Selecting the optimal sowing time for sugar beet is based on a balance between utilizing spring soil moisture reserves and minimizing the risk of frost damage to seedlings.
In the reference
62
varieties
crop Sugar beet,
where this is mentioned in the description.
Sugar beet begins to germinate at a soil temperature of 3–4 °C, although for seedling emergence, it is optimal for the soil to warm up to 7–10 °C at a sowing depth of 5–6 cm. Given the hygroscopic nature of the seeds, which require moisture equivalent to 150–170% of their own weight for germination, sowing should be as early as possible to take advantage of spring moisture.
Excessively early sowing under prolonged exposure to low temperatures can trigger the development of flowering shoots, known as bolting, and frosts of 3–4 °C at the cotyledon stage can destroy the seedlings. Late sowing leads to moisture deficiency, slowed growth rates, and reduced yields of root crops and their technological quality.
General information about the subject — on the page
Sowing date.
Varieties of Sugar beet mentioned in the description
Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.