BeetArea Under Cultivation

Beet root is cultivated in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and

Maharashtra.

It is a herbaceous plant having thick and fleshy root with an extensive root system and ovate, dark

rosette green leaves which develop in a close spiral manner with the oldest leaves on the outside.

Centre of Origin : Mediterranean region

Pollination system : Cross pollinated

Chromosome no : 2n=18

Botanical Name : Beta vulgaris

Family : Chenopodiaceae

Plant Discription :

Nutritional Levels:

Moisture Protein Fat Mineral matter Fibre Carbohydrate Calories(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (K Cal)

87.7 1.7 0.1 0.8 0.9 8.8 43

Minerals

Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Iron Sodium Copper (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

0.19 0.91 14 24 0 59.8 0.29

Manganese Zinc Sulphur Chlorine Molybdium Cromium(mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

0.19 0.91 14 24 0 0.012

Vitamins

Carotene Thiamine Riboflavin Niacin Vitamin C Choline Folic acid-Free(mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

0 0.04 0.09 0.4 10 242 0

Folic acid- Total(mg/100g)

0

Moisture Protein Fat Mineral matter Fibre Carbohydrate Calories(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (K Cal)

87.7 1.7 0.1 0.8 0.9 8.8 43

Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Iron Sodium Copper (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

0.19 0.91 14 24 0 59.8 0.29

Manganese Zinc Sulphur Chlorine Molybdium Cromium(mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

0.19 0.91 14 24 0 0.012

Carotene Thiamine Riboflavin Niacin Vitamin C Choline Folic acid-Free(mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)

0 0.04 0.09 0.4 10 242 0

Folic acid- Total(mg/100g)

0

Minerals

Vitamins

BeetDiseases

Leaf Spot (Cercospora beticola) :This is a commonly occurring disease on foliage of beet roots. High humidity usually favours the

spread of this disease. Numerous small circular spots appear on the leaf surface. The spots

increase in size, becoming brownish or purplish in color. Individual spots are usually circular but

several may coalesce into larger areas of dead tissue. The spots dry up giving a shot-hole

appearance to the leaves. In case of severe infection spots cover the entire leaf surface resulting in

pre-mature death and dropping of the leaves. As leaves die, the crown becomes cone-shaped with

a rosette of dead leaves at the base. Defoliation occurs throughout the growing season resulting in

reduction in root size and yield. Older leaves are mostly affected.

Control: Removal and destruction of affected plants and practicing crop rotation are beneficial in

controlling the disease. Spraying with Copper Oxychloride (0.3 %) thrice at an interval of 15 days

controls the disease effectively.

Downy Mildew (Perenospora schachtti) :The disease is mostly prevalent during the cooler months. Symptoms

appear as irregular greasy greyish areas on the leaves. Under moist

conditions, these areas expand rapidly and a white powdery growth

appears on the lower surface of the affected leaves. Affected leaf dries

and shrivels quickly. Flower shoots on infected plants become stunted

and distorted. The entire inflorescence has a compact appearance and

excessive leaf development may give an appearance witches broom.

The fungus survives on the crop residues in the soil and is also carried by the seed.

Control: Preventive measures such as good field sanitation, crop rotation and use of resistant

cultivars is recommended. Seed treatment with Thiram (2.5-3 g/kg of seed) protects the emerging

seedlings from the disease attack. Spraying with Dithane Z-78 (0.3 %) thrice at an interval of 15 days is

also recommended as an effective control measure.

Mosaic : The disease is normally transmitted and spread by aphids. Symptoms appear as conspicuous mottling

with chlorotic, zonate ring spots on the leaf surface. When these ring spots develop their center are

usually green. Virus infected plants remain stunted and may lose some leaves.

Control: Destruction of infected plants and controlling the aphid population by spraying Malathion

(2ml/litre of water) prevents the spread of the disease.

