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Early signs from both commercial and trial crops suggest that early lifted sugar beet is performing well – despite late drilling and above average... 2024 sugar beet campaign is ‘performing well’

Early signs from both commercial and trial crops suggest that early lifted sugar beet is performing well – despite late drilling and above average rainfall.

Rain washed away the threat of virus yellows this season, while good summer temperatures in recent weeks have helped the crop to pile on yield. The incidence of foliar disease is low so far, say agronomists.

Beet intake opened on 16 September at British Sugar’s Bury St Edmunds and Wissington factories. Newark followed by opening on 23 September with Cantley scheduled to open on 7 October. Trial crops are also being lifted.

“We have started harvesting replicated plots testing the next generation genetics and treatments with our bespoke
mobile tarehouse,” says Wayne Tonge, trials manager for sugar beet breeder SesVanderHave.

New generations

In parallel broader screening of commercial performance across the network of Club SV Growers continues apace, with early indications of good yields, sugar contents and low impurities from new varieties Gadwall and Hoopoe.

“Results from our beet cyst nematode trials for Hoopoe are demonstrating superior performance to Jackdaw which many growers planted this spring,” says Mr Tonge.

The mobile strip trial harvest is proving extremely popular with SesVanderHave
Club SV growers. It is generating considerable interest when neighbours see how easy and fast the process is, says seed sales adviser Hector Adcock.

“It’s giving growers some really useful insights into performance,” he explains.

“Combined with our drone image analysis, linked weather station network and the immediacy of generating data and the ability to sequential harvest using GPS locators it’s proving an extremely powerful tool.”

Field performance is variable as expected after late drilling and high pressure from damping off and soil pest complex. But results are giving growers instant insight into real-time performance on their own farms with their own inputs and agronomy.

SesVanderHave says it is committed to continued investment in extending its trials network from the current 90ha. This will ensure growers have access to more relatable and reliable performance data, it says.