VERS

C A L I F O R N

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CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL
Experiment Station
Extension Service

CIRCULAR 562

CAECAG562 1-16 (1973)

Sugar beets, a major field crop in California, are grown on more than 300,000 acres.
This circular briefly describes federal legislation which regulates sugar production
in the U. S., and examines production trends in California. Grower-processor relations,
costs of production, returns to growers, and factors important in the production of the
crop are also discussed.

LOCATION OF FACTORIES
and SUGAR BEET ACREAGE
in CALIFORNIA

Numbers indicate the average number
of acres (to the nearest 1,000) har
vested in that county during the 5-
year period 1965-1969.

Factory location

March, 1973

THE AUTHORS:

F. J. Hills is Extension Agronomist, Department of Agronomy and Range Science,
University of California, Davis.

S. S. Johnson is Agricultural Economist, Farm Production Economics Division,
Economic Research Service, U.S.D.A., stationed at University of California, Davis.

THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY
IN CALIFORNIA

Introduction : U. S. Sugar Legislation

The Sugar Act P er cent * s to De supplied by some 30

~ . , , . r . foreign countries.

Production and marketing oi sugar in rp, , . . . j
, tto . i iii t^i i l ne basic apportionment among do-
the U. o. is regulated by the federal .. j • x n u
o a , in ; n ii. T^m mestic producers is as iollows, when quo-
bugar Act oi 1948, as amended in 1971. . ..in nn nnn u ** i
rril & ' ._. tas total 11,200,000 short tons, raw value:
the Act has three purposes: (1) to as-
sure American consumers adequate sup- Short tons,
plies of sugar at reasonable prices; (2) to Area raw value

maintain and protect the welfare of the Domestic beet sugar 3,406,000

domestic sugar industry; and (3) to pro- Mainland cane sugar 1,539,000

mote the export trade of the United States. Hawaii 1,110,000

The Sugar Act directs the Secretary Puerto Rico 885,000

of Agriculture to determine, for each cal- Total 6,910,000

endar year, the amount of sugar needed

to meet the requirements of consumers in Control and management of the
the continental United States and to at-

tain a specified price objective. This de- domestic sugar supply
termination is to be made in October Procedures are specified in the Act to
preceding the calendar year, and at such control domestic supply after the deter-
other times during the year as may be mination of the area quotas. These steps
required to attain the price objective. are:

The price objective refers to a price T i i . i o

f , . , 1 1 A l • / • In each domestic area, the Secretary

lor raw sugar which would take into ac- . ,. , , . , . ;

L - . r t , can establish domestic marketing ai-

count the ratio oi such price and an aver- , , m ° i

c . . . i f • -it lotments when necessary. Ihese al-

age ox the parity index oi prices paid by , / ,,

x j / i i • • j rpi lotments serve to assign or allot

larmers and wholesale price index, lhe . r , r i i

. , . „ a specific share ol the domestic

consumption estimate thus is set annually f . ,

r .1 i f it -ii v \ marketing quota to the various pro-

at a hgure that, hopelully, will adiust i i . .-». ,

i r j j • i cessors, thus placing a ceiling on the

supply ol sugar to demand in such a way r r °, . , D

. i . i. -i amount ol sugar which a company
as to bring sugar prices in line with « o i « r .
, . .1 x , r i ,.- can sell, buch allotments lor main-
changes in the cost oi iarm production , , , ,

t , * ri-- land cane and beet sugar were in
and the cost of living. ~ &
rk .u > j .• effect as of 1971.
Unce the next year s domestic consump-
tion has been determined, the total * Shares of the area marketing quota
amount of sugar it represents is allocated can be assigned to producers as acre-
to both domestic and foreign sources of a g e allotments. These allotments are
supply according to a predetermined for- known as "proportionate shares,"
mula. Under the 1971 amendment, 62 but they have not been imposed
per cent of domestic consumption is as- since 1966.

signed to the several segments of the State and county Agricultural Stabli-

domestic industry, and the remaining 38 zation and Conservation Service offices

[3]

(ASCS) are responsible for the adminis-
tration of farm proportionate shares when
in effect, as well as for conditional pay-
ment parts of the program. When pro-
portionate shares are not in effect, the
quantity of beets grown is determined by
individual contracts between farmer and
processor.

