Baseline information on agricultural practices in the EU ... - Europabio

<strong>Baseline</strong> <strong>information</strong> on agricultural practices in the EU
Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)
May 2012
Study performed for EuropaBio aisbl
Avenue de l’ Armée 6
B- 1040 Brussels
Belgium
Patrick L.J. RÜDELSHEIM & Greet SMETS
PERSEUS BVBA

Table of contents
1 INTRODUCTION 3
2 METHODOLOGY 4
3 SUGAR BEET CULTIVATION IN EUROPE 5
3.1 CROP DESCRIPTION 5
3.2 CULTIVATION AREA 6
3.3 WEEDS, PESTS AND DISEASES 14
3.3.1 WEEDS 14
3.3.2 PESTS 15
3.3.3 DISEASES 18
4 PREPARATION 22
4.1 SEEDS 22
4.2 GROWING SUGAR BEET 23
4.3 SEED TREATMENT 24
4.4 SOIL PREPARATION 25
5 CULTIVATION 30
5.1 SOWING 30
5.2 CROP PROTECTION 31
5.2.1 WEED MANAGEMENT 31
5.2.2 PEST MANAGEMENT 35
5.2.3 DISEASE MANAGEMENT 38
5.2.4 PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS 40
5.3 IRRIGATION 42
6 HARVEST AND POST-HARVEST LAND USE 56
6.1 HARVEST 56
6.2 INTERCROPPING 58
6.3 SOIL MANAGEMENT & ROTATION 58
7 REFERENCES 59
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1 Introduction
Under the current European legislations for the commercial introduction of Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMOs) it is required to assess the potential environmental impacts of GM plants,
including the assessment of potential environmental impacts of specific cultivation and management
of such plants. This assessment has been further elaborated in environmental risk assessment (ERA)
guidance documents, including those developed by the Panel on GMOs of the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA).
With this project, EuropaBio aimed to collect and structure the dataset on agronomic practices for
sugar beet in Europe. Within the definition of the project, the study was expected to cover:
• cultivation practices with special attention to those practices that can dominate in the future;
• cultivation practices across EU Member States organised by different geographical regions where
the GM crop is likely to be cultivated;
• aspects related to characteristics of the plant and the production systems into which it will be
introduced; and
• <strong>information</strong> that will help applicants to address the requirements laid out in Section D.2.9 of Annex
II of Directive 2001/18/EC.
Similar studies are conducted for other crops.
This study provides applicants with a common baseline for performing the ERA of the cultivation
practice associated with the specific GM plant.
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2 Methodology
This survey of the practices commonly used in European sugar beet cultivation is based on
<strong>information</strong> retrieved from public sites of governments, research institutes, peer-reviewed scientific
literature, farmers’ organisations, seed organisations, seed companies and expert opinions provided
by EuropaBio member companies. Most of the documents concern recommendations from research
institutes and professional organisations. While the practice of an individual farmer will be determined
by different factors and may be different from the recommendation, they are valid as reference as they
represent an optimal management situation and should lead to implementation of policy decisions.
When available, <strong>information</strong> is included on the actual crop management practices as performed by the
farmers. Also it is recognised that practices may differ within Members States and where applicable,
indications on regional differences have been included. Where available, the <strong>information</strong> was further
complemented with a review of policy statements that would indicate the future of agriculture in the
EU.
The <strong>information</strong> was organised following the sequence of activities that a farmer performs when
cultivating a sugar beet crop. Furthermore it was structured on a geographical basis, following the
structure implemented in the Regulation on Plant Protection Products 1 . This approach identifies 3
geographical zones as areas where agricultural, plant health and environmental (including climatic)
conditions are comparable (see Table 1).
Table 1: EU geographic zones (based on the Regulation on Plant Protection Products)
Zone Geography Member States
A North Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden
B Centre Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia and the United Kingdom
C South Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain
Care was taken to collect <strong>information</strong> on all items, covering all relevant Zones and focusing on the
major producers in order to get a representative view on the range of agricultural practices across the
EU.
1 Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009
concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives
79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC; OJ 24/11/2009 L 309, p.1-50.
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3 Sugar beet cultivation in Europe
3.1 Crop description
Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris var. altissima) is a member of the Chenopodiaceae. It is a
biennial plant species grown commercially in a wide variety of temperate climates. Beet is a selfincompatible,
wind-pollinated plant that produces large amounts of pollen over a long flowering period
(JRC, 2006). In the first year the root is formed weighing about 1 kg in a normal field crop stand
containing 15–20% sucrose by weight. In the second year, after vernalisation, nutrients stored in the
root are used to build the inflorescence and eventually the seeds. The crop is harvested at the end of
the first year of development, before it can flower and produce seeds (JRC, 2006). Sugar beet is
sensitive to frost and is poorly competitive in natural or agricultural habitats.
In most temperate climates, beets are planted in the spring and harvested in the autumn. Sowing
starts in March. Sugar beet requires about 150 to 200 growing days and high light intensities. The
crop has a high yield potential and a very good water use efficiency (CIBE-CEFS, 2010; ITB; OECD,
2001).
Old varieties had multigerm seeds giving rise to multiple seedlings that had to be thinned, mostly by
hand. Today’s cultivars are genetically monogerm and most sugar beet varieties in the most
productive growing regions are diploids. Triploids are resulting from a cross between diploid male
sterile female plants and tetraploid pollinators and had been used in the past 30 years very frequently.
Tetraploid varieties usually are not present in the market. The hybrid system used in the sugar beet
varieties is based on a cytoplasmatic male sterility system (CMS).
In the early growth stage sugar beet plants are vulnerable to the damping off disease complex (see
section 3.3.3) and to competition with weeds (see sections 3.3.1 and 5.2.1). The crown leaves of
sugar beet are spirally arranged and form a rosette. Some plants may show stem elongation (bolting)
already in the first growing season, especially when exposed to low temperatures (+1 to +4°C) in the
4-5 leaf stage over a period of several weeks. This may be due to the variability in vernalisation
requirements (quantitative genetic variation) or to pollination of seed crops induced by pollen from
annual wild beets, which can occur in the seed multiplication regions.
The harvesting period, known as the 'campaign', starts in most European sugar beet growing regions
in September for immediate processing at the sugar factory and lasts until November/December (until
the first night frost). Beets are stored on heaps protected from freezing awaiting transport to the sugar
factory. Delivery to the factory may continue until the end of the year / beginning of next year. At
harvest the crown and leaves are chopped and may be used as fodder or are ploughed back into the
soil as a natural fertiliser.
By-products of sugar production as pulp, molasses, fibre etc. are used as feed. Beet fibre can also be
used for food applications. Biogas is another end-product (CIBE-CEFS, 2010). Molasses are also
used for alcohol production (e.g. for beverages) and in other forms of fermentation: for
pharmaceuticals such as penicillin production; citric acid and biochemicals (OECD, 2001; CIBE-
CEFS, 2010). Also sugar factory waste water may be fermented to biogas. Sugar that is surplus to the
needs of the food market is converted to bioethanol in e.g. the United Kingdom (British Sugar),
Germany (Nordzucker) and France (Tereos).
Wild beets or sea beets (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. maritima) are annuals and are found along the
Mediterranean coast and the European Atlantic coasts.
Other cultivated forms of Beta vulgaris include fodder beet, table beet (or beetroot or red beet),
spinach beet and Swiss chard. Fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris var. rapacea) resembles
sugar beet, but the root is formed primarily by the hypocotyl, whereas the swollen root in the sugar
beet originates from the root and hypocotyl (OECD, 2001). A variety needs to contain at least 20% dry
matter and to be white to be considered a sugar beet. Fodder beets may appear white, yellow or
orange-yellow. Both leaves and roots provide a nutritious food for livestock.
These crops are not further described in this report.
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3.2 Cultivation area
An overview of the surface of sugar beet cultivation in EU Member States is provided in Figure 1 and
Table 2. The total sugar beet cropping area reached 1.5 million hectares in 2010 (EUROSTAT). In 10
years’ time the acreage almost halved coming from 2.7 million hectares in 2001. In the same period
the total beet yield, however, only decreased from 124 million tonnes to 104.3 million tonnes.
Figure 1: Area of production in 1,000 ha in 2010 (EUROSTAT) ( : 0.0 - 0.0 ; : 0.0 - 15.3 ; :
15.3 - 39.2; : 39.2 - 71.0; : 71.0 - 383.5; : Data not available)
Figure 2: Sugar beet production areas with sugar processing plants (source CIBE-CEFS, 2010)
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The distribution of sugar beet production in France is provided in Figure 3: Sugar beet
production in France in 2008 (source: La filière betteravière) Sugar beet cultivation and industry in
Germany is concentrated in the northern and western lowlands. In the UK, beet farming takes place
mainly in the eastern areas of England, from Yorkshire to Essex, and in the West Midlands. In Spain
sugar beets are found in Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, País Vasco and La Rioja. In Andalucía
sugar beet is grown as a winter crop, some 23,000 hectares in 2010 (AIMCRA). Also in Italy there is
some autumn-sown beet.
In Cyprus, Estonia, Luxembourg and Malta no sugar beets are grown. Due to the 2006 reform of the
Common Market Organisation in the sugar sector, beet sugar production ceased in Bulgaria, Ireland,
Latvia, Portugal and Slovenia (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
About 100,000 ha is currently used for bio-ethanol production (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
Figure 3: Sugar beet production in France in 2008 (source: La filière betteravière)
As a comparison fodder beet is included in Table 2. Again, the cropping area has been decreasing:
from 266,500 hectares in 2001 to 60,900 hectares in 2010.
The share taken by organic sugar beet farming is very small (Table 3). The acreage is even
diminishing, especially in Italy from almost 4,000 hectares in 2003 to 71 hectares is 2009.
Concerning farm size, around 170,000 farmers grow sugar beet in the EU today, with an average beet
area per farm of about 9 hectares (CIBE-CEFS, 2010). Germany has most of its farms in the
categories of 2-10 hectares of total sugar beet acreage per farm (Table 4). Most of the French farms
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cultivate 5 to 20 hectares, with the average field size of sugar beets per farm being 14 hectares (La
filière betteravière). The third producer, Poland, is characterised by rather small fields per farm: from 1
to 5 hectares.
Farmers need to be allocated delivery rights for the cultivation of sugar beet. Sugar beet cultivation is
organised along the lines laid down in the EU Sugar Regime in 1968. This system organises the
market on the basis of quotas, with each sugar producer allocated a sugar quota. The quotas are
being passed on by the sugar companies to their sugar beet farmers in the form of sugar beet delivery
rights. These delivery rights can be exchanged between farms but the total sugar beet acreage
depends on the quotas (European Commission, 2006).
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Table 2: Sugar and fodder beet acreage in 1,000 ha (Source: EUROSTAT)
Zone Member State Beet type 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
