Beetroot

Short description of the species

Botanical name

Beetroot

Latin name

Beta vulgaris sk. Conditiva

Family

Chenopodiaceae

Origin

along coastlines from Britain to India

Crop classification

root vegetable

Plant height

flowering stem (2nd year): 1.2 m

Exposure

relatively undemanding (sun or semi-shadow)

Temperature requirement

ideal temperature 8-30 °C; low temp. within germination and emergence, jarovization risk; high temp. , growth retardation, root woodening

Keeping

medium

Water requirement

medium

Soil requirement

medium-heavy, permeable

Soil pH

6.5 – 7.5

Edible part

root

accessibility

Usage

direct consumption – salads, juices; processing – sterilization/conservation

Growing technology and harvest 

Propagation 

• generative – direct sowing 

Spacing 

• 0.30-0.40 x 0.10 m 

• sowing depth = 30-40 mm 

Harvest 

• root diameter = 50-150 mm; in case of processing to cubes can be also more 

• some of processing companies = conservation of small roots with diameter 30-40 mm (in this case, denser spacing can be used, e.g. 0.20 x 0.05 m) 

• late harvest = woodening, cracking and bad coloration of roots 

Important dates 

Storage 

• temperature = 0-1 °C 

• air humidity = 90-95% 

• storage period at mentioned conditions = approximately 8 month (basic condition = health, un-damaged roots) 

Use 

• direct consumption – salads, juices 

• conservation – small roots or cutting to cubes 

Diseases and pests 

• virus diseases: Beet yellow virus (BYV), Beet mosaic virus (BMV), Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) 

• bacterial diseases: beet scabbing (Streptomyces scabies) 

• fungus diseases: damping-off, black leg, black root and seedling blight (complex of various microorganisms and funguses, mostly Pleospora betae, Aphanomyces spp., Fusarium spp., Pythium spp. etc.), beet leaf spottiness (various fungus species, mainly Cercospora beticola, Ramularia beticola), beet mildew (Erysiphe betae), beet rust (Uromyces betae), downy mildew (Peronospora farinosa f. sp. betae) 

• pests: beet root fly (Pegomya hyoscyami), pygmy mangold beetle (Atomaria linearis), bean aphid (Aphis fabae), flea-beetles