Enforcing the program

The tax-and-payment system helps en-
force the various regulations imposed on
the growers under the Act. An excise tax
of 53 cents per 100 pounds of refined
sugar is collected on all sugar marketed
in the U. S. In 1969, sugar beet farmers
received $90 million out of $109 million
in collected excise tax. To qualify for a
"conditional" payment (a portion of such
excise tax collected) a grower must: re-
main within his proportionate share allot-
ment if imposed; produce evidence that
the minimum wage established by the

Secretary of Agriculture was met in pro-
ducing his sugar beet crop; and, finally,
not employ children under 14 years of

age-
Conditional payments are based on the
"commercially recoverable" sugar pro-
duced by the growers — that is, the
quantity of sugar that can be recovered
in processing. A sliding scale of payments
exists which reduces payment to larger
farms. For the first 350 tons of raw sugar
produced, the base payment rate is 80
cents per hundredweight. After this the
rate decreases, reaching a low of 30 cents
for sugar in excess of 30,000 tons.

Provisions are also made to reduce risk
to growers due to weather, insects, and
crop diseases. When the farmer suffers
from these natural causes so that his
acreage has to be abandoned, or so that
his production becomes seriously de-
ficient, he may then qualify for certain
payments under the Act.

SUGAR PRODUCTION TRENDS IN CALIFORNIA

Sugar beets are grown in 31 California
counties from Tehama in the north, not
far from the Oregon border, south to Im-
perial on the Mexican border. In the 5-
year period of 1965-69, 38 per cent of the
acreage was grown in the north central
valley, from Stanislaus County north; 27
per cent in the south central valley, Mer-
ced County south to Kern; 24 per cent
in the irrigated desert area of southern
California, primarily Imperial County;
and 11 per cent in the coastal counties.
Compared to the 1955-59 5-year period,
acreage increased by 12 per cent in the
south Central Valley region and by 2 per
cent in the southern desert, while decreas-
ing by 6 per cent in the north central
valley and by 8 per cent in the coastal
region.

With the removal of planting restric-
tions in 1962 and an increase in the price

of sugar beets, acreage expanded sharply
to a high of 350,000 acres in 1964. In
1964, 67 per cent more acres were har-
vested than in 1960, but during this same
period daily slicing capacity of factories
increased only about 11 per cent. Sugar
beets from the expanded acreage have
been processed to some extent by larger
capacity, but mostly by extending the
period over which beets are harvested.
The principal technique for increasing
the length of factory run has been the de-
velopment of the practice of overwinter-
ing spring and early summer planted
crops for harvest the following spring.
This practice is now used extensively in
certain areas of the north and south cen-
tral valleys. As an example of how over-
wintering has increased factory run, one
plant averaged 130 days of operation per
crop year before beets were overwintered.

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[5]

350-

300

250

200

150

ft 100
cc

47*

40%

41%

39%

36%

i_J — U — i — 1_
1946 48 50

i
52

J i I i L_i I i I i I i I i I i I

54 * 56* * 5flf * 60* * 62 64 * 66? 68 10

Acres of sugar beets in California. The relative contribution of a production region is indicated
by the area shown for each. Specific regional percentages are given for certain years. SD = south-
ern desert; C = coastal; SCV= south central valley; NCV = north central valley. Asterisks refer to
years in which Sugar Act acreage restrictions were in effect. Source: U. S. Department of Agricul-
ture, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service.

with a maximum length of run of 165
days. Since the start of overwintering,
this plant has operated as many as 234
days in a single crop year, and has aver-
aged 191 days, an average increase in
days of operation per crop year of 47 per
cent.

Also contributing to the increase in
the length of factory operations has been
an increase in acres harvested both
earlier and later than was the custom in
several areas, and the establishment of
sugar beet culture in areas of the state
where beets can be harvested other than
at the peak of harvest in. the principal
area supplying a factory. For example,
some 2,000 acres are grown annually in
the high desert valley surrounding Lan-
caster in Los Angeles County. The dry
winters of this area permit harvesting at
times when rain prevents field work in

other areas. In the Imperial Valley and
in areas of the San Joaquin Valley, some
acreage is contracted specifically for an
early or late harvest. Current factory ca-
pacity is 40,100 tons of beets per day.
This is sufficient capacity to process the
normal production from 330,000 acres if
each factory operates 165 days.