A Denmark Sugar 39.2 38.0 36.4 39.4 41.4 47.0 48.7 49.6 57.8 56.3
North
Fodder - 4.7 4.7 3.7 4.2 4.9 6.2 8.0 13.3 13.3
Estonia Sugar 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Fodder 0.0 - 0.1 - - - - - - -
Finland Sugar 14.6 14.8 13.6 16.0 23.9 31.3 30.7 28.8 30.6 31.1
Fodder - - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Latvia Sugar 0.0 - 0.0 0.3 12.7 13.5 13.8 14.4 15.9 14.1
Fodder - 0.7 0.9 2.3 2.8 3.8 5.6 7.1 7.5 9.6
Lithuania Sugar 15.3 15.1 8.7 16.9 18.5 21.0 23.3 25.6 29.2 26.5
Fodder - 3.4 4.5 5.2 7.2 11.7 12.1 25.8 36.0 37.3
Sweden Sugar 37.9 39.8 36.8 40.7 44.2 49.2 47.6 50.1 54.8 54.8
Fodder 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 - -
Total North Sugar 107.0 107.7 95.5 113.3 140.7 162.0 164.1 168.5 188.3 182.8
Fodder 0.0 8.8 10.2 11.2 14.2 20.4 24.0 41.1 56.8 60.2
All 107.0 116.5 105.7 124.5 154.9 182.4 188.1 209.6 245.1 243.0
Austria Sugar 44.8 43.9 43.0 42.3 39.4 44.2 44.7 43.2 44.7 44.7
Fodder - 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.9
Belgium Sugar 1 59.3 62.7 64.3 82.7 82.9 85.5 87.6 91.2 96.5 95.6
Fodder 3.9 4.1 4.0 3.3 3.4 3.8 4.1 4.5 4.9 6.0
Czech Republic Sugar 56.4 52.5 50.4 54.3 61.0 65.6 71.1 77.3 77.5 77.7
Fodder 0.9 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.8 1,1 1.2 1.2 1.4 5.6
Germany Sugar 367.0 383.6 369.3 402.7 357.6 420.1 440.5 445.6 459.4 447.7
Fodder - 3.6 4.1 5.1 4.5 4.7 5.4 6.1 7.4 7.9
Hungary Sugar 12.9 13.8 9.6 41.2 46.8 61.6 61.9 51.6 55.4 65.7
Fodder - 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.8 0.9 1.0 - -
Ireland Sugar - 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.7 31.0 31.1 31.5 31.3 31.1
Fodder - - - - 7.7 4.0 4.1 3.6 4.1 4.3
Luxembourg Sugar 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Fodder - - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
B
Centre
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Zone Member State Beet type 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
the Netherlands Sugar 71.0 72.7 72.2 82.1 82.0 91.3 97.7 102.8 108.9 109.1
Fodder 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.8
Poland Sugar 199.9 199.9 187.5 247.4 262.0 286.2 297.3 286.3 303.0 317.4
Fodder 38.6 23.0 25.7 25.3 28.9 30.6 31.9 41.1 41.2 113.7
Romania Sugar 22.2 21.3 20.4 28.7 39.8 25.2 20.8 45.2 41.6 39.0
Fodder 16.2 20.3 22.3 22.6 26,2 26.6 9.9 34.9 34.2 32.7
Slovakia Sugar 17.9 15.9 11.1 18.9 27.7 33.1 35.2 31.9 30.2 30.9
Fodder 0.9 0.8 0.8 1.4 1.6 1.6 2.0 1.9 2.2 3.7
Slovenia Sugar - - - - 6.7 5.1 4.7 5.4 4.5 4.7
Fodder - - - - - - 0.8 1.1 1.0 1.1
the United Sugar - 114.0 119.7 125.0 130.1 148.3 153.9 162.1 169.1 177.4
Kingdom
Fodder - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 5.5 5.0 6.0 6.9
Total Centre Sugar 851.4 981.3 948.5 1,126.3 1,137.7 1,297.2 1,346.5 1,374.1 1,422.1 1,441.0
Fodder 60.8 52.7 58.6 59.4 74.2 74.3 67.1 101.7 104.0 183.7
All 912.2 1,034.0 1,007.1 1,185.7 1,211.9 1,371.5 1,413.6 1,475.8 1,526.1 1,624.7
C Bulgaria Sugar 0.0 - 0.0 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.1 0.4 2.2 1.3
South
Fodder 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 1.2 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2
Cyprus Sugar 0.0 - - - - - - - - -
Fodder - - - - - - - - - -
France Sugar 383.5 372.6 349.3 393.5 379.3 378.5 384.6 399.8 437.7 429.2
Fodder - - 0.0 16.9 17.3 17.0 18.5 18.1 19.2 19.9
Greece Sugar 15.1 24.2 14.2 13.6 26.9 42.5 33.0 39.0 41.5 43.0
Fodder - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Italy Sugar 57.8 60.6 61.8 85.6 91.2 253.0 185.8 214.2 245.7 222.6
Fodder - - - - - - - - - -
Malta Sugar - - - - - - - - - -
Fodder - - - - - - - - - -
Portugal Sugar 0.1 0.1 1.6 3.0 4.3 8.6 8.4 7.5 9.0 5.4
Fodder - - - - - - - - - -
Spain Sugar 44.3 49.8 52.3 73.9 85.5 102.0 103.1 99.8 113.8 106.9
Fodder - 1.1 1.2 1.5 1.5 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.5
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Zone Member State Beet type 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
Total South Sugar 500.8 507.3 479.2 570.9 588.6 785.9 716.0 760.7 849.9 808.4
Fodder 0.1 1.2 1.2 18.5 18.9 20.5 21.3 20.7 21.8 22.6
All 500.9 508.5 480.4 589.4 607.5 806.4 737.3 781.4 871.7 831.0
European Union 27 Sugar 1,459.2 1,596.3 1,523.2 1,810.5 1,867.0 2,245.1 2,226.6 2,303.3 2,460.3 2,432.2
Fodder 60.9 62.7 70.0 89.1 107.3 115.2 112.4 163.5 182.6 266.5
All 1,520.1 1,659.0 1,593.2 1,899.6 1,974.3 2,360.3 2,339.0 2,466.8 2,642.9 2,698.7
-: not applicable or real zero or zero by default
1
: from Statbel
Table 3: Organic sugar beet acreage in ha (Source: EUROSTAT)
Zone Member State 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
Denmark 0 - - 0 170 157 169 139 91 41
Estonia 0 0 0 0 - - - - - -
A
North
Finland 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - -
Latvia 141 4 2 1 0 - - - - -
Lithuania 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - - -
Sweden 0 0 - 8 - 341 523 595 204 204
Austria - - - - - - - - - -
Belgium 0 3 0 2 6 6 2 - - -
B
Centre
Czech Republic 0 6 0 2 - 1 - - - -
Germany - - - - - - - - - -
Hungary 0 1 1 - - 0 1 1 - -
Ireland - - - - - - - - - -
Luxembourg 0 - - - - 0 0 0 0 -
the Netherlands 120 181 241 266 - - 300 - 864 750
Poland 5 8 7 10 11 - - - - -
Romania 0 0 0 0 - - - - - -
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Zone Member State 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
Slovakia 0 - 0 - 0 2 - - - -
Slovenia 10 0 0 0 0 0 15 - - -
the United Kingdom 140 152 65 71 73 548 466 - - 0
Bulgaria 0 - 0 0 - - - - - -
Cyprus - - - - - - - - - -
C
South
France 0 - - - - - - - - -
Greece 0 5 0 32 0 0 0 - -
Italy 71 128 103 157 402 128 3,887 384 57 22
Malta 0 - - 0 0 0 - - - -
Portugal - - - - 0 - - - - -
Spain 0 - - - - - - - - -
-: not applicable or real zero or zero by default
Table 4: Structure of farms with sugar beets in 2007 (Source: EUROSTAT)
Zone Member State Number of holdings with an area of sugar beets of:
0-1 ha 1-2 ha 2-5 ha 5-10 ha 10-20 ha 20-50 ha >50 ha
Denmark 30 200 630 660 570 440 140
Estonia - - - - - - -
A
North
Finland 0 10 260 590 460 130 10
Latvia 270 10 10 - 0 10 -
Lithuania 660 260 430 260 170 120 70
Sweden 40 70 540 720 710 440 130
Austria 270 1,410 3,980 2,620 550 90 10
Belgium 370 1,620 4,720 3,310 1,750 530 50
B
Centre
Czech Republic 90 10 40 60 110 200 320
Germany 1,920 4,510 10,750 8,990 6,610 3,950 1,040
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Zone Member State Number of holdings with an area of sugar beets of:
0-1 ha 1-2 ha 2-5 ha 5-10 ha 10-20 ha 20-50 ha >50 ha
Hungary 220 100 190 170 150 130 160
Ireland 20 60 140 70 20 10 -
Luxembourg - - - - - - -
the Netherlands 250 1,140 4,170 3,800 1,870 440 30
Poland 7,760 22,470 27,680 6,050 1,740 750 420
Romania 34,580 1,340 420 210 130 100 100
Slovakia 0 0 - - - - -
Slovenia 0 0 10 10 20 50 130
the United Kingdom 1,620 400 990 1,640 1,770 1,330 480
Bulgaria 40 - 0 10 - 10 10
Cyprus - - - - - - -
C
South
France 500 1,600 5,560 7,680 7,300 4,930 970
Greece 1,000 1,980 1,710 610 120 10 -
Italy 1,530 2,570 5,150 3,010 1,150 520 200
Malta - - - - - - -
Portugal 90 60 90 70 60 20 0
Spain 1,190 1,130 4,260 3,300 1,000 730 150
-: not applicable or real zero or zero by default
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3.3 Weeds, pests and diseases
3.3.1 Weeds
The low competing ability and late closure of the sugar beet crop makes weed management
mandatory.
The wide range of European weeds present in beet crops include Aethusa cynapium, Agropyron
repens (couch-grass), Atriplex patula (common orache), Alopecurus myosuroides (black grass),
Anagallis arvensis (scarlet pimpernel), Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd's purse), Chenopodium
album (fat hen), Cirsium arvense (creeping thistle), Equisetum arvense (common horsetail),
Euphorbia helioscopia (sun spurge), Fumaria officinalis (fumitory), Galinsoga parviflora (gallant
soldier), Galium aparinum (cleavers), Lamium amplexicaule, Lamium purpureum (red deathnettle),
Matricaria chamomilla (wild chamomille), Mercurialis annua (Annual mercury), Papaver rhoeas (corn
poppy), Poa annua (annual meadow-grass), Polygonum convolvulus (black bindweed), Polygonum
aviculare (knotgrass), Polygonum persicaria (redshank, ladysthumb), Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard,
charlock), Solanum nigrum (black nightshade), Sonchus arvensis (perennial sowthistle), Sonchus
oleracea (annual sowthistle), Stellaria media (chickweed), Urtica urens (small nettle), Veronica
hederifolia (Ivy-leaved speedwell), Veronica persica (field speedwell), Viola arvensis (field pansy), B.
vulgaris (weed beet), Solanum tuberosum (volunteer potatoes), Brassica napus (volunteer oilseed
rape) and cereal volunteers. Typical weeds for the individual EU member states are presented in
Table 5.
Table 5: Sugar beet – main European weeds (Sources: a ITB, b Beta Italia, c IRS; d SJT; e AIMCRA;
f KBIVB; g <strong>information</strong> provided by EuropaBio member companies)
Zone Member State Main weed species
A
North
B
Centre
Denmark -
Estonia n/a
Finland d Agropyron repens; Bidens tripartite; Chenopodium album; Fumaria
officinalis; Galeopsis speciosa; G. tetrahit; G. bifida; Galium spurium;
Lamium hybridum; L. rubrum; L. amplexicaule; Lapsana communis;
Matricaria/Trileurospermum inodora; Polygonum aviculare;
Polygonum/Fallopia convolvulus; Polygonum lapathifolium; Polygonum
amphibium; Polygonum hydropiper; Stellaria media; Viola arvensis
Latvia n/a
Lithuania -
Sweden -
Austria -
Belgium f Aethusa cynapium; Atriplex spp.; Chamomilla recutita; Chenopodium
quinoa; Conium maculatum; Echinochloa crus-galli; Fumaria officinalis;
Mercurialis annua; Polygonum aviculare; Raphanus raphanistrum;
Sinapis arvensis; Solanum nigrum; Viola arvensis; volunteers of rapeseed
and cereals; Amaranthus retroflexus; Bilderdykia convolvulus; Galium
aparine; Alopecurus myosuroides; Avena fatua; Lolium spp.; Poa spp.;
Elytrigia spp.
Czech Republic -
Germany g Aethusa cynapium; Chenopodium album; Galium aparine; Matricaria
chamomilla; Mercurialis annua; Persicaria spp.; Polygonum spp.;
Veronica spp.; Viola arvensis; volunteer rapeseed; thistles
Hungary -
Ireland n/a
Luxembourg n/a
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Zone Member State Main weed species
C
South
the Netherlands
c
Poland -
Romania -
Slovakia -
Slovenia n/a
the United
Kingdom
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
3.3.2 Pests
Bulgaria n/a
Cyprus n/a
Aethusa cynapium; Agropyron repens; Alopecurus myosuroides; Atriplex
patula; Calystegia sepium; Capsella bursa-pastoris; Chenopodium album;
Chenopodium spp.; Convolvulus arvensis; Digitaria ischaemum; Digitaria
sanguinalis; Echinochloa crus-galli; Festuca rubra; Fallopia convolvulus;
Galium aparine; Geranium spp., Lamium purpureum; Lolium spp.;
Matricaria chamomilla; Mercurialis annua; Poa annua; Polygonum spp;
Ranunculus arvensis; Setaria viridis; Solanum nigrum; Sonchus arvensis;
Stellaria media; Urtica urens and Viola arvensis
-
France a Aethusa cynapium; Amaranthus spp.; Ammi majus, Atriplex spp.;
Brassica napus; Chenopodium spp.; Digitaria sanguinalis; Fallopia
convolvulus; Fumaria spp.; Galium spp.; Matricaria chamomilla,
Mercurialis spp.; Panicum spp.; Persicaria maculosa; Polygonum
aviculare; Setaria spp.; Sinapis spp.; Solanum nigrum; Veronica spp.
Greece -
Italy b Abutilon theophrasti; Amaranthus spp.; Ammi majus; Bidens spp.;
Chenopodium spp.; Cirsium arvense; Erba medica; Fallopia convolvulus;
Matricaria chamomilla; Polygonum spp. and Xanthium spp.
Malta n/a
Portugal n/a
Spain e Amaranthus retroflexus; Anagallis arvensis; Chenopodium album;
Echinocloa crus-galli; Fumaria spp.; Lamium amplexicaule; Medicago
orbicularis; Papaver rhoeas; Polygonum aviculare; Rumex spp.; Solanum
nigrum; Solanum physalifolium; Sonchus asper; Torilis nodosa
A listing of sugar beet pests is provided in Table 6. Young seedlings may be attacked by soil pests
such as millipedes (Blaniulus guttlatus), beet stem eelworms (Ditylenchus dipsaci), wireworms
(Agriotes spp.), beet flea beetle (Chaetocnema tibialis), the beet leaf weevil (Tanymecus palliates)
and springtails (Sminthurus viridis). The importance may differ from region to region. Among
Coleoptera, wireworms are reported to cause damage in all European regions. Seed treatments may
prevent damage.
Sap sucking pests like aphids (Aphididae) induce curling of the leaves and can severely inhibit
growth. They also are the vector organisms for virus yellows. Two types of viruses can cause the
disease: Beet Yellowing Virus (BYV) and Beet Mild Yellowing Virus (BMYV). Upon infection the
leaves turn pale and then yellow between the veins. The leaves progressively thicken and become
brittle.
Among the nematodes the white beet-cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii) and the yellow beet-cyst
nematode (Heterodera betae) are important. H. schachtii causes wilting of the plants and retarded
Page 15 of 66