Curly-top :This disease is transmitted by beet leaf hoppers. External symptoms of curly top virus infection

may appear in leaves, stems, flowers, fruits, or roots of infected plants. Generally, mottling is

absent, but infected plant parts may become distorted through curling, twisting, rolling, stunting,

etc. Leaves become thickened and leathery. Curly top virus may impair both yield and quality of the

root of an infected plant. Some of the most pronounced symptoms resulting from curly top virus

attacks are internal and non-observable with the unaided eye. Such internal symptoms consist of

death of the food conducting vessels, as well as of extreme variations from the normal in numbers

and sizes of cells composing the plant tissues

Control: Losses can be reduced by the use of resistant varieties; adopting sanitary measures

including the eradication of susceptible weeds and susceptible volunteer crop plants from a

previous planting; regulating the time of planting in order to avoid the main flights of the beet

leafhopper; use of barriers of trap crops and early removal and destruction of infected plants.

Spraying Malathion (2ml/litre of water) controls the population of beet leaf hoppers.

Beet Yellows :This disease is transmitted mainly through aphids. The important symptoms of the disease include

yellow spots on the young leaves in the initial stages of infection. As the disease progresses, the

leaves exhibit irregular yellow patches alternating with normal green colour of the leaves. The older

leaves of infected plants become chlorotic, noticeably thickened, leathery and brittle. The foliage

becomes abnormally red or yellow and often dies.

Control: Control measures include removal of infected plants and weeds from the field. The disease

incidence can be minimised by controlling the population of aphids by spraying Oxydemeton Methyl 25

EC (2ml/litre of water).

Purple Leaf of Beet :This viral disease is caused by a strain of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV).

The infected plants are stunted and leaves have a tendency to stand erect and come closer, unlike the

healthy plants where the leaves are broad, long and profuse. Leaves of infected plants show an

unusual intense purple colour, white the young emerging leaves show it prominently. Few leaves

develop minute necrotic lesions all over the lamina.

Control: Removal and destruction of virus-infected plants and weed hosts helps in minimising disease

BeetDisorders

Internal Black Spot/ Brown Heart :This disorder is caused due to Boron deficiency. Boron deficient plants usually remain dwarf or

stunted. The leaves are smaller than normal. The young unfolding leaves fail to develop normally and

eventually turn brown or black and die. The growing points may die and decay. The fail to develop

under conditions of severe boron deficiency. They remain very small and distorted and have a rough

unhealthy greyish appearance instead of being clean and smooth.

Control: Application of borax to the soil is recommended. The quantity of borax needed should be

based on nature of the soil and soil pH.

BeetHarvesting

The roots are harvested before the development of spongy tissue within the roots. Thus, the ideal

stage for maturity is attained when the diameter of roots is 3-5 cm. This stage is reached within 60-75

days of sowing. A light irrigation may be given a day before harvesting to facilitate lifting of roots.

Usually the plants are pulled by hand and the tops are removed.

Yield :Yield of beet root varies greatly depending upon variety, soil type and season of cultivation. The

average yield of beet varies from 20-25 t/ha.

BeetIntercultural Operations

Weed Control :Weeding is usually done manually. Deep cultivation may be avoided as it may damage the crop.

Earthling up is done to support the structure of the plant and to prevent the exposure of roots to

sunlight.

Thinning :Thinning is necessary to have roots of uniform shape and size. Hand thinning is done soon after the

germination to provide optimum space for uniform development of the root.

BeetIrrigation

The soil should be kept sufficiently moist until the emergence of seedlings. A light irrigation is given

soon after seed sowing to ensure good germination. Beet is grown without irrigation in rainy season

where distribution of rainfall is uniform throughout the growing season. The crop should be irrigated at

an interval of 4-5 days in summer and 10-12 days in winter.

BeetManuring & Fertilization

The fertilizer dose depends upon the fertility of soil, planting season, variety and amount of organic

manure applied to the crop. For a good yield, 15-20 tonnes of well-decomposed FYM is incorporated

into the soil at time of last ploughing. Generally, application of 60-70 kg N, 100-120 kg P O and 60-70 2 5

kg K O is recommended for optimum yield. Half the dose of N and entire amount of P and K is given at 2

the time of transplanting. The balance N is given four weeks after transplanting.

BeetPests

Beet Leaf Miner (Pegomyia hyocyami ) :The adult female lays eggs on the underside of the leaves. The maggots after hatching from the eggs

attack tender leaves and feed in the epidermal layers of the leaf by making serpentine mines in which

air gets trapped and gives them silvery appearance. The affected leaves turn pale yellow, get distorted

and crumpled. Such leaves gradually dry and die away.

