Getting the most from your sugar beet crop

Natalie Wood, Country Arable Agronomist at Yara, leaders in environmentally responsible fertilisers and crops, offered her advice on getting the most from your sugar beet crop this year;

Natalie Wood, Country Arable Agronomist at Yara,

Creating a full leaf canopy

“A full leaf canopy is what produces the highest yields,” says Natalie. “By intercepting at least 90% of incoming sunlight quickly and maintaining its greenness throughout the growing season, sugar beet will accumulate sugar from very early in its growth cycle.”

Growing this canopy early is critical. For this reason, nitrogen is the single most important nutrient, as it promotes growth at all stages of the plant’s development. However, care must be taken to ensure other nutrients are in order.

“A balanced crop nutrition program is key,” says Natalie. “Make sure you have all the essential macro and micro nutrients to get the most from your crop.”

Essential nutrients

Phosphorus, a crucial nutrient for optimal early growth, is often limited in many soils. Fresh applications help ensure availability and avoid deficiency. Potassium and sodium both also have a beneficial effect on growth, regulating water in and out of the plant and nutrient movement within the crop.

Sulphur, too, can often be overlooked. “Sulphur is essential for high yields,” says Natalie. “It is linked with nitrogen. The ratio of nitrogen to sulphur in a healthy plant would be about 15:1. A higher ratio than that could lead to deficiency.”

Natalie also highlights the role of magnesium, an important component of chlorophyll which drives yield development through photosynthetic activity. During root expansion and growth, rapid cell division also occurs which needs large amounts of boron. Boron deficiency halts growth and leads to deterioration of the root and leaf expansion, compromising yield and quality.

Maximising results

Boron deficient sugar beet

While factors such as temperature and water supply will have an impact on yield and sugar content, one area where farmers do have control – and the chance to positively impact their crop – is in managing their nutrients.

“Making sure the right nutrients are applied at sufficient levels can make a real difference for sugar beet,” summarises Natalie. “There are also micronutrients that play a key role: manganese, boron, copper and molybdenum. The best approach is to apply a product that contains several of these key nutrients, such as YaraVita Brassitrel Pro, that way we know we’re supplying the crop with what it needs for healthy growth.”

“Now is the time to act. Make sure you have an effective nutrient management programme in place to give your sugar beet crop its best chance for high yields.”