growth. Young larvae that emerge from the cysts feed on the roots. Two to four generations may
produce in one year. The white is present in more than 40% of the fields in the Netherlands (IRS).
In France H. schachtii is present in one quarter of the sugar beet fields (ITB). Nowadays varieties with
partial resistance are used. H. betae has less chance to impact if a broad rotation is respected and
other weed host plants are destroyed (IRS). However, at an early infestation young beet seedlings
may be completely eliminated.
Table 6: Main pests in European sugar beet fields (Sources: a AIMCRA; b KBIVB; c SJT; d FSE; e
Beta Italia; f IRS; g NBR; h ITB; i EuropaBio member company)
Zone Member State Main pest species
A
North
B
Centre
Denmark g Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.; Chaetocnema concinna (beet flea beetle);
Atomaria linearis (pygmy beetle)
Collembola: Onychiurus armatus (springtails)
Lepidoptera: Agrotis spp.
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids: Aphis fabae
Others: Nematodes: Heterodera schachtii
Estonia n/a
Finland c Coleoptera: Chaetocnema concinna
Diptera: Pegomya hyoscyani
Lepidoptera: Autographa gamma; Hydraecia micacae; Melanchra pisi
Others: nematodes: Heterodera schachtii; Heterodera betae
Latvia n/a
Lithuania -
Sweden g Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.; Chaetocnema concinna (beet flea beetle),
Atomaria linearis (pygmy beetle),
Austria -
Collembola: Onychiurus armatus (springtails)
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids: Aphis fabae
Others: Nematodes: Heterodera schachtii
Belgium b Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.; Chaetocnema tibialis; Tanymecus
palliates
Collembola: Sminthurus viridis
Diptera: Pegomyia hyoscyami
Lepidoptera: Agrotis spp.; Autographa gamma; Mamestra brassicae;
Spodoptera exigua; Dicestra trifolii; Lacanobia oleracea
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids: black bean aphid (Aphis fabae); peach-potato
aphid (Myzus persicae)
Others: millipedes (Blaniulus guttlatus)
nematodes: Heterodera schachtii; Heterodera betae
slugs
Czech Republic Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.
Lepidoptera: Agrotis spp.
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids
Germany i Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.; Atomaria linearis
Diptera: Pegomyia hyoscyami
Lepidoptera: Agrotis spp.; Autographa gamma
Page 16 of 66

