UK sugar beet yields have risen by 60% over the last three decades to over 11t sugar/ha – the fastest increase of any UK arable crop.

This is due to a combination of advances in breeding, seed technology, harvest and more crucially, the technical skills of the growers.

But researchers point out that trial yields in sugar beet are rising twice as fast as on-farm yields, showing there is much potential to increase on-farm yields. In fact, they predict yields will double in the next 20 years with 120t/ha soon being a modest target for the crop.

To help growers get more out of their crops, Farmers Weekly and British Sugar are again running the Beet the Best competition this autumn, with the aim of highlighting best practice.

The virtual sugar beet growing competition – now in its second year – will challenge growers to see if they have got what it takes to exceed the 100t/ha threshold.

Teams can now register for the contest ahead of the first round, which starts on 1 October and must be completed by 31 October. There will be four categories: grower groups (up to four members per team); individual grower; agronomists and consultants (open to individual entries only); and young entrant (aged 18-25).

Winners can look forward to an all-expenses paid trip to Spain, which is scheduled to take place from 15-20 April next year.

“We will look at how sugar beet is produced and processed, as well as how beet research and crop development is managed in Spain,” said Paul Bee, British Sugar’s agricultural communications manager.

How it works

The competition will test entrants on their knowledge and skills in growing a virtual beet crop, with the winners achieving the highest yields.

Questions will be web-based and split into three rounds, which will take place in October, November and December. Each will focus on a different stage of crop management (see below).

Round one will feature multiple-choice questions, but rounds two and three will be a mixture of multiple-choice and open questions.

Entrants who answer multiple choice questions incorrectly in round one will be given the opportunity to recoup yield losses with the open questions.

These answers will be judged according to the impact they will have on crop yield by a panel of experts from British Sugar, BBRO, Newcastle University and NFU Sugar.

After each round, competitors will be sent emails containing their results as well as information about the continuing competition.

Farmers Weekly will be reporting on progress throughout the season.

THE ROUNDS

Round one

Preparation (1-31 October)

* Making management decisions to set the crop up to achieve maximum yields. Questions will include soil management, crop nutrition, rotations and management plans.

Round two

Crop protection (1-30 November)

* Questions will be based on weed, pest and disease control, plant populations and pest and weed identification.

Round three

Delivery (1-31 December)

* Efficient harvesting strategy as well as field and clamp storage techniques will be key. Minimising beet damage and late season challenges are also covered here.

HOW TO ENTER

Visit www.fwi.co.uk/beetthebest or www.beetthebest.co.uk from 16 September to register your team and receive email updates before the first round opens on 1 October.