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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sugarbeet and Potato Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #145614
Title: PROCESSING QUALITY.

Author
item Campbell, Larry

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2003
Publication Date: 2/1/2005
Citation: Campbell, L.G. 2005. Processing Quality. In: Biancardi, E., Campbell, L.G., Skaracis, G.N., and de Biaggi, M. Genetics and Breeding of Sugar Beet. Enfield, New Hampshire, Science Publishers, Inc. p. 126-129.

Interpretive Summary: More than one-third of the sugar (sucrose) consumed by humans is obtained from sugarbeet. Certain non-sucrose constituents of sugarbeet, referred to collective as impurities, impede sucrose extraction in normal factory processes. Among the more important impurity components are sodium, potassium and amino-nitrogen. Sugar and impurity concentrations can be altered in breeding programs. However, a negative association between root yield and sucrose concentration and interactions among the impurity components have complicated breeding efforts. The specifics of these relationships are detailed to assist plant breeders in combining the traits in a manner that optimizes the economic value of the crop. Both producers and processors operate on small profit margins. In this economic environment, producing a high quality crop is a necessity.

Technical Abstract: Payment to growers for sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) constitutes the major expense of sugarbeet processors and most of their revenue is realized from the sale of crystallized sucrose. Therefore, sugarbeet quality generally refers to sucrose concentration and the concentrations of naturally occurring nonsucrose constituents that impede sucrose crystallization. Among the soluble nonsucrose components (impurity components), sodium, potassium, and amino-nitrogen have received the most attention in cultivar development programs. Levels of the impurity components can be shifted substantially with only a few cycles of selection. Enhancing sugarbeet quality through breeding is slow and laborious. A negative correlation between root yield sucrose concentration, interactions among quality traits and yield, and the requirement that commercial hybrids have resistance to prevalent pests makes the task difficult. These relationships are discussed in detail to provide assistance to sugarbeet breeders in optimizing yield, quality, and resistance traits.