Bruce Sundeen 0:00
This is the sugarbeet report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU. Throughout the sugarbeet growing season, fall is right around the corner and the sugar beet harvest is coming up soon. Mohammed Khan, extension sugarbeet, specialist at NDSU and the University of Minnesota is here to give us an update. Mohamed, we had a wet spring and a warm summer and there's already talk about fall light conditions. Could you give us a recap of the weather's impact on the sugarbeet crop in the area.
Mohamed Khan 0:28
Every year is unique in North Dakota and Minnesota. We asked for and got lots of precipitation in the form of snow and rain in April and May that delayed planting. As a matter of fact, this fast growing season was the latest we have planted the beet crop in its 96 year history in the Red River Valley. Some planting was done as late as early July. heavy winds denote the crop resulting in less than our ID population of 175 to 200 plants per acre and the crop in most areas currently use some additional rainfall to improve tonnage. Overall, relatively dry conditions since the crop was planted. Men conditions were not favorable for major road problems, such as rhizoctonia rotarod. Overall, growers have done a great job to plant most of the crop in May and June and have it ready for pre pile harvest.
Bruce Sundeen 1:23
What is pre-pile and when will it begin?
Mohamed Khan 1:26
Pre-pile beets are those that are harvested in August and September and are processed in one to three days. About 10 to 20% of the crop is typically harvested prepared. The larger the yield potential for the crop, the greater the percentage of beets harvested in prepared. The full harvest campaign will typically start on October first, when the beets are harvested and put into huge storage piles, where the environment is kept in such a manner that the beats are either frozen or kept cooled to reduce respiration rate and reduce storage losses that can amount to millions of dollars. American crystal sugar company started pre file on August 23 MinDak Farmers Cooperative started on August 29, and southern Minnesota beet sugar cooperative will start sometime after mid September based on yield potential.
Bruce Sundeen 2:20
Cercospora leaf spot has been a serious and costly problem for sugarbeet growers has the warm weather and dry conditions been favorable for Cercospora.
Mohamed Khan 2:29
The Cercospora beticola that causes leaf spot likes it warm and wet. The dry conditions present in the past month and especially the cool nights below 60 degrees Fahrenheit were not favorable for leaf spot. As such leaf spot disease severity has been very low. Added to that is the fact that growers are now using more leaf spot resistant varieties, especially at mindat where over 95% of your acreage are planted to very resistant variety and nearly 50% of the acreage of southern Minnesota Beetsugar cooperative have these resistant varieties as well. Growers have done a great job of controlling Cercospora leaf spot to date. However, fields should be scouted and treated until around mid September so that growers are not losing money by having late season infection that significantly reduces sugar concentration and big payment.
Bruce Sundeen 3:25
Mohamed any final words of advice for sugarbeet producers?
Mohamed Khan 3:29
Always remember that our people are our greatest assets. And we all need to stay healthy and safe as we do our part in feeding the nation. Always practice safety, especially at harvest and be extra careful when transporting beets on our public roadways. Have a safe and bountiful sugarbeet harvest.
Bruce Sundeen 3:49
Thanks Mohamed! Our guest this week has been Mohamed Khan, extension sugarbeet specialist at NDSU and the University of Minnesota. This is the sugarbeet report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugarbeet growing season
Transcribed by https://otter.ai