Zone Member State Main pest species
C
South
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids: black bean aphid (Aphis fabae); peach-potato
aphid (Myzus persicae)
Others: Nematodes: Beet cyst nematodes (Heterodera
schachtii); Beet stem eelworm (Ditylenchus dipsaci)
Hungary Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.
Lepidoptera: Agrotis spp.
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids
Ireland n/a
Luxembourg n/a
the Netherlands
f
Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.; Chaetocnema tibialis; Tanymecus
palliates
Collembola Sminthurus viridis
Lepidoptera: Agrotis spp.
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids: black bean aphid (Aphis fabae); peach-potato
aphid (Myzus persicae)
Others: millipedes (Blaniulus guttlatus)
nematodes: Ditylenchus dipsaci; Heterodera schachtii;
Heterodera betae
Poland i Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.
Diptera: Beet leaf miner (Pegomyia betae)
Lepidoptera: Agrotis spp.
Romania Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.
Slovakia
Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids
Slovenia n/a
the United
Kingdom d
Lepidoptera: Silver Y moth (Autographa gamma)
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids: Myzus persicae
Others: Beet cyst nematodes
two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)
Bulgaria n/a
Cyprus n/a
France h Coleoptera: Agriotes spp.
Diptera: Beet leaf miner (Pegomya betae, la mouche de la
betterave, pégomyie)
Lepidoptera: Cutworms (Agrotis spp., Noctuidae); beet moth
(Scrobipalpa ocellatella)
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids
Greece -
Others: Nematodes: Heterodera schachtii; Ditylenchus dipsaci;
Italy e Coleoptera: Lixus junci; Cassida vittata; Cassida nobilis; Agriotes
spp.; Chetocnema tibialis; Atomaria linearis
Diptera: Pegomya betae
Lepidoptera: Cutworms (Autographa gamma; Mamestra brassicae;
Mamestra oleracea; Spodoptera exigua); Phthorimaea
ocellatella; Agrotis spp.
Page 17 of 66

Zone Member State Main pest species
Sternorrhyncha: Myzus persicae and Aphis fabae
Others: Nematodes: Heterodera schachtii; Heterodera betae;
Meloidogyne incognita; Ditylenchus dipsaci; Trichodorus
Malta n/a
Portugal n/a
Spain a
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
3.3.3 Diseases
Coleoptera: Lixus spp.; Agriotes spp.
Lepidoptera: Cutworms (Noctuidae) Agrotis spp.
Sternorrhyncha: Aphids: black bean aphid (Aphis fabae: Pulgón negro);
peach aphid (Myzus persicae: Pulgón verde)
Table 7 provides a list of the main sugar beet diseases in different EU Member States.
Table 7: Sugar beet – main European diseases (Source: a EPPO; b IRS; c KBIVB; d FSE; e SJT;
f Azucarera Ebro; g Beta Italia; h NBR; i IfZ; j EuropaBio member companies)
Zone Member State Main diseases
A
North
B
Centre
Denmark h damping-off diseases
Ramularia beticola; rust (Uromyces betae); powdery mildew (Erysiphe
betae)
Estonia n/a
Finland e Alternaria spp.; Aphanomyces cochlioides; Phoma betae; Pythium spp.;
Rhizoctonia solani
Latvia n/a
Lithuania -
Sweden a, h damping-off diseases
Ramularia beticola; rust (Uromyces betae); powdery mildew (Erysiphe
betae)
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Austria a Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Belgium a, c Aphanomyces cochloides; Phoma betae; Pythium ssp.; Rhizoctonia
solani; Cercospora beticola; Ramularia beticola; rust (Uromyces betae);
downy mildew (Peronospora farinosa); powdery mildew (Erysiphe betae);
Alternaria tenuis
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus, Beet Yellowing Virus, Beet Mild
Yellowing Virus
Czech Republic a Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Germany a, i damping-off: Pythium spp.; Aphanomyces spp.; Phoma spp.; Rhizoctonia
spp.
Alternaria; Fusarium ssp.; F. oxysporum f.sp. betae; Rhizoctonia solani;
Cercospora beticola; Ramularia beticola; downy mildew (Peronospora
schachtii); powdery mildew (Erysiphe betae); rust (Uromyces betae);
Verticillium
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Hungary a Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Page 18 of 66

Zone Member State Main diseases
C
South
Ireland n/a
Luxembourg n/a
the Netherlands
a, b
Rhizoctonia solani; Cercospora beticola; Ramularia beticola; rust
(Uromyces betae); downy mildew (Peronospora schachtii); Verticillium
dahlia;
Phoma ssp.; Pythium spp.;
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus, Beet Yellowing Virus, Beet Mild
Yellowing Virus
Poland a, j Cercospora beticola; powdery mildew (Erysiphe betae); Ramularia
beticola; Alternaria; rust (Uromyces betae); Verticillium spp.;
Aphanomyces spp.; Pythium spp.; Phoma spp.; Rhizoctonia spp.
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Romania a
Slovakia a
Slovenia n/a
the United
a, d
Kingdom
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Bulgaria n/a
Cyprus n/a
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
damping-off diseases; Rhizoctonia solani; Cercospora beticola;
Ramularia beticola; rust (Uromyces betae); downy mildew (Peronospora
schachtii); powdery mildew (Erysiphe betae)
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus; Beet chlorosis virus
France a, j Pytium spp.; Rhizoctonia spp.; Cercospora beticola; Ramularia beticola;
rust (Uromyces betae); downy mildew (Peronospora schachtii); powdery
mildew (Erysiphe betae); Aphanomyces; Rhizoctonia violacea
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Greece a Aphanomyces
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Italy a, g Phoma betae; Pythium spp.; Aphanomyces cochlioides; Rhizoctonia
solani; Alternaria tenuis; Fusarium spp.
Cercospora beticola; Oidium; Rhizoctonia violacea; Verticillium alboatrum
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus; Beet Yellow Virus; Beet Mild
Yellowing Virus; Beet Mosaic Virus
Malta n/a
Portugal n/a
Spain a, f, j Oidium; Cercospora beticola; Erysiphe betae; Rhizoctonia solani;
Uromyces betae
Virus: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus
Young seedlings may disappear because of the damping-off disease complex. Phoma (Phoma
betae), Pythium (Pythium ultimum) and Aphanomyces (Aphanomyces cochlioides) are the main fungi
responsible for this disease.
The soil fungus Rhizoctonia solani causes root rot and may only be observed by harvesting time.
When heavily attacked the whole tap root is rotten. Complete fields may be lost. These beets have
low sugar content (tare beets). Chemical control is not possible. Partial resistant varieties are advised.
However these varieties do not protect young seedlings (IRS). The fungus resides in the soil for many
Page 19 of 66

years due to the formation of sclerotia, or because it can survive on organic material and the roots of
many host plants.
Other fungal diseases of high importance in Europe are Cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora beticola),
powdery mildew (Erysiphe betae), rust (Uromyces beta) and Ramularia leaf spot (Ramularia beticola).
Leaf spot disease may cause very heavy damages in the warmer regions of Southern Europe.
Sugar beet plants are susceptible to rhizomania ("root madness") which turns the bulbous tap root
into many small roots making the crop economically unprocessable. The disease is caused by the
Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), transmitted by the protozoan Polymyxa betae. The survival
structures of Polymyxa are highly resistant spores that can survive in soils for more than 15 years.
Upon germination of these structures Polymyxa zoospores with BNYVV that resides in the spores can
infect new plants.
It is not possible to control Polymyxa with fungicides or soil disinfestation. Using tolerant varieties is
the only technique to be able to continue growing beets. In France, the Netherlands and many other
countries 100% of the varieties are (partially) tolerant to BNYVV (CIBE-CEFS, 2010, ITB, IRS). Early
sowing and a good soil structure (water draining) delay infestation limiting damage (IRS). Recently
classic rhizomania tolerance seems to be broken in some fields in south of France. In these areas the
growers need to use varieties combining 2 sources of tolerance.
Strict controls are enforced in European countries to prevent the spread, but it is already endemic in
some areas (EPPO, A2 list). Up to 50-70% of root yield and two to more than four percentage points
of sugar content may be lost with severe attacks of rhizomania (EPPO). BNYVV is regulated within
the European Union in protected zones, currently Brittany (FR), Finland, Ireland, the Azores (PT), and
Northern Ireland (GB) 2 .
To determine whether and when it is necessary to carry out chemical plant protective measures (i.e.
spraying pesticides), farmers continuously monitor the crop for signs of stress and are regularly
informed about weather conditions likely to favour the development of specific pests and diseases by
e.g. technical research institutes or advisory services dedicated to sugar beet. In their decision crop
damage thresholds are taken into account.
Diseases affecting beet in store include scab (Streptomyces scabies), phoma (Phoma betae), wetrot
(Phytophthora megasperma), violet root rot (Helicobasidium purpureum) and rots caused by Fusarium
spp., Penicillium spp., Botrytis cinerea, Rhizopus nigricans and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (BBRO).
2 Council Directive 2000/29 of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the
Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the
Community. OJ L 169, 10/07/2000, p.1-112. and
Commission Regulation EC/690/2008 of 4 July 2008 recognising protected zones exposed to
particular plant health risks in the Community. OJ L 193, 22/07/2008, p.1-6.
Page 20 of 66

