Sugarbeets

Michigan Sugarbeet Industry Research Priorities

Soil Management

  • Soil Health/Quality
    • Drainage
    • Tilth
    • Water Holding Capacity
    • Soil pH
    • Manure Impacts
    • Lime
    • Cover Crops (e.g. Oilseed Radish, Clover, etc)
  • Compaction
    • Pinch Rows
    • Impact of First Pass
  • Wind Erosion
    • Cover Crops
    • Residue-How Much (%)
    • What Are the Other Impacts of Residue

Stand Establishment (Fall vs Spring)

  • Emergence
  • Tillage (Fall vs Spring)
  • Strip-tillage
  • Seedbed Preparation…Stale Seedbed
    • Depth
    • Row Spacing
    • Plant Population

Insects

  • Tarnish Plant Bug (Lygus)
    • Root Aphids (below ground)
    • White Grubs (True/Annual)
      • Flea Beetles
      • Spring Tails
      • Cut Worms
    • Seed Treatments

Disease Management

  • Rhizoctonia Control
    • Fungicides Resistance Management
    • Tolerant Varieties
  • Cercospora Leafspot Management
    • New Fungicides
    • Resistance with Fungicides
    • Root Rot Complexes
  • Alternaria Leaf Spot
    • Resistance
  • Aphanomyces
    • Impact
  • Rhizomania
  • Fusarium
  • Sugar Beet Cyst Nematode
  • Seedling Disease Interactions
  • Seed Treatments

Varieties

  • Risk Management Traits
  • Soil Type Impacts
  • Smooth Root
  • High: Sugar, RWSA, RWST
  • Good Disease Packages
  • Seed Treatments

Economy (Sound Economics)

  • Cost Analysis/Comparison
  • Bottom Line Impact
  • Risk Management

Fertilizer

  • Starter
    • Liquid vs Dry
    • In-Furrow vs Banded 2x2
    • Mn and B
    • Fertility Recommendation for Row Spacing
  • Heavier Residue Impact
  • Soil pH
  • Grid Sampling (Variable Rate Tech)
  • Lime Sources
  • Nitrogen Management
  • Foliar Feed
  • Effects With Fertilizers and Sugar Purity
  • Difference in Row Spacing and Amount of Fertilizer Needed

Weed Control

  • Timing (Temperature Impact)
  • Fungicide Interaction
  • Reduce Herbicide Injury
  • Sugar Beet Competition With Weeds
  • Herbicide Resistances (e.g. Waterhemp, Residual Herbicide Options Horseweed, Palmer Amaranth)
  • Controlling Roundup Ready Canola

Storage

  • Improving Beet Storage

Topping/Harvesting

  • Improving Sugar Beet Defoliation
  • Reduce Harvest Loss
  • Respiration on Beet Storage

 

Last Updated: October 2021

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