Fusion-Farming in beets
The future of sustainable sugar beet cultivation
Sugar beet has high demands in terms of soil and cultivation – but fusion farming is opening up a new chapter in arable farming. By combining mechanical and chemical methods, yields can be increased while drastically reducing the use of pesticides. In this article, we have summarised the most important information and possible approaches for you to give you an overview of the advantages and potential of fusion farming in sugar beet production.
Preventive culture-specific measures
Sugar beet is subject to high demands and therefore requires a great deal of crop management expertise. It is generally a good preceding crop as it roots deeply and leaves behind well-rooted soil. In addition, the leaves left behind by the beet supply nutrients to the following crop. Very little mineral nitrogen is left behind by beets, which is positive as this would be very prone to leaching. Despite all these advantages, some crops should be grown with caution or avoided entirely when in rotation with sugar beet, including maize, rapeseed, potatoes and some legumes. Some of these crops act as host plants to diseases and pests which can significantly reduce sugar beet yield.
When sowing sugar beet, seedbed preparation is vital to keep up with the beet’s high demands. Although sowing should take place as early as possible, this must not come as the expense of the quality of the seedbed. A fine, levelled seedbed that has not been cultivated too deeply is important to minimise moisture loss. It is also essential that the beet is distributed on a firm sowing horizon so that it can utilise capillary water rise. For beet to grow quickly, a soil temperature of 1012°C is optimum. Beets are very susceptible to frost, particularly in the cotyledon stage.
Systems and technology
Sugar beet is traditionally considered a root crop and is usually sown with row spacings of between 45 and 50 cm (19.70″). The tined weeder & rotative weeder are row-crop cultivators that are used for weed control. Blind weeding proves very difficult however, as the beet lays very flat and is therefore easily disturbed and damaged during blind weeding.
Using the tined weeder is also very difficult as it takes around two weeks for plants to emerge. During this relatively long period, weeds can grow which cannot be immediately weeded as this would damage or destroy the beet plants. As a result, the weeds are already relatively well developed by the time the tined weeder can be used. It therefore struggles to keep them under control at this stage. In these situations, the hoe can easily control the weeds between and sometimes within rows. Nevertheless, the tined weeder does have its uses as it loosens soil, stimulating plant growth.
Band spraying is another way to effectively control weeds in the row. This can be combined with one or more hoeing passes between rows, with the herbicide applied over the top of the rows. This significantly reduces the crop protection agents required, while still ensuring a healthy beet crop.
Examples and field reports
In recent years, many trials have investigated how the use of herbicides can be reduced effectively and economically when growing sugar beet. Trials conducted by Nordzucker AG and ARGE Nord, found that hoeing three times in combination with band spraying slightly improved the sugar yield and resulted in more reliable weed suppression. Furthermore, depending on the bandwidth to be treated, a herbicide reduction of 50-70% could be achieved, leading to significant cost savings. Several years of herbicide/hoeing trials have shown that the 3x herbicide treatments combined with a single hoeing pass always result in fewer weeds than when a chemical agent is applied in isolation. A hoeing pass shortly before row closure, also slightly increased the beet’s yield every year the trial was run.
Source: LOP 11/2021, article Using the hoe and tined weeder correctly, Fig. 2
Fusion-Farming cultivation options for beets
Beets Fusion-Farming: The TOP 10
- Sugar beet is a good preceding crop (it roots deeply and the leaves provide nutrients, etc.)
- Beet leaves little mineral nitrogen behind
- Take care when growing in crop rotation with oilseed rape, maize, potatoes and some legumes
- Sow as early as possible (avoid sowing when there is a chance of frost) – soil temperatures are optimum between 10°C and 12°C
- A fine-crumbled and levelled seedbed is very important – this is more important than the sowing date
- (Blind) weeding beets is challenging. Being gentle is key
- First weed, then hoe.
- Finger hoes can effectively pull out or bury weeds in the row
- Band spraying ensures a high reduction in herbicide usage
- A combination of mechanical and chemical treatment increases beet and sugar beet yields
When using a band sprayer,
beet can be worked mechanically and chemically simultaneously.
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