Figure 4: Distribution of BNYVV (source: EPPO)
Figure 5: Distribution of BNYVV in the Netherlands, observation period 2002-2009; blue: A-type, red:
B-type (source: IRS, 2011)
Page 21 of 66

4 Preparation
4.1 Seeds
Breeding beets for sugar production has taken place since the late 18 th century. By the beginning of
the 19 th century beets had a sugar content of about 6%. Selections probably originated from fodder
beets grown in Poland from a type known as White Silesian.
The goal of breeding programmes is to develop sugar beet varieties with higher root yield and higher
sugar content, better extraction yield (juice purity), higher and more uniform seed emergence
percentages, seedling vigour, lower tendency to “bolt”. Also important are the physical attributes of the
root well adapted to mechanical harvesting. The root shape and a smoother surface resulted in a
reduction of soil adherence (less soil tare). Varieties are needed with better resistance to pests and
diseases (especially virus yellows, mildew, rhizomania, rhizoctonia and beet cyst nematodes), better
storability including tolerance to frost for in-field storage, and the ability to perform well over the wide
range of environments and harvest times. Today, rhizomania tolerant varieties have been developed
for all countries affected by this disease.
In more recent years characteristics such as drought tolerance (better water use efficiency), nitrogen
use efficiency, or stress tolerance in general are becoming important as well. A number of drier than
average years since 2003 has resulted in losses of beet yields on soils where the crop has been
subject to drought stress.
European legislation requires that every variety undergoes official trials for DUS (Distinctness,
Uniformity, Stability) and VCU (Value for Cultivation and Use) before commercialisation. The
guidelines for the VCU and DUS tests are summarised in Directive 2002/53/EC 3 . For sugar beet the
protocol for distinctness, uniformity and stability tests of the Administrative Council of the Community
Plant Variety Office (CPVO) is the CPVO-TP SUGARBEET/1 4 . This protocol, however, is applicable
to sugar beet components, not to commercial hybrids.
The common catalogue is based on the national lists of the Member States. All Member States
compile one or more national catalogues of the varieties accepted for certification and marketing in
their territory. The implementation of VCU testing by the Member States might be different resulting in
different admission levels between countries. Differences exist in the preparation of the seed, trial layout/field
protocol, evaluated (quality) characteristics, methods of analysis, etc.
New applications are tested against existing reference varieties, which will give a clear estimation of
gain of selection over years. These ‘reference’ varieties will be replaced over time to adapt the level of
performance to the new developed varieties.
Apart from the essential criteria for beet variety recommendation, such as root yield and sugar
content, other criteria such as early or late maturing, resistance/tolerance to specific pests and/or
diseases, nutrient conversion efficiency and internal quality are also evaluated (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
Usually 3 years of testing are needed on several locations representing the main sugar beet growing
areas.
It is also possible to test for organic sugar beet varieties in some Member States (e.g. Belgium,
KBIVB).
Most sugar beet varieties today are diploid hybrids with 2n = 18 chromosomes, derived from a cross
between diploid male sterile female plants and diploid pollinators.
Hybrids are made using a system of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). In this system, normal pollen
development is disrupted by an unknown mechanism associated with a defect in the mitochondria.
Mitochondria are inherited maternally; and therefore, only the seed parent will contain a sterile
3
Council Directive 2002/53/EC of 13 June 2002 on the common catalogue of varieties of agricultural
plant species. OJ L 193, 20.7.2002, p.1-15.
4
http://www.cpvo.europa.eu/documents/TP/agricoles/TP_sugarbeet-1_BETA_VULGARIS.pdf
Page 22 of 66

cytoplasm. For CMS to be expressed, two genes present in the cell’s nucleus must be recessive. If
either of those genes is dominant or the cytoplasm is normal, the plant will be pollen-fertile. Generally,
male-sterile CMS lines are maintained by crossing with a similar genotype with a normal cytoplasm.
These are known as maintainer or O-type lines. For each CMS, there needs to be a corresponding Otype
line.
All commercial beet seed is monogerm. Monogermity is a single-gene character expressed by the
seed parent.
The average commercial lifetime of a new beet variety is about 5 years (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
Farmers may consult online tools for their variety choices: BISZ-Sorten and LIZ-Sorteninfo
(Germany); Betakwik Variety Choice (the Netherlands) (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
4.2 Growing sugar beet
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been through reforms in recent years. Since 2003,
financial aid has been decoupled from production. As of 2005 farmers are required to meet a
minimum set of environmental standards (cross-compliance)5. Farmers that receive direct payment
have to manage their farm in a sustainable way. Not only the environment is envisaged but also
public, animal and plant health, animal welfare and the maintenance of all agricultural land. Member
States developed standards and codes of good or best agricultural practices (EC).
Currently 11 technical institutes conduct research on sugar beet in the EU and promote good
agricultural practices (CIBE-CEFS, 2010). Research priorities include the use of intercrop and soil
conservation techniques; the reduction of nitrogen and plant protection product residues; and the role
of sugar beet in crop rotation.
In most EU beet-producing countries growers can access online documents and software programs
designed to assist decision-making regarding crop management. This includes the choice of variety
and seed treatment, soil and seedbed preparation, sowing dates, the timing and choice of inputs
(fertiliser, mechanical intervention, plant protection products) during the crop cycle, harvesting and
storage (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
Beet growers, industry and research aim to optimise production, i.e. to obtain the highest possible
yield for the lowest possible amount of input and cost. In this way, they seek to both optimise
production on the one hand, and minimise environmental impact on the other. Examples of such
programmes are the SUSY (Speeding Up Sugar Yield) and LISSY (Low Input Sustainable Sugar
Yield) projects launched by the Dutch sugar sector in 2006 (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
A summary of activities in growing sugar beet is presented in Figure 6.
5 Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29 September 2003 establishing common rules for direct
support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for
farmers and amending Regulations (EEC) No 2019/93, (EC) No 1452/2001, (EC) No 1453/2001, (EC)
No 1454/2001, (EC) 1868/94, (EC) No 1251/1999, (EC) No 1254/1999, (EC) No 1673/2000, (EEC) No
2358/71 and (EC) No 2529/2001. OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p.1-69.
Commission Regulation (EC) No 796/2004 of 21 April 2004 laying down detailed rules for the
implementation of cross-compliance, modulation and the integrated administration and control system
provided for in of Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support
schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers.
OJ L 141, 30.4.2004, p.18–58.
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Figure 6: Calendar of activities in growing sugar beet (source CIBE-CEFS, 2010)
4.3 Seed treatment
The monogerm seed for sugar beet on the market is almost exclusively in pellet form. Pellet seed is
encased in a coat containing components used to control diseases and pests. In terms of form and
size, pelleted seed represents an extremely uniform seed type (OECD, 2001).
Almost all seed (Table 8) is treated with fungicides to protect the seedlings against damping-off
(general term used for a number of different fungus-caused ailments which can kill seeds or seedlings
before or after they germinate). A standard seed dressing contains thiram (=TMTD) and hymexazol
(Tachigaren) (FERA). Another fungicide is flutalonil. The fungicide thiram is no longer permitted in
France.
To protect young seedlings against early attacks from pests such as pygmy mangold beetles,
springtails, symphylids, aphids, millipedes and wireworms also an insecticide is applied to the seed.
Seed treatment with imidacloprid (Gaucho, Imprimo), a systemic insecticide, protects against insects
in the early stages of seedling and plant development. Beta-cyfluthrin/clothianidin (Poncho Beta,
Mundus Forte) or tefluthrin (Force), thiamethoxam (Cruiser), or combinations are also used.
Imidacloprid and clothianidin will give systemic protection from early aphid attack.
In order to increase germination ability and to increase uniformity seed companies introduced priming
techniques. Priming occurs when seeds are imbibed in a controlled way to induce the pre-germinative
metabolism and then dried before the radicle emerges. The hydration treatment is stopped before
desiccation tolerance is lost.
Table 8: Sugar beet seed treatment; figures are percentage of sugar beet crop area treated
(Sources: a IRS; b BBRO; c EuropaBio member companies)
Zone Member State Insecticide
(% of sugar beet crop
area treated)
A
North
Denmark - -
Estonia n/a n/a
Fungicide
(% of sugar beet crop
area treated)
Page 24 of 66