A decline in price, the imposition of
acreage allocations in 1965, plus prob-
lems associated with holding overwin-
tered beets in the ground for extended
periods undoubtedly contributed to the
decline in acreage to 210,000 in 1967.
Prices rose to all-time highs in 1967-71
and were accompanied by increases in
acreage to 288,000 in 1970 and 331,000
in 1971.

Root and sugar yields

The 3-year moving averages in the graph

[6]

ROOTS ANNUAL
TONS ACRE RECORD

23
21
19

SUCROSE

3-YEAR
MOVING
AVERAGE

ROOTS

100 LB/ACRE
-\80

% SUCROSE

1946 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68

Average production per harvested acre and the sugar content of sugar beets in California. A
point on a moving average line for a given year is an average of that year, the preceding year,
and the following year. Source: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Stabilization and
Conservation Service.

above show that root production per acre
increased 25 per cent from 1946 through
1958 but increased little over the next
11 years. During the same period, sucrose
concentration declined nearly 2 percent-
age points. As a result, gross sugar pro-
duction per acre increased 13 per cent by
1958 but made little gain through 1969.

Some probable reasons for the lack of
improvement in sugar production in the
1960s in spite of an increase in use of
improved technology by sugar beet farm-
ers were: (1) increased damage due to
virus diseases, principally the sugar beet
yellows virus which lowers root produc-
tion and decreases sucrose concentration ;
(2) overly-delayed plantings in some
areas to escape virus diseases; (3) newer
areas coming into production where pro-
duction per acre has been low due to lack
of irrigation water; (4) lower yields
where beets are harvested at other than
optimum times; (5) increase in number
of inexperienced growers due to rapidly

expanding acreage; (6) shift of some
acreage from the highly productive
coastal area to areas of lower production
of the south Central Valley; and (7) in-
crease in use of nitrogenous fertilizers,
which tends to lower sucrose concentra-
tion. Statewide average root yields were
25.2 and 24.1 tons per acre in 1970 and
1971 respectively, with sucrose concen-
trations above 15 per cent. This may be
the start of an improved trend in produc-
tivity. Yields of 30 and more tons per
acre are common in all areas of the state,
indicating a potential for higher average
root yields.

Root yield and sucrose content of beet
roots varies somewhat depending on pro-
duction region. In general, root yield is
highest in the coastal region but more or
less comparable among the other regions
(table 1) . Sugar content is highest in the
southern desert region, but is slightly
lower progressively in the coastal, north
central, and south central regions.

GROWER-PROCESSOR RELATIONS

There are ten sugar beet refineries in Cal-
ifornia and they are operated by four
sugar companies. Sugar beets produced
for sugar are grown only under contract
with the individual grower and the proc-
essing companies. The contract is of the
participating type, guaranteeing the
grower a share of the net return the pro-
cessor realizes from the sale of sugar dur-
ing a designated 12-month period.

Sugar content is determined by anal-
ysis of a 20- to 30-pound sample taken
from each load of beets delivered to the
factory or loading station. "Per cent tare"
or "per cent clean beets" is also deter-
mined on each sample by weighing the
sample as it was collected, removing dirt
and adhering leaf material, and then re-
weighing the cleaned sample. A percent-
age factor is then determined and applied
to the weight of the load from which the
sample was taken so as to obtain the
weight of clean beets for payment.

As the beets are delivered, growers are
paid about 90 per cent of the anticipated
final price calculated from a forecast of
final returns. During the 12-month sales
year additional payments may be made if
returns warrant them. Final and complete

payment is made when the sales year has
ended, and a certified public accountant
has audited the company's sales records
and determined the net selling price
realized.

Each sugar company maintains an
agricultural department with a staff of
fieldmen who conduct the company's bus-
iness with the grower and assist him in
making decisions concerning cultural
operations affecting his crop. Most com-
panies also employ a staff of technically
trained agriculturalists to investigate pro-
duction problems, develop varieties, and
extend technical information to fieldmen
and growers.

