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Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris
Also called Root Beet, Beetroot, Swiss Chard, Beet, Fodder Beet, Leaf Beet, Mangel
Sugar beet is a biennial root crop, a cultivar group of common beet (Beta vulgaris), grown mainly for the sucrose stored in its large white taproot. It is grown in temperate climates and needs fertile, moist, well-drained soil.
A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (Beta vulgaris). Together with other beet cultivars, such as beetroot and chard, it belongs to the subspecies Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris but is classified as var. saccharifera. Its closest wild relative is the sea beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima).
Sugar beets are grown in climates that are too cold for sugarcane. In 2024, Russia and Germany were the two largest sugar beet producers contributing to a world total of 294 million tonnes. Sugarcane accounts for most of the rest of sugar produced globally.
The sugar beet, like sugarcane, needs a particular soil and a proper climate for its successful cultivation. The most important requirements are that the soil must contain a large supply of nutrients, be rich in humus, and be able to contain a great deal of moisture. A certain amount of alkali is not necessarily detrimental, as sugar beets are not especially susceptible to injury by some alkali. The ground should be fairly level and well-drained, especially where irrigation is practiced.
Generous crops can be grown in both sandy soil and heavy loams, but the ideal soil is a sandy loam, i.e., a mixture of organic matter, clay and sand. A subsoil of gravel, or the presence of hardpan, is not desirable, as cultivation to a depth of from 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38 cm) is necessary to produce the best results.
Sea beet · Mangelwurzel · Common beet · Beet
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Sugar beet by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
