the plant - it was from these geographic regions that the targeted use and cultivation of the plant began.
Did you know?
Historians claim that the inhabitants of Babylon were among the first to use the root vegetable, albeit as a .
The ancient Greeks sacrificed crops to Apollo, in particular this betaine vegetable. It was believed that this particular root vegetable promotes youth and strength. Initially, people ate only, throwing away the roots as inedible. Already in the 16th century, German breeders improved the plant, resulting in a division into (used in cooking) and (livestock feed).
The next stage in the development of this culture occurred in the 18th century - scientists developed (technical culture).
It is probably because of this improvement that this red root vegetable has become widespread. Already in the 19th century, it began to be grown in all corners of the world, with the exception of Antarctica.
Today there are several types of root crops in the world, and more and more farmers are wondering how white beets differ from fodder beets. This is exactly what our article is dedicated to.
Soil requirements
Beets, especially fodder beets, place significant demands on soil fertility, moisture and acidity. To obtain high yields, it is necessary to place the crop on soils rich in organic matter, the acidity of which is neutral or slightly alkaline. High results are obtained with irrigation. Under favorable conditions, individual root crops reach a weight of 15 kg.
Sugar beet roots are much smaller. On average, it ranges from 500-800 g, but with sparse crops it can reach several kilograms. These plants are less demanding on moisture conditions, but have an increased need for fertilizers.
Fodder beets grow only in fertile soils
The best varieties
Over the entire existence of fodder beet as an agricultural crop, breeders have improved existing varieties and developed new ones. Beetroot is an undemanding plant that produces an excellent harvest. The wide variety makes it possible to select fodder beet seeds for any climate zone and soil condition.
Beets with a cylindrical shape are grown in the non-chernozem and northern chernozem zones, since they are earlier ripening and unpretentious to soil moisture:
- Eckendorf yellow fodder beet. Well-developed tops, leaves are dark green and shiny. The color of the head is gray-green, the rest is bright yellow. The pulp is white, medium shelf life in winter. The growing season is 130-160 days. Productivity is 100-120 tons per hectare. Resistant to cold;
- Arnimkrivenskaya. The result of improving Eckendorff yellow. Well-developed tops with dark green shiny leaves. The head is gray-green, the rest of the root is bright green, the flesh is white. Storability is average, yield is 100 tons per 1 ha;
- Ursus Poli. The growing season is 120-135 days. The skin is orange or yellow, the flesh is juicy beige. Productivity from 1 ha to 125 tons of roots. High safety in winter.
Semicircular varieties are grown in the black earth belt and, with great success, in non-black earth zones:
- Oberndorf red. The peel color ranges from bright red to crimson. The pulp is juicy and white. Resistant to diseases, pests and low temperatures. Keeping quality is high;
- Leitevitskaya was bred in two colors: yellow and red. The pulp is white, juicy. Keeping quality in winter is high. Productivity is 90-100 tons per 1 ha.
Elongated oval:
- Lada is the most productive. Refers to single-germ varieties. The skin has a pink-greenish color. The pulp is juicy, white, homogeneous. The variety is resistant to drought, disease and black rot. Productivity is 110-130 tons per hectare, under good agrotechnical conditions it reaches 170 tons per hectare;
- Voriak. The tops are well developed with dark green smooth leaves. The skin is gray-green at the top and yellow-red at the bottom. The pulp is white, homogeneous. At the first autumn frosts, the tops die. Keeping quality in winter is good.
Conical varieties are considered semi-sugar due to their high dry matter content - 13-19%. Their cultivation requires loose soil and subsoil in black earth areas:
- First born. The growing season is 130 days. Productivity 500-600 tons per 1 ha;
- Poltava semi-sugar;
- Uman semi-sugar.
Beet care: processing, watering, fertilizing
To get a good harvest, weeds are regularly removed from the garden bed, seedlings are watered, row spacing is loosened and fertilizing is applied (Figure 10).
Loosening row spacing to a depth of 4-6 cm leads to the destruction of the crust, which impedes the penetration of air to the root crops
It is especially important to carry out loosening during the development phase of the first two pairs of leaves, since crust on the soil surface leads to growth retardation and causes the plant to show increased demands on growing conditions
Figure 10. Caring for beets: watering, loosening and fertilizing
Before 4-5 leaves appear, beets grow slowly, so weeds overtake them in growth, drowning out young plants. Tractor kerosene is used to control weeds even before germination. The sown area is sprayed with it at the rate of 35-50 g per square meter. A solution of sodium nitrate is used to control weeds in the phase of appearance of 2-3 pairs of leaves on seedlings.
Growing beets requires regular watering, especially when there is a lack of moisture. Water is applied in the evening, when the top layer of soil dries out. The next day after watering, it is necessary to loosen the rows. If the area was to be mulched, there is no need to carry out the loosening procedure after each watering.