In 1931 the California Beet Growers
Association, Ltd., was established with
headquarters at Stockton to protect and
promote the interests of the state's sugar
beet growers. The association member-
ship includes about 98 per cent of the in-
dividuals, partnerships, and corporations
engaged in producing sugar beets. The
association represents growers in negotia-
tions with sugar processors and other in-
dustry groups and in matters dealing
with federal and state legislation, and
joins with processors in the promotion

LOCATION, YEAR OF COMPLETION, AND TONS PER DAY SLICING CAPACITY
OF BEET-SUGAR PROCESSING PLANTS

Company Location

American Crystal Clarksburg

Holly Sugar Corporation Hamilton City

Tracy
Santa Ana
Brawley

Spreckels Sugar Division,

Amstar Corporation Woodland

Manteca

Salinas

Mendota

Union Sugar Division, Consoli-
dated Foods Corporation .... Betteravia

[8]

Completed

Capacity

1935

2,900

1906

2,000

1917

3,500

1912

1,800

1947

6,500

1937

3,600

1917

4,200

1899

6,500

1963

4,200

1897

4,900

and financing of research for the benefit
of the industry. Association field repre-
sentatives routinely inspect weighing and
sampling operations at sugar beet loading

stations; additionally, the association rep-
resentatives also examine the analyses of
samples for tare and sugar content at
company laboratories.

FARM SIZE, COST OF PRODUCTION,
AND RETURNS TO GROWERS

Sugar beets are commonly farmed as
part of a diversified cropping program.
Average sugar beet acreage thus does not
indicate farm size, but it can indicate
average regional farm size differences if
the proportion of beets to total farm size
is roughly the same. In 1970, the county
ASCS offices indicated that 1,474 farms

in California applied for beet payments —
since there were 288,000 harvested acres,
the average beet acreage was therefore
about 195 acres per farm. The largest
average county beet acreages typically
were in the Central Valley, ranging from
a high of 435 acres in Kings County to a
low of 124 acres in Madera County. Acre-

Table2

COST OF FARM EQUIPMENT AND BUILDINGS USED
IN PRODUCING SUGAR BEETS*

Item

Original
cost

Annual
use

Cost per
acre

Expected

life
of equip-
ment

Noncash overhead

Depre-
ciation

Interest at
7 per cent

Tractor, 60 hp tractor diesel
(V2 share)

Two tractors, 70 hp wheel
diesel ( V2 share)

Tractor, 30 hp wheel diesel
(V 2 share)

Plow, 4-16, 2-way mounted .

Disc, offset, 16 feet

Chisel, 12 feet

Harrow, 30 feet

Roller, 15 feet

Float, 15 feet

Tool bar, bedding equipment,
etc

Ditcher, 4 feet

Sled, 6-row, fully equipped
with planter, incorporator
cultivator

Rolling cultivator, 6-row

Truck, 2-ton ( y 2 share)

Two pickups (lVfe shares) .

Weed and insect sprayer

Tool carrier ( V 2 share)

Shop tools

Shop building

Total

dollars

15,000

12,000

3,250
2,000
3,000
1,600
1,000
1,500
750

2,500
1,000

6,000
2,500
3,000
4,500
1,500
800
3,000
3.000

640

640
320
640
640
640
320
320

320

150
420
640
640
640
640
640
640

dollars

23.44

18.75

5.08
6.25
4.69
2.50
1.56
4.69
2.34

7.81
3.13

40.00
5.95
4.69
7.03
2.34
1.25
4.69
4.69

years

10
10
10
10
10
10
10

10
15

7
10
10
5
5
15
15
20

dollars

1.56

1.88

.51
.63
.47
.25
.16
.47
.23

.78
.21

5.71
.60
.47

1.41
.47
.08
.31
.23

.82

.18
.22
.16
.09
.05
.16
.08

.27
.11

.40
.21
.16
.25
.08
.04
.16
.16

67.900

150.88

16.43

5.26

* Data are from Salisbury, R. L., and P. S. Parsons, Sugar Beet Production Costs, Tehama, Olenn, and
Butte Counties, University of California Agricultural Extension Service Cost Sheet, January 1971. The
equipment above is for a 640-acre field crop operation with 150 acres of sugar beets.