Control: Control measures include destruction of all fallen leaves and other plant debris after

harvesting of roots. Spraying the underside of the leaf with Methyl Demeton (0.03%) and

Phosphamidon (0.035%) at the emergence of new leaves is highly beneficial.

Web Worms (Hymenia sp. or Loxostege sp.) : Eggs are laid in clusters on the undersurface of the leaves and held together by gelatinous glue. Green

caterpillars web up the leaves and live inside the knotted mass. Flowering and pod formation is

adversely affected.

Control: Removal and destruction of webbed bunches of leaf help to check the further spread of the

disease. Spraying with Rogor (1 ml/litre of water) is effective.

Semiloopers (Plusia spp.) :The green caterpillars voraciously feed on the foliage damaging green foliage badly.

Control: Hand picking the larvae and spraying the crop with Endosulfan (0.05%) or Carbaryll(0.1%)

controls the pest.

BeetPost Harvest Technology

Grading :After harvesting the roots are washed to remove the soil adhered to the roots and then graded

according to their size.

Packaging :Normally the produce is sent to the market loose or sometimes it is packed in gunny bags. Removal of

tops increases the shelf-life of beets by reducing water loss during transit and storage.

Storage :0 Topped beets are ideally stored at a temperature of 0 C with 90-98 % relative humidity can be kept for

O 4-6 months. Bunched beets can be stored for 10-14 days at 0 C.

BeetPlanting

Land Preparation :The soil should be friable and offer least resistance to the root development. 15 -20 cm deep ploughing

followed by disking and hoeing should be done to break the clods. Well decomposed FYM (20-25 t/ha)

is mixed with the soil during last ploughing.

Season of Planting :The seeds are normally sown during September-November while in the hills seed is sown from first

week of March to July end. To ensure a continuous supply of marketable roots successive sowing is

done at an interval of 2-4 weeks.

Method of Planting :Generally, 7-9 kg seeds are sufficient to plant one hectare area. Pre-soaking of seeds for 12 hours in

water facilitates germination in the field. Before sowing, the seeds are treated with Thiram or Captan

(2.5-3 g/kg of seed) for better seedling emergence and to control pre-emergence damping off. Seeds

are sown directly in the well-prepared fields on ridges 45-60 cm apart at a depth of 1.5-2.5 cm and are

thinned later to maintain a spacing of 8-10 cm within the plants. A light irrigation is given immediately

after sowing.

BeetSoil & Climate

Soil :Beet grows best on deep, well-drained friable loams or sandy loams. High yields are obtained from

deep rich alluvial or silt loams. Heavy soils are not suitable because beets produced are malformed.

It is sensitive to acidic soils however, it can successfully be grown on saline soils. A pH range of 6-7 is

considered as best for getting optimum yields.

Climate :It is essentially a cool weather crop but it can also be grown in a moderately warm climate as it attains

best colour, texture and quality in a cool weather condition. A temperature range of 18-21°C is

considered as ideal for obtaining good quality roots, rich in sugar with intense red colour. A O

temperature below 10 C bolting starts before the beets attains a marketable size.

BeetVarieties

Detroit Dark Red :The variety produces perfectly round beet with smooth uniform red skin. The interior colour is dark red

with light red zoning. Flesh is tender and fine grained, tops small; leaves dark green tinged with

maroon. It is a heavy yielding cultivar. Crop matures in 80-100 days.

Crimson Globe :Beet is globular to flattened in shape, medium red in colour with small shoulders. Flesh medium dark

crimson red with indistinct zoning top. Leaves are medium-large, bright green with and have a higher

maroon shade. It is a high yielding cultivar.

Exotic Varieties :

UK

Table Purpose

Red Ace Beetroot, Exhibition Long Parsnip, Nandor F1 Hybrid Carrot, Long Carrot, Snow-white

Beetroot,

Processing Purpose

Cylindra or Formanova Beetoot, Detroit Globe Beetroot, Crimson Globe Beetroot.

USA

Table Purpose

Early Wonder Beetroot, Red Beetroot

Italy

Table Purpose

Barbabietola di Choggia, Burpee's Golden Beetroot, Cheltenham Green-top Beetroot.