Zone Member State Insecticide
(% of sugar beet crop
area treated)
B
Centre
C
South
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Finland - -
Latvia n/a n/a
Lithuania - -
Sweden - -
Austria - -
Belgium - -
Czech Republic - -
Germany - -
Hungary - -
Ireland n/a n/a
Luxembourg n/a n/a
the Netherlands a 73% -
Poland - -
Romania - -
Slovakia - -
Slovenia n/a n/a
the United Kingdom b >90% 60%
Bulgaria n/a n/a
Cyprus n/a n/a
France c 99,5%
(28% thiamethoxam)
Greece - -
Italy - -
Malta n/a n/a
Portugal n/a n/a
Spain - -
4.4 Soil preparation
Fungicide
(% of sugar beet crop
area treated)
99,5% hymexazol 20g
0,5% hymexazol 40g
per unit of seed (100,000)
Fertilisation of the soil needs to be adapted to the needs of the crop taking into account what is
already present in the soil. Also the other crops in the rotation influence the final fertilisation. The
needs of sugar beets are presented in Nitrogen is essential for rapid expansion of leaves. It therefore
needs to present at seedling emergence. 70% of the crop‘s needs is taken up between the end of
May and mid-July (ITB). By mid-season the canopy has been formed and nutrients should be
deviated to the root. Excess late nitrogen would still stimulate leaf growth and would have negative
effects on root purity and sucrose content and extraction.
As mineralisation of humus is limited early in the season, mineral nitrogen is applied before sowing
and/or at early plant stage to meet the crop’s needs. About 2/3 rd is provided by sources in the soil,
1/3 rd comes from the mineral complement (ITB).
Table 9.
Page 25 of 66

Nitrogen is essential for rapid expansion of leaves. It therefore needs to present at seedling
emergence. 70% of the crop‘s needs is taken up between the end of May and mid-July (ITB). By midseason
the canopy has been formed and nutrients should be deviated to the root. Excess late
nitrogen would still stimulate leaf growth and would have negative effects on root purity and sucrose
content and extraction.
As mineralisation of humus is limited early in the season, mineral nitrogen is applied before sowing
and/or at early plant stage to meet the crop’s needs. About 2/3 rd is provided by sources in the soil,
1/3 rd comes from the mineral complement (ITB).
Table 9: Average uptake of the most important nutrients by a sugar beet crop (IRS)
nutrient
uptake (kg/ha)
root crown + leaf total
nitrogen (N) 75 145 220
phosphate (P2O5) 42 40 82
potassium (K2O) 130 285 415
sodium (Na2O) 12 130 142
magnesium (MgO) 25 40 65
The amount of nitrogen fertiliser further depends on the type of the previous green manure crop, if
any, whether livestock manure has been applied, and whether grass has been ploughed under (IRS).
Often used green manure crops preceding sugar beets are white mustard (Sinapis alba), oil radish
(Raphanus sativus subsp. oleiferus) and grass.
Mineral fertiliser is applied 1-2 times; on sandy soils also manure is applied in spring (NL). On clay
soils nitrogen is given already in February (IRS, ITB), sometimes only partly with the rest at the 2-6
leaf stage. It is also possible to apply the total amount at the 2-leaf stage. Local application in the row
is also practiced to lower doses and to spare the environment (ITB). On sandy soils the necessary
minerals are applied shortly before sowing.
Depending on whether the amount of phosphorus stored in the soil is sufficient or not, application is
done in autumn or spring time (to keep level), or in spring respectively. On clay soils potassium is
provided preferably in autumn, on light soils spring time is the optimum period.
Sodium sometimes has a positive effect on root mass and sugar content, especially on sandy soils
(IRS). Light soils also are sensitive for magnesium deficiency. On clay soils magnesium is sprayed
when deficiency symptoms become visible.
Boron deficiency causes heart rot. Again sandy soils are most vulnerable. A field with a history of
boron deficiency should receive e.g. borax before sowing. Alternatively leaf fertilisers are sprayed
between the 2-leaf stage and crop closure.
Farmers usually base their calculations for the optimum fertilisation on soil analyses from samples
taken in winter. Several <strong>information</strong> services provide models and advice to calculate the right dose of
fertilisers to apply in the fields as this may differ from one field to another. Examples are: Fert-Consult
(Belgium); Fertibet and Azofert (France); LIZ-Dungpro and BISZ Düngung (Germany); Integrated Beet
Nutrition - N.I.B. (Italy); Betakwik N-P-K (the Netherlands) (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
The general practice to prepare the soil is ploughing in order to incorporate crop residuals and weeds
in the soil. On heavy soils this is done in autumn with the advantage that frost can break clods (Table
10). On sandy soils ploughing and seedbed preparation is often done in one operation or the soil is
tilled shortly before preparing the actual seed bed. Local legislation might restrict soil preparations to
prevent erosion. For the seedbed the soil needs to be moist and have a fine structure in the top 3 cm
layer.
Page 26 of 66

On water erosion sensitive soils it is advised not to turn the soil but to use a rotary cultivator, to loosen
the soil and to provide for a relatively rough top layer. This increases the soil capacity to store water
and reduces the possibility of silting of the upper soil layer. Strip till is also applied where the soil is
only worked on in the row lanes at sowing. This technique even allows for sowing when the winter
cover crop is still present (ITB). Even direct sowing without a seedbed preparation is practised 6 . In
case of heavy weed infestation or when the cover crop has not completely died-off during winter, a
treatment with glyphosate is recommended.
With minimum or zero-tillage the soil is not or only superficially laboured. In this way, crop residue
from previous crops is left on the surface during the critical soil erosion period, retaining more raining
water and, therefore, diminishing soil erosion and nutrients wash out. The fertile soil is kept in the
upper layers, soil structure is kept intact and soil organisms are not disturbed. Seeds are sown with
only superficial loosening of the soil. This practice is useful on slopes and on fields with low carrying
capacity. Yields do not seem to be affected in comparison with tilled fields 7 , particularly in lighter
soils 8 .
Reducing the number of operations and driving tractors with low tire pressure, or double wheels
prevents soil compaction in deeper layers. This leads to less branched roots and deeper root
penetration for optimal water and nutrient take-up.
The Sixth Environment Action Programme (6 th EAP) sets out the framework for environmental policy
making in the European Union for the period 2002-2012 and outlines actions that need to be taken to
achieve them. The 6 th EAP calls for the development of seven thematic strategies, including a
strategy on soil protection: the Soil Thematic Strategy. In September 2006 the Commission proposed
a Soil Framework Directive, which is currently under discussion.
In the final report on the project ‘Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation (SoCo Project Team;
2009), conservation agriculture is positioned in the thematic strategy on soil protection. The report
was commissioned by the European Parliament and provides for conclusions and recommendations
on soil degradation processes, soil conservation practices and policy measures at European level.
No-tillage and reduced tillage, in combination with permanent soil cover (cover crops, crop residues)
and crop rotation, are essential practices in conservation agriculture. These practices minimise the
risk of soil degradation by increasing the organic carbon stock, thus improving biological activity, soil
fertility, soil structure and the water-retention capacity of soils. As a consequence, soil erosion and
nutrient runoff are reduced (with positive effects on water quality), and soil resistance to compaction is
improved. In addition, significant cost savings with respect to labour and fuel consumption are
reported.
Table 10: Sugar beet soil preparation in relation to tillage (options, complemented with relative
importance % of cultivated sugar beet area), examples for fertiliser (N: nitrogen, P:
phosphorus, K: potassium) and soil application of insecticides (Sources: a IRS; b Agreste; c
AIMCRA; d CIBE-CEFS; e BSA; f EuropaBio member companies)
Zone Member State Tillage
A
North
Fertiliser
(kg/ha)
Denmark - - -
Estonia n/a n/a n/a
Insecticides
(% applied of the
cultivated area)
6 E.g. Sächsisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft und Geologie:
http://www.smul.sachsen.de/landwirtschaft/11936.htm#top
7 Romaneckas K., Romaneckienė R., Šarauskis E., Pilipavičius V., Sakalauskas A. (2009) The effect
of conservation primary and zero tillage on soil bulk density, water content, sugar beet growth and
weed infestation. Agronomy Research 7(1): 73-86.
8 BBRO. Minimum tillage establishment of sugar beet
http://www.appliedresearchforum.org.uk/publications/documents/beet/Sugar_min_tillage_article.pdf
Page 27 of 66

Zone Member State Tillage
B
Centre
C
South
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Fertiliser
(kg/ha)
Finland d - Max.140 N for clay
and mineral soils;
120 N for organic
soils; 0-42 P
Latvia n/a n/a n/a
Lithuania - - -
Sweden - - -
Austria d 30% sown in
mulch
Max. 80-140 N -
Belgium - - -
Czech Republic - - -
Germany d, e 40% sown in
mulch
Max. 140-160 N
Hungary - - -
Ireland n/a n/a n/a
Luxembourg n/a n/a n/a
the Netherlands a - 100-150 N
70 P2O5
150-200 K2O
On light soils: 200
Na2O and 50-70 MgO
Poland - - -
Romania - - -
Slovakia - - -
Slovenia n/a n/a n/a
the United Kingdom - - -
Bulgaria n/a n/a n/a
Cyprus n/a n/a n/a
France b, d 85% with turning
soil;
13-15% without
100-120 N,
75-145 P2O5,
190-235 K2O
Greece - - -
Italy - - -
Malta n/a n/a n/a
Portugal n/a n/a n/a
Spain c N:
S:
120-200 N,
115-185 P2O5,
0-130 K2O
195-245 N,
90-185 P2O5,
0 K2O
Insecticides
(% applied of the
cultivated area)
-
-
-
-
-
Page 28 of 66