[9]

SAMPLE COSTS FOR PRODUCING SUGAR BEETS

Total

Operation and number

Labor

Fuel and

cash

of times done

Hours

costs

repair Materials

costs

per acre

Plow

0.50

$ 1.30

$ 2.05

$ 3.35

Disc and/or chisel (2x)

0.50

1.30

2.05

3.35

Landplane (every other year 2x)

0.30

0.78

1.25 Rent of plane

$ 0.50

2.53

List beds and preplant starter

fertilizer

0.25

0.65

1.01 Starter N-P

6.00

7.66

Fertilizer-nitrogen; rent rig

0.17

0.44

0.46 120 lb. N per acre ;

Rent $0.50 per acre

8.90

9.80

Float

0.25

0.65

0.54

1.19

Roll beds

0.20

0.52

0.24

0.76

Plant, and incorporate herbicide

0.40

1.04

2.02 Seed $4.00;

Herbicide $5.75

9.75

12.81

Ditch preparation (season)

0.20

0.52

0.74

1.26

Insecticide (cutworm or other)

0.20

0.52

0.39 Bait

6.00

6.91

Cultivate (2x) for season

0.50

1.30

1.16

2.46

Layby herbicide and apply

0.30

0.78

0.77 Herbicide

5.25

6.80

Irrigate (9x) for season

7.2

15.84

4 acre-feet

10.00

25.84

Thin and hoe

Contract

30.00

Miscellaneous labor (down-time,

4.05

move and service equipment, etc.) 1.50

3.90

0.15

Total cultural costs

12.47

$29.54

$12.83

$76.40

$118.77

Harvest costs

Dig

Contract at $1.25 per ton

$25.00

$ 25.00

Haul

Contract at $1.05 per ton

21.00

Total harvest costs

$46.00

$ 46.00

Cash overhead

Miscellaneous, office, etc.

$ 9.89

Taxes and insurance (equipment)

2.10

Rent 20% X 20 tons X $15.00

per ton

60.00

Total cash overhead

$ 71.99

Total cash costs

$236.76

Management 5% X 20 tons X $15.00

$ 15.00

per acre

Annual costs :

Investment

depreciation interest

Equipment and buildings

$151.00

$16.43 $5.26

$ 21.69

Total cost per acre

$273.45

Cost per ton at 20 tons yield $ 13.67

The costs shown above are taken from Salisbury, R. L., and P. S. Parsons, "Sugar Beet Production
Costs, Tehama, Glenn, and Butte Counties," University of California Agricultural Extension Service Cost
Sheet, January 1971. Costs were compiled with the advice of several growers in each of the three northern
Sacramento Valley counties, and thus are not to be construed as industry averages. For instance, water
costs in the San Joaquin Valley may run to $18.00 per acre-foot or higher, with uses of 3.5 to 4.0 acre-feet,
or about $80.00 higher than the cost listed here. Other areas may have much greater outlay for herbicides
and insecticides, and other local cost situations. These costs above represent more favorable cost conditions
than other state areas. Total costs for Kern County (southern San Joaquin) in 1971 are estimated to be
Some $365 per acre; for Colusa County, near the counties listed here, $354.

ages were smaller in the coastal areas,
with acreages usually 100 acres or less
per farm.

In order to expand the size of farm
operations, many farmers in California

rent additional land, and this practice is
common for sugar beet acreage. ASCS
offices reported that for the 1970 crop
year there were 2,429 payees for the
1,474 farming units applying for beet

[10

payments, indicating payments to both
operators and owners. Rental rates vary
in the state according to productivity,
custom, and other factors. Typically, the
rental agreement will be a share rent
from 20 to 25 per cent of gross receipts,
and may involve additional contributions
from the landlord such as for water and
fertilizer. Cash cost rentals are also used
and are highly variable between growing
areas. In some areas where there is much
competition for land, cash rent may range
from $80 to 150 per acre; in less produc-
tive areas, from $50 to $70 per acre.

Cost of production

Actual operations and costs vary with
farm size and equipment used, soil type
and fertility, climate, wages paid, water
cost, weed, pest, and disease control re-
quired, and land rental. The cost data
shown on page 10 reflect probable opera-
tions and associated costs on a 640-acre
northern California farm having 150
acres of sugar beets and a 20-ton yield,
but are not representative of the state.

Beet growing requires some specialized
equipment, but most equipment can be
used on other crops. Table 2 gives equip-
ment and operating costs.

Returns to growers

Payments to growers are in two parts:
the payment from the sugar company in
accordance with the contract between the
company and the grower, and the condi-
tional payment under the Sugar Act.
Table 3 shows approximate total income
per ton of beets received by California
farmers from 1957 to 1970.

Payments to growers from the process-
ing company will vary according to the
growers' per cent sugar in beets, and the
net-selling price which is received by the
company. Net selling price is computed
by deducting the selling costs from gross
receipts. (Selling costs include the excise
tax imposed for the tax and payment
system in addition to normal selling
charges.)

