BBRO BeetCast

As we enter May the first of the aphids are known to be in flight, so as they launch so do we by commencing the aphid survey. This year monitoring is ramped up with 12 special monitoring sites.

In March British Sugar issued a new early lifting beet contract, as a response to the reduction in supply from the 2023 campaign. Dan Green explains the detail behind this initiative.

Sugar beet drills will soon be emerging into the daylight as preparations get under way for the 2023 sugar beet season. Dr Simon Bowen and Stephen Aldis provide a few pointers to getting the crop underway.

Meet Newark growers, Ed and Tom Hammond who have taken a holistic view to growing beet. Ensuring sustainability of the soil through cover crop use and careful management, leading to a reduction of inputs.

With a number of growers looking to increase their sugar beet contracts we catch up with some young growers to find out why they want to grow the crop and we also find out what's happening in the BBRO plant clinic.

Whilst many may hope to find a trip to Disneyland Florida hanging from their Christmas tree, our intrepid traveller and sugar beet enthusiast Dr Alistair Wright found the Disney of his dreams during a recent trip to Fargo, the sugar beet capital of the USA.

A bit of preparation now could reap rewards in future; particularly if you take a close look at your soil health. Simon and Georgina provide some helpful hints and guidance to the AHDB Soil Health Scorecard.

Whilst the crop has recovered well from drought, issues such as Beet Moth or cracked roots could expose the crop to secondary infection. Prof Mark Stevens explains what to watch out for.

An early release of the September edition of BeetCast to support growers in making those important variety choices we speak to some of the breeders about their seed portfolios.