Watering beets is stopped 2-3 weeks before harvesting in order to increase the sugar content of root crops. It is better to fertilize with organic fertilizers, since mineral fertilizers can cause root crops to crack and voids to form in their body.
It should be noted that foliar feeding has its advantages:
- Absorption of nutrients occurs faster (through the leaves);
- This fertilizing does not harm root crops; it can be carried out at any stage of plant development;
- With this method of fertilizing, fertilizers are distributed more rationally and evenly.
The first feeding is carried out with a solution of bird droppings or mullein after thinning in the early phases of development.
Potassium fertilizer (wood ash) is applied at the stage of closing the tops in the rows. The ash is simply scattered over the bed (a glass per one and a half square meters), after which watering is carried out.
Sugar beet processing in Russia
Basically, sugar beets are used for sugar production, which requires complex energy-intensive technology (Figure 11).
Harvested root crops are stored in the field in piles. At the sugar processing plant, they are cleaned using special hydraulic machines, washed, weighed, checked for the presence of iron particles and crushed in a special way.
Figure 11. Technology for processing sugar beets to produce sugar
The resulting chips are placed in an installation in which sugar is released by diffusion.
Next, non-sugars and coloring matter are removed from the diffuse juice. The resulting mass is filtered and bleached several times. The purified juice is evaporated, and the resulting syrup is heated in vacuum apparatus until sugar crystals form. Then the mass is placed in centrifuges, where the intercrystalline liquid is separated. Sugar crystals are bleached by washing in hot water. The water used after washing is again returned to the sugar extraction process.
To prevent the mass of sugar crystals from sticking together during drying, it is placed in drying and cooling units, after which the sugar is sifted, packaged in bags and sent to the consumer.
After separating the juice, waste from sugar beet processing (pulp) is briquetted, dried and sent to feed livestock.
Crop varieties
There are many varieties of fodder beets, each of which has its own characteristics and requirements for growing conditions.
The most common of them, Eckendorf yellow fodder beet, has a cylindrical shape, protruding a third from the ground, white juicy pulp. The growth period of the culture is 140-155 days. The variety tolerates low temperatures well, is undemanding to soil, and is an excellent feed for cattle, as it helps increase milk productivity. The Centaur variety belongs to the semi-sugar type, has white, elongated oval fruits weighing 1.2-2.7 kg, with a shallow root furrow. The plant is undemanding to moisture and soil composition. The root crop sticks out from the ground by 40%, which greatly facilitates the assembly process. The growing season of the Centaur variety is 145 days. Hybrid beet varieties Ursus belong to the semi-sugar multi-sprout type. The plant has a yellow-orange cylindrical root, weighing up to 6 kg, more than half sticking out of the ground. Ursus beets are able to grow quickly even in dry and unfertilized soil. The growing season is 145 days. The Record variety is a multi-sprout, semi-sugar plant. It belongs to the middle late cultures. Beetroot has cylindrical-conical pink fruits, weighing up to 6 kg and 40% submerged. The variety is resistant to diseases and preserves well. The growing season of the plant is 145 days. The Kiev pink beet variety is classified as a multi-sprout, mid-season type. The crop has cylindrical-oval fruits of orange color with a small shallow root furrow, half immersed in the soil. Beetroot has a high yield. It tolerates drought well and is resistant to pests and diseases. Buryak Brigadir is distinguished by oval-cylindrical smooth shiny fruits of orange-green color, weighing up to 3 kg, with a high sugar content. The variety is drought-resistant and undemanding to soil composition. The growing season is 120 days. Lada is a single-sprout variety of fodder beet with a white or pinkish-white oval-cylindrical root crop with a pointed base. Its weight can reach 25 kg. Immersion of root crops is 40-50%. The plant is resistant to drought and disease, stores well
The tops remain juicy and green until harvesting, which is important if they are used as raw materials. Buryak Nadezhda has a single-sprouted seed; the hybrid variety is grown in the conditions of the North-Western, Middle Volga and Far Eastern regions
The oval-cylindrical red fruit has a depth of 40%
Characterized by high productivity. The Milana variety belongs to the single-germ, semi-sugar type. Beets grow quickly in the initial stages, have oval-shaped fruits, white below and green above, with a submergence of 60-65%. The plant is characterized by long-term storage, resistance to disease and color. Fodder beet Vermont is a hybrid variety of single-seeded type. The root vegetable is medium-sized, cylindrical-conical, yellow-orange in color. Jamon is a single-seeded variety with a cylindrical-conical root crop that is yellow-orange in color at the bottom and orange at the top. It is characterized by average resistance to cercosporiosis. The root eater is not interested. Starmon has a cone-shaped root, yellow underneath and green on top. The variety prefers loamy, sandy, fertile soils.