Conditional payments provided for by
the Sugar Act also vary with the sugar
content; table 4 gives payments for 1963-
71. Because the payments were based on
a state average of 87.1 per cent commer-
cially recoverable raw sugar, these data
differ slightly from the national average.

Growers with larger tonnages of sugar
beets receive less per ton in the condi-
tional payment because of the Sugar Act
scale-down provisions for paying less to
larger growers.

Table 3

ANNUAL AVERAGE RETURNS PER
TON OF SUGAR BEETS*

Average net
sugar price
per 100 lb.

Payment to growers

Crop
year

From

Sugar

Act

From
company

Total

1960

7.32 (Bulk)

2.17

11.10

13.27

1961

7.46 (Bulk)

2.15

11.38

13.53

1962

8.40 (Bulk)

2.15

12.81

14.96

1963

8.06 (Bulk)

2.13

12.30

14.43

1964

7.43 (Bulk)

2.13

11.32

13.35

1965

7.64 (Bulk)

2.11

11.67

13.78

1966

8.27 (Bulk)

2.11

12.62

14.73

1967

8.71 (Bulk)

2.10

13.71

15.81

1968

8.64 (Bulk)

2.10

13.60

15.70

1969

8.69 (Bulk)

2.10

13.68

15.78

1970 est.

9.45 (Bulk)

2.09

15.05

17.14

* California average net price for beets of 15 per
cent sugar content.

Table 4
SUGAR ACT PAYMENTS PER TON*

Crop
year

Per cent sugar and payment rate

14 15 16 17

dollars per ton

1963

1.85

1.99

2.13

2.28

2.42

2.56

1964

1.85

1.99

2.13

2.28

2.42

2.56

1965

1.83

1.97

2.11

2.25

2.39

2.53

1966

1.83

1.97

2.11

2.25

2.39

2.53

1967

1.82

1.96

2.10

2.24

2.38

2.52

1968

1.82

1.96

2.10

2.24

2.38

2.52

1969

1.81

1.95

2.09

2.23

2.37

2.51

1970

1.81

1.95

2.09

2.23

2.37

2.51

1971t

1.78

1.92

2.06

2.19

2.33

2.47

* Calculations made from USDA-ASCS informa-
tion Part 831.15 State and County Office Handbook.

t The USD A estimate of "commercially recover-
able sugar" was revised downward in 1971. Since
compliance payments are made to the grower ac-
cording to the production of "commercially recov-
erable sugar," the payments were lower.

[li]

GROWING SUGAR BEETS

Growing season

Sugar beets require at least 5 months of
excellent growing weather to produce a
profitable crop. Generally, the earlier the
planting the higher the yield provided
temperatures at planting are conducive
to rapid growth and plants are not in-
fected with virulent strains of yellows or
curly top viruses soon after emergence.

When sugar beets are growing rapidly,
the sugar content of roots is low (from
10 per cent to 13 per cent) . When plant
growth is slowed and light intensity is
still high, roots can increase in sugar con-
tent to 18 or 19 per cent. Nitrogen defi-
ciency prior to harvest and cold nights
slow vegetative growth and increase
sugar content.

When the growing sugar beet under-
goes a prolonged period of cold temper-
atures followed by a period of warmer
temperatures and longer daylengths,
seed-stalk production ("bolting") takes
place. Bolting occurs in northern Califor-
nia in late March and April in beet fields
that have been overwintered. Although
varieties tolerant to bolting have been
developed, winters in this area are usu-
ally cold enough to cause even the most
tolerant varieties to bolt.

If fields are to be overwintered for a
spring harvest, planting should be no
later than early June to allow sufficient
time to produce a profitable crop before
the cold winter months set in. During
September and October in northern Cal-
ifornia beet crops usually increase 1.5
tons per acre per week and more. From
December through February these same

crops grow at a slower rate — from 0.1 to
0.25 ton per acre per week. After bolting
starts there is little additional increase
in root growth, and sugar content grad-
ually declines

In the Imperial Valley, winters are not
cold enough to cause much bolting in
bolting-resistant varieties. Sugar beets
grow well in the winter and spring in this
area, but should be harvested before high
summer temperatures result in lowered
quality.