Not only are the requirements of a specific crop or soil conditions determining the agricultural practice
of applying manure or mineral fertilisers, also laws and regulations are, to a large extend, weighing on
the agricultural practice. As an example the Nitrates Directive 9 aiming to protect water quality across
Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters, sets a
maximum of 170 kg N/ha originating from livestock manure in "vulnerable zones", amongst other
measurements. Phosphorus application with chemical fertilisers, as a rule, is prohibited unless soil
analysis is performed and a permit is issued by the competent authority.
Some Member States establish codes of good agricultural practice and set up an action programme
for the vulnerable zones. Some examples of legislation:
• In the Netherlands the requirements are laid down in the ‘Meststoffenwet’ (1986 and
amendments) and implementing decrees and decisions.
• In Flanders (Belgium), the Manure Decree (Mestdecreet, 2006 and amendments) as worked
out in the ‘Mestactieplan’ (MAP1 in 1996, MAP2 in 1998, MAP3 in 2006 and draft MAP4 in
2010) is applicable.
• In Germany the Fertilisation Ordinance (Verordnung über die Grundsätze der guten
fachlichen Praxis beim Düngen vom 26. Januar 1996. BGBL I S. 118, geändert durch VO v.
16.7.1997, BGBL I S. 1835) is interpreted further by the individual governments of each
federal state (Bundesland).
• In Spain following Regulation (EC) 73/2009, Royal Decree 486/2009 states good agricultural
practices as a condition for farmers that receive community aid. The Autonomous Regions
further elaborate the rules for their territory. In particular, Royal Decree 291/1996 is about
water quality protection against nitrates.
• In France Decree 2001-34 transposing the Nitrates Directive, later modified by Decree 2005-
634, deals with nitrate applications in vulnerable zones. Several Inter-ministerial Circulars
(DE/DPPR/DGS/DGFAR of April 2001, DGFAR/SDSTAR/C2003-5021 of September 2003,
DGFAR/SDER/C2008-5014 of March 2008, etc.) and the inter-ministerial Decision of 6 March
2001, and the “Code des bonnes pratiques agricoles” as established by the Decision of 22
November 1993 further elaborate on the subject.
• Italy: “Decreto legislativo 11 maggio 1999, n. 152, "Disposizioni sulla tutela delle acque
dall'inquinamento e recepimento della direttiva 91/271/CEE concernente il trattamento delle
acque reflue urbane e della direttiva 91/676/CEE” as amended in 2000 and twice in 2003.
Examples of action programmes in respect of designated vulnerable zones are ‘FertiMieux’ in France,
‘Wallonia Prop’eau Sable’ in Belgium, ‘Thessaly nitrate pollution project’ in Greece. Or they are
incorporated into other programmes: e.g. ‘National Nitrogen Management Programme’ in Denmark
and the Protected Area and Compensation Regulation ‘SchALVO’ in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
(CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
For each field, nitrogen needs are calculated taking into account the previous crop, the catch crop, the
type of soil, the organic matter content of the soil, the expected yield and local regulations. Also,
limitations in time of spreading manure have been established.
9 91/676/EEC, OJ L 375, 31.12.1991, p. 1-8
Page 29 of 66

5 Cultivation
5.1 Sowing
Seeds are produced in France and Italy. Farmers buy seeds either directly from the seed companies
or via the sugar factories. Seeds are treated with insecticides and fungicides and pelleted resulting in
boll shaped easy drillable seed of 3.5-4.5 mm diameter. Between 2.5 and 3.5 kg pelleted beet seed
comprises 100,000 seeds (1 unit) and will plant over a hectare of ground (UK). In the Netherlands
1.1 units are used per hectare (Van den Brink, 2008).
Sugar beet is sown from early March onwards and the operation is normally completed by early April
(UK) (Table 11). The seeds are sown in rows using precision sowing machines, 45-50 cm wide, at a
typical spacing of 18-21 cm and between 2.5 and 4.0 cm deep. Machines can handle 6 to 18 rows at
a time.
Sugar beet seed germination is affected by soil temperature and soil moisture. Germination does not
occur until soil temperature reaches 3-5°C. Sugar beet seedlings begin emerging from the soil 10
days to two weeks after being planted (10 days at 12°C, 3 weeks at 7°C) (IRS). Usually a field
emergence of 70-80% may be expected. Sometimes a field is re-sown when plant emergence is low.
Early sowing prolongs the growing season, resulting in more sugar and reduces damage by
nematodes and rhizoctonia because plants already show some resistance at the time this pest and
disease develop (IRS). However, the incidence of bolters might increase when cold weather follows
sowing.
Plant densities depend on the soil type. On light soils more plants are preferred. The amount of seeds
used is also determined by the time of sowing: early sowing requires more seeds to obtain the desired
plant number per hectare. Finally weed and pest pressure may influence the amount of seed used
(IRS).
Table 11: Sugar beet sowing dates, average seed use and plant density (Sources: a KBIVB, b BSA, c
IRS, d FSE, e ITB, f Beta Italia, g AIMCRA; h EuropaBio member companies)
N: North; S: South
Zone Member State Sowing dates Seed use
(1,000
kernels/ha)
A
North
B
Centre
Denmark - - -
Estonia n/a
Finland - - -
Latvia n/a
Lithuania - - -
Sweden - - -
Austria - - -
Belgium a March – mid April - -
Czech Republic - - -
Germany b March – mid April - 80
Hungary - - -
Ireland n/a
Luxembourg n/a
Plant
density
(1,000/ha)
the Netherlands c March 1 – late April (re-sow: May) 110 70-90
Page 30 of 66

Zone Member State Sowing dates Seed use
(1,000
kernels/ha)
C
South
Poland - - -
Romania - - -
Slovakia - - -
Slovenia n/a
the United
Kingdom d
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Bulgaria n/a
Cyprus n/a
10 March – 10 April 75-90 -
France e, h Mid-March – end of April 105-124 e
105-130 h
Greece - - -
Italy f N:
S: October/November
Malta n/a
Portugal n/a
Spain g N: March
S: October/November
5.2 Crop protection
5.2.1 Weed management
Plant
density
(1,000/ha)
90-111 e
95-120 h
- 90-110
100-120
80-110
Due to the slow appearance of the leaves in the first weeks after germination weed management is
crucial until canopy closure. The plants are sufficiently developed to prevent weeds from growing
about half June (NL).
Although sugar beet is a biennial plant, some plants may build an inflorescence already in the first
year (bolting). Also flowering weed beets may appear. These plants are detrimental to the crop in that
they take away sunlight and make harvest difficult. Due to their high fibre content and high K/Na and
NH3 content sugar extracting is hampered. Furthermore seed formation leads to volunteers in the
following crop. Bolters may flower from June till August. Farmers walk their fields on a regular basis to
remove them by hand. In the Netherlands elimination of bolters needs to be done before August 1 to
prevent viable seed development. Volunteer beets are coped with in the following crops in the rotation
(ITB).
Weeds are controlled with herbicides in all European regions on almost 100% of the production area.
The proportion of the area treated with herbicides as well as the average number of herbicide
applications per field are shown in Table 12. Weed control is usually done by 3 to 6 applications of
herbicides, the first application might be applied after sowing before the seedlings emerge (preemergence)
and the rest in April, May and June until the crop closes (post-emergence). Sometimes
more herbicide applications may be necessary (Van den Brink, 2008, La Filière Betteravière, FSE,
Champion et al., 2003). A pre-emergence treatment is nowadays only rarely practiced (La Filière
Betteravière) and only justified in case of high weed incidence (ITB).
Precision spraying techniques to lower the amount of active ingredient, combined with inter-row
cultivations, are developed as a component of weed control strategies as environmental pressures on
the use of pesticides increase. In general, tillage systems without soil inversion rely more on efficient
herbicide use.
Page 31 of 66

Examples of approved herbicide to use in some countries of the EU are shown in Table 13 and Table
14. Rotation of modes of actions is a key tool to manage weed resistance and is recommended in
many stewardship programmes to prevent the development of resistance to commonly used
herbicides.
If mechanical weeding is carried out, it is conducted after emergence between the rows, largely for the
control of weed beet, which cannot be controlled with current herbicide sprays approved for use in
beet (FSE, Champion et al., 2003). Some weeks after sowing the soil is hoed (La Filière Betteravière).
This also allows for better water penetration.
Table 12: Chemical weed control (pre-emergence & post-emergence) (Sources: a NBR; b IRS; c FSE;
d SJT; e ITB: f FERA; g AIMCRA; h Pflanzenschutzdienst Mecklenburg-Vorpommern;
I KBIVB; j EuropaBio member company)
Zone Member State Treated area
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
A
North
B
Centre
average
number of
preemergence
applications
per field
preemergence
active
ingredients
Denmark a - - - - -
Estonia n/a
average post-emergence
number of active ingredients
postemergence
applications
per field
Finland d - - - - Clopyralid;
Cycloxydim; Fluazifop-
P-butyl;
Propaquizafop;
Quizalofop ethyl;
Triflusulfuron-methyl
Latvia n/a
Lithuania - - - - -
Sweden a - - - - Chloridazon;
Clomazon;
Clopyralid;
Ethofumesate;
Lenacil;
Metamitron;
Phenmedipham;
Triflusulfuron-methyl
Austria - - - - -
Belgium i - - Chloridazon;
Clomazon;
Quinmerac +
Chloridazon
Czech Republic - - - -
Germany h
- Clethodim;
Clopyralid;
Cycloxydim;
Ethofumesate;
Fluazifop-P-butyl;
Lenacil; Metamitron;
Phenmedipham;
Propaquizafop;
Quizalofop ethyl;
S-metachloor;
Tepraloxydim;
- - - - Chloridazon;
Clethodim;
Clopyralid;
Cycloxydim;
Desmedipham;
Ethofumesat;
Page 32 of 66

