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Know How / Sugar beet / Crop management

Growing sugar beet to limit the threat from pests, diseases and weeds and produce top yields needs expertise and timely use of the right inputs.

Find practical guidance and topical tips on maintaining canopy health, fine-tuning fertilisers and understanding variation, as well as achieving more of the potential yield.

Case studies

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SUGAR BEET

Sugar beet grower looks to increase nitrogen with biostimulant

One Suffolk arable contractor is trialling a nitrogen-supplying biostimulant to his sugar beet after a nutrient-draining wet winter, which could potentially cut his use of artificial nitrogen fertiliser. In June,…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Norfolk estate assesses risks in move to no-insecticides

An estate near the north Norfolk coast is farming with no insecticides across nearly two-thirds of its land, and is hoping for flexibility to qualify for payments under new environmental…

SUGAR BEET

Video: Sugar beet growers set for April rush to get crop drilled

Sugar beet growers are set to have a busy Easter as better forecast weather will see them trying to catch up on beet drilling, with only 5% of the national…

SUGAR BEET

The rare moth putting sugar beet yields at risk this autumn

There are reports of an uncommon moth larvae infecting sugar beet crops across the east of England, raising fears of significant yield penalties as harvest nears. Experts from the British…

SUGAR BEET

Video: Sugar beet drilling success with near-perfect weather

Sugar beet drilling is racing to a close in the current dry weather with higher beet prices and the availability of a key virus yellows seed treatment prompting more optimism…

COVER CROPS

4 growers' methods of effective cover crop destruction

Cover crops are becoming a mainstream option for growers, but their effective removal is critical to get good spring crop establishment. Farmers Weekly speaks to four growers from across the…

Practical advice

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SUGAR BEET

Tips to tackle foliar sugar beet disease in high risk season

Virus yellows is not expected to be the major issue feared in the spring – when aphid migration started earlier than usual – sugar beet growers have been reassured by…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Aphid pressure mounts in sugar beet crops - what you can do

Aphids are now flying and sugar beet growers are being urged to check their crops, as some have already reached the spray threshold for these vectors of virus yellows in…

SUGAR BEET

3 factors growers can influence to maximise sugar beet yields

After five years of monitoring more than 150 fields, the Beet Yield Challenge (BYC) has identified three important factors which growers can target to narrow the 10-25% gap between actual…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Updated advice on tackling cercospora in sugar beet

Burying infected leaves, identifying disease early and timely fungicide treatments are all steps growers can make to keep on top of the aggressive sugar beet disease cercospora. Cercospora is the…

SUGAR BEET

Advice on clamping sugar beet for optimal harvest storage

This year’s sugar beet harvest campaign is now under way, and a shortage of HGV drivers is expected to limit crop collection times, which may force some beet growers to…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Are growers paying too much for sugar beet weed control?

Trials this year show that some sugar beet growers might be spending too much on herbicides, with some commonly used and effective broad-leaved weed control programmes showing a huge range…

Insights

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SUGAR BEET

Sugar beet rubbery taproot disease: What farmers need to know

A disease that prevents sugar beet from being processed caused €43m worth of losses in Serbia last season. More worryingly for British sugar beet growers, it is spreading west into…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How climate change may increase pest and disease threats

The changing climate is already bringing new challenges, and 2022 served as a prime example, with sugar beet crops hit by a moth while oilseed rape crops in the east…

ARABLE

What an IPM approach to virus yellows in beet could look like

Virus yellows is the biggest threat to sugar beet crops in northern Europe, and work is being carried out to develop new integrated pest management solutions to manage the disease.…

SUGAR BEET

Autonomous sugar beet planting and weeding shows promise

Sugar beet yields of 90t/ha from a field planted and weeded using an autonomous robot have underscored the potential of using a system that can reduce herbicide costs by up…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

How technology lets crops turn pollution into fertiliser

A new technology that captures air pollution and uses sunlight to convert it into nitrate on the leaf surface of a crop has been developed by Lincoln-based Crop Intellect. Called…

SUGAR BEET

What the neonics authorisation means for sugar beet growers

Sugar beet seed can be treated with the neonicotinoid dressing Cruiser SB (thiamethoxam) this spring to protect crops against aphid-spread virus yellows under an emergency authorisation. The temporary derogation comes as…

SUGAR BEET

Garlic-based nematicide performs well in BBRO beet trials

A garlic-based nematicide has proved its worth in independent sugar beet trials for a second successive season, despite the low risk of Docking disorder in 2022. Docking disorder is caused…

SUGAR BEET

Will the beet moth reappear in crops this summer?

English sugar beet growers are counting the cost of the beet moth, which was seen in large numbers for the first time last summer. The moth (Scrobipalpa ocellatella) devastated some…

SUGAR BEET

Herbicide-tolerant sugar beet draws growers amid high costs

The greater flexibility on offer from herbicide-tolerant sugar beet is attracting more growers to the combined system, but the right stewardship and management remains essential. Originally launched ahead of the…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Can silicon crop sprays benefit growers this season?

Despite silicon being the world’s second most abundant element, making up 25% of the earth's crust, crops can still benefit from its application, which has a vital role in plant…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Tips on managing nematodes without Vydate in sugar beet

A new granular nematicide containing 45% garlic extract has been authorised for use in sugar beet following promising results against free-living nematodes – the main cause of Docking disorder. Nemguard…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Why sugar beet variety choice has a role in weed control

Research shows that crop canopy – driven by good establishment, variety choice and adequate nutrition – should play a more integral role in weed management strategies in sugar beet. Weeds…

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