Seed and soil

Research by the U.S.D.A. and the sugar
processors has developed hybrid varieties
not only resistant to bolting but also to
diseases that once caused widespread
losses. Hybrid varieties which out-yield
old open-pollinated varieties by 10 to 20
per cent have also been developed. The
hybrid varieties now used in California
have monogerm seeds, that is, the corky
seed-pieces (fruits) contain a single true
seed. Such seeds help eliminate dou-
bles and multiples in beet stands, improve
the operation of mechanical thinners,
and make it easier to plant directly to a
stand. Seed is usually purchased from a
sugar company where it is processed and
graded to permit precision planting and
treated to protect germinating seedlings
from damage by soil fungi and insects.

Sugar beets grow well on soils ranging
from sandy loams to heavy clays. Soil
texture is not too important, but the soil
must be deep and well-drained for opti-
mum production.

Sugar beets are very tolerant to salt

Planting and Harvesting Months by Region

Production region

Planting months

Harvesting months

North Central Valley
South Central Valley
Coastal
Imperial Valley

February-June
October-March
November-February
September-November

August-December; March-June
July-December
August-December
April-July

during later stages of growth, but ex-
tremely sensitive during germination.
Even for slightly saline soils, special pre-
cautions should be taken for planting and
irrigating to avoid concentrating salt in
seed rows. Though sugar beets may yield
better than many other crops on saline
soils, high production costs may more
than offset the advantage. Thus, excess-
ively saline soils may be more profitably
used by a salt-tolerant low-production-
cost crop (barley, for example).

Plant spacing

Row spacings vary but the most com-
mon are single rows spaced 30 inches
apart on raised beds, or two rows spaced
14 inches apart on beds spaced 40 inches
from center to center. Under sprinkler
irrigation, rows are sometimes spaced as
close as 20 inches on a flat soil surface
The closer row spacings produce higher
yields, but 30-inch bed planting is fav-
ored in Central Valley areas for greater
ease of operation. Two rows on a 40-inch
bed are favored by vegetable producers
of the coastal and Imperial Valley areas.

Regardless of row spacing, sugar beet
plants should be no closer than 5 or 6
inches apart in the row. In-row-spacing
can be as wide as 16 inches without ap-
preciably reducing root yield. Ideally,
plants should be spaced from 8 to 12
inches. This is accomplished by thinning
with hoes or by machines, or by precision
planting to produce a stand that does not
require thinning.

Weed, disease, and pest control

Weeds must be controlled for good
sugar beet yields. Several herbicides are
available and additional compounds are
being developed which when properly
used can provide for season-long weed
control. Precision cultivation equipment
plays an important role in weed control.
The University of California publishes an
annual guide to weed control in sugar
beets.

Important virus diseases are: Beet yel-
lows, beet western yellows, beet mosaic
(all transmitted primarily by the green
peach aphid), and curly top (transmitted
by the beet leafhopper) . Root diseases
causing economic losses are: Sclerotium
root rot, wet root rot, and dry rot canker,
each caused by a different soil-borne fun-
gus. A leaf-defoliating disease, Cercos-
pora leaf spot, occasionally causes dam-
age in the upper Sacramento and lowe~
San Joaquin Valleys.

Leaf-feeding insects such as the beet
army worm can cause damage if not
properly controlled. Soil-infesting nema-
todes, the sugar beet nematode and the
root knot nematode, can cause crop fail-
ures if proper precautions are not taken.
The University also publishes an annual
guide for the control of important pests
and diseases.

Irrigation and fertilization

Good yields require careful control of
irrigation. Overhead sprinkling is suc-
cessfully used in many areas. When ir-
rigation is by furrow, proper irrigation
requires careful levelling of the land to
provide even gravity flow. Water require-
ments vary from 1% to 2 feet per acre
in cool coastal areas to 3 to 5 feet in
warmer areas of interior valleys.

Sugar beets remove about the same
amount of plant nutrients from soil that
many other field and vegetable crops do.
Many sugar beet crops require nitrogen
fertilization, usually from 50 to 150
pounds of nitrogen per acre. Nitrogen
should be applied early in the season so
that it is used up well before harvest;
otherwise, the sugar concentration will be
low. For maximum sugar production and
highest net return, sugar beets should
show nitrogen deficiency symptoms from
6 to 8 weeks prior to harvest.

Profitable responses to phosphorus
fertilization are becoming quite common
in California. Where phosphorus is
needed, from 20 to 40 pounds of P (46 to

13]

Table 5
NUTRIENTS TAKEN FROM SOIL BY SEVERAL MAJOR CROPS 1

Crop and plant
part harvested

Yield per acre

Pounds of nutrients removed per acre

Sugar beets (roots)

20 tons

5 tons
2,500 pounds
4,500 pounds
2,000 pounds
400 cwt.
20 tons

2 balesf

104
237t

73t
140

16
24
9
13
11
19
10
13

100

206

Field corn (grain)

Beans (dry beans)

193

Tomatoes (fruits)

110

* Nutrient content of crops varies considerably from field to field. The figure given here (based on data
from "Feeds and Feeding," by F. B. Morrison) are a general comparison of nutrient removal.

t Besides the 2 bales (1,000 pounds) of lint, this yield includes 1,860 pounds of seed.

j Much of the nitrogen content of legumes may have been taken from the air and made available to the
plants by nodule-forming bacteria on their roots.

92 pounds of P 2 5 ) per acre usually pro-
vides for maximum growth. Potassium
fertilization is unnecessary in most areas,
and sulfur is deficient only in some soils
of the upper Sacramento Valley. Micro-
nutrient deficiencies of sugar beets are
uncommon in California.

Rotation

Without proper crop rotation, pests, di-
seases, and weeds can increase to the
point where profitable production is im-
possible. Because the sugar beet is deep
rooted, it is a good crop to alternate with
shallow-rooted crops needing heavy ferti-
lization. The beet's extensive root system
draws moisture and plant nutrients from
as deep as 4 to 5 feet in well-drained
soil, thereby benefiting from much of the
fertilizer left by the shallowrooted crop.
Care should be taken not to fertilize
heavily with nitrogen if beets follow
heavily fertilized crops. Tops incorpor-
ated in moist soil decompose rapidly, re-
leasing nitrogen and other nutrients,
most of which will be available to sub-
sequent crops.

Mechanization and labor

Sugar beet production prior to World
War II required extensive use of hand
labor. Major hand operations were thin-

ning, hoeing weeds, and harvesting,
which usually required the use of large
seasonal labor crews. Since World War II,
harvesting has been completely mecha-
nized in California and several makes of
harvesters are now available. In 1 day a
machine can harvest up to 10 acres of
beets yielding 20 tons or more of roots
per acre. These machines top, lift, and
convey the roots to a truck which delivers
them to the factory or a beet-loading sta-
tion at a nearby railroad. At the factory
or loading station, the truckload is
weighed, and the beets are mechani-
cally dumped into a hopper from which
they are conveyed to a railroad car or to
a storage bin. A sample is collected for
sucrose and tare analysis just prior to
loading into railroad car or storage bin.
The development of monogerm seed,
precision planters, seed protectants, im-
proved cultural methods, better tillage
equipment, and mechanical thinners have
made it possible to establish a stand with
little or no hand labor. To grow beets with
minimum hand labor, however, weeds
must be controlled, and even though some
very effective herbicides are available for
chemical weed control they may not con-
trol heavy weed infestations. Therefore,
sugar beets should not be grown on land
heavily infested with weeds.

[14]

The use of hand labor for thinning and
weeding is decreasing. In 1965 most
counties reported that hand thinning and
two weedings were common. By 1971 and
1972, several areas reported that better

stand-establishment and use of herbicides
on many acres substantially reduced thin-
ning and weeding. The northern counties
were the largest continuing users of labor
for these operations.

To simplify the information, it is sometimes necessary to
use trade names of products or equipment. No endorsement
of named products is intended nor is criticism implied of
similar products not mentioned.

Co-operative Extension work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Division of Agricultural Sciences, University of California, and United States Department of Agriculture
co-operating. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 6, and June 30, 1914. George B. Alcorn, Director, California Agricultural Extension Service.

10m-3,'73(Q7246L)VL

his publication is one of many that are written, pro-
duced, and distributed by the University of California
Division of Agricultural Sciences.

hey cover many subjects, from agronomy to zoology.
They cover many crops, from alfalfa to zucchini.
Some report new research findings . . . some tell "how to
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Most are free ... for some there is a charge.
All are listed in a catalog that is issued annually.

o get a copy of the catalog, visit the office of your local
University of California Farm Advisor, or write to:

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University of California
Berkeley, Calif. 94720