Zone Member State Treated area
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
C
South
average
number of
preemergence
applications
per field
preemergence
active
ingredients
Hungary - - - - -
Ireland n/a
Luxembourg n/a
the Netherlands b - - - - -
average post-emergence
number of active ingredients
postemergence
applications
per field
Fluazifop;
Metamitron;
Phenmedipham
Propaquizafop;
Quinmerac;
Quizalofop;
Triflusulfuron;
Tepraloxydim;
Poland j - - - - Chloridazon;
Clopyralid;
Desmedipham;
Ethofumesat;
Lenacyl;
Metamitron;
Phenmedipham
Romania - - - - -
Slovakia - - - - -
Slovenia n/a
the United
c, f
Kingdom
Bulgaria n/a
Cyprus n/a
100% 1 - 4 Chloridazon;
Clopyralid;
Cycloxydim;
Desmedipham;
Ethofumesate;
Lenacil;
Metamitron;
Phenmedipham;
Triflusulfuron-methyl
France e, j - - Quinmérac +
Chloridazone
Metamitrone
Greece - - - - -
- Chloridazon;
Clomazone.
Ethofumesate;
Desmedipham;
Dimethenamid-P
Lenacil;
Metamitron;
Phenmedipham;
Quinmerac;
S-metolachlor
Triflusulfuron-methyl
Italy - - - - Chloridazon;
Clopyralid;
Lenacil;
Metamitron;
S-metolachlor
Page 33 of 66

Zone Member State Treated area
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Malta n/a
Portugal n/a
average
number of
preemergence
applications
per field
preemergence
active
ingredients
average post-emergence
number of active ingredients
postemergence
applications
per field
Spain g - 1 - 3 Carbetamide;
Chloridazon;
Clethodim;
Clopyralid;
Desmedipham;
Ethofumesate;
Fluazifop-p-butyl;
Glyphosate;
Lenacil;
Metamitron;
Phenmedipham;
Propaquizafop;
Quizalofop-p-ethyl;
S-metolaclor;
Triflusulfuron-methyl
Table 13: Main active ingredients and examples of pre-emergence commercial herbicides available
for use in sugar beet in the EU (Sources: <strong>information</strong> provided by EuropaBio member
companies)
Active
ingredient
HRAC
classification
France Germany Spain Italy
Chloridazon C1 PYRAMIN DF PYRAMIN DF
Ethofumesate N TRAMAT
Metamitron C1 GOLTIX GOLTIX
Quinmerac +
chloridazon
O
C1
ZEPPLIN
Table 14: Main active ingredients and examples of post-emergence commercial herbicides available
for use in sugar beet in the EU (Sources: <strong>information</strong> provided by EuropaBio member
companies)
Active
ingredient
HRAC
classification
France Germany Spain Italy
Chloridazon C1 PYRAMINE DF PYRAMIN WG/
TERLIN DF
Chloridazon +
metamitron
C1
C1
PYRAMIN DF BETOZON
MENHIR VOLCAN COMBI
Clethodim A SELECT 240 EC CENTURION
PLUS
Clopyralid O LONTREL LONTREL
Cycloxydim A FOLY R FOCUS ULTRA FOCUS ULTRA
Dimethenamid-P K3 ISARD
Page 34 of 66

Active
ingredient
HRAC
classification
Ethofumesate N BOXER ETHOSAT
TRAMAT
Ethofumesate +
metamitron
N
C1
France Germany Spain Italy
TORNADO
COMBI
TRAMAT
GOLTIX SUPER GOLTIX UNO
Fluazifop A FUSILADE MAX FUSILADE MAX FUSILADE MAX
Lenacil C1 VENZAR LENACILO FLO VENZAR
Metamitron C1 GOLTIX BEETIX SC
GOLTIX GOLD
Metamitron +
lenacil
Metamitron + smetolachlor
C1
C1
C1
K3
Phenmedipham C1 FASNET SC BETOSIP SC
ASKET 470
KONTAKT 320
SC
Phenmedipham + C1
desmedipham C1
Phenmedipham + C1
ethofumesate N
Phenmedipham + C1
ethofumesate + N
desmedipham C1
BETANAL
BOOSTER
POWERTWIN
PLUS
BETANAL
EXPERT
GOLTIX GOLTIX
RAZOR
VOLCAN
BETANAL
NEOTEC
BETANAL AM 22
BETANAL
EXPERT
Propaquizafop A AGIL-S AGIL
Quinmerac +
chloridazon
O
C1
ZEPPLIN REBELL
Quizalofop A PANAREX
TARGA SUPER
S-metolachlor K3 MERCANTOR
GOLD
Tepraloxydim A ARAMO
Triflusulfuronmethyl
NERVURE
MASTER D
GOLTIX STAR
GOLTIX + DUAL
GOLD
BETANAL
B SAFARI DEBUT DEBUT SAFARI
For weed control farmers may consult via internet: online diagnosis program (a common weed
identification system in seven languages serving Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy,
Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK); FAR-Consult (Belgium); HerbInfo and LIZ-
Herbizid (Germany); BETSY (France); Betakwik Weed Control (the Netherlands) (CIBE-CEFS, 2010).
5.2.2 Pest management
Seed treatment (see 4.3 Seed treatment) protects the crop at sowing against soil insects (usually
combined with protection against diseases). To prevent damage by underground parasites
insecticides (CURATER: Carbofuran) are applied to the soil as granules at the time of sowing (in
Belgium and France this product is prohibited).
In the second half of the growing season the crop is sprayed against leaf diseases 1-2 times and
against aphids, again 1-2 times (Van den Brink, 2008) (Table 15).
Typical timings of pesticide applications are presented in Figure 7. Most foliar insecticides are applied
in May, June and July to control aphids and flea beetles.
Page 35 of 66

Figure 7: Pesticide use - time and frequency of treatments (source: FERA, Pesticide use survey
report 213 – Arable crops in Great Britain in 2006)
Soil-applied nematicides are applied at drilling, with the peak in March (FERA, 2006). IRS states that
granulates are rarely cost effective to control beet-cyst nematodes. Partially resistant varieties and
catch crops are used to reduce white beet-cyst nematode damage. Resistant varieties reduce the
multiplication rate, whereas appropriate catch crops allow for cysts to hatch but prevent completion of
the life cycle and therefore multiplication.
Table 15: Use of insecticides in foliar sprays and soil-applied nematicides (Sources: b IRS; c ITB;
d FERA; e AIMCRA; f FSE; g SJT; h Pflanzenschutzdienst Mecklenburg-Vorpommern;
I EuropaBio member companies)
Zone Member State Insecticides
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
A
North
B
Centre
Insecticides Active
(number of ingredients
applications)
Nematicides Active
ingredients
Denmark - - - - -
Estonia n/a
Finland g - - Beta-cyfluthrine;
Clothianidin;
Dimethoate;
Imidacloprid;
Pyrethroids:
e.g. Fenvalerate
Thiamethoxam
- -
Latvia n/a
Lithuania - - - - -
Sweden - - - - -
Austria - - - - -
Belgium - - Cyhalothrin;
Dimethoate;
Deltamethrin;
Lambdacyhalothrin;
Pirimicarb
- -
Page 36 of 66

Zone Member State Insecticides
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
C
South
Insecticides Active
(number of ingredients
applications)
Nematicides Active
ingredients
Czech Republic - - - - -
Germany h
- - Beta-cyfluthrin;
Dimethoate;
Lambdacyhalothrin;
Pirimicarb
- -
Hungary - - - - -
Ireland n/a
Luxembourg n/a
the
Netherlands b
- - - - -
Poland i - - Alphacypermethrin;
Chlorpyrifos;
Lambdacyhalothrin
Romania e
Slovakia e
Slovenia n/a
the United
d, f
Kingdom
Bulgaria n/a
Cyprus n/a
- -
- - - - -
- - - - -
33% d
22,7% f
< 1 d
0,3 f
Cypermethrin;
Lambdacyhalothrin;
Oxamyl;
Pirimicarb;
Zetacypermethrin
France c, i -

Zone Member State Insecticides
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Insecticides Active
(number of ingredients
applications)
Lambdacyhalothrin;
Pirimicarb;
Tefluthrin;
Zetacypermethrin
Nematicides Active
ingredients
Integrated pest management (IPM) promotes the use of different techniques in combination to control
pests efficiently, with an emphasis on methods that are least injurious to the environment and most
specific to the particular pest (Endure, 2009).
5.2.3 Disease management
Fungi are tackled by seed treatment (see 4.3 Seed treatment) and foliar spraying. The use of resistant
plant material remains the most effective and practical method to control fungi.
Table 16: Use of fungicides in on plant sprays (Sources: a AIMCRA, b ITB; c BBRO; d FERA; e FSE;
f SJT; g NBR; h Pflanzenschutzdienst Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; I KBIVB; j EuropaBio
member companies)
Zone Member State Fungicides
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
A
North
B
Centre
Fungicides
(number of
applications)
active ingredients
Denmark g - - Epoxiconazole;
Pyraclostrobin;
Estonia n/a
Finland f - - Propiconazole
Latvia n/a
Lithuania - - -
Sweden g - - Pyraclostrobin;
Strobilurin;
Sulphur;
Triazol
Austria - - -
Belgium i - - Carbendazim;
Difenoconazol;
Epoxiconazole;
Fenpropidin;
Fenpropimorf;
Flusilazole;
Propiconazole;
Pyraclostrobin;
Quinoxyfen;
Tetraconazole;
Triazol
Czech Republic - - -
Page 38 of 66

Zone Member State Fungicides
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
C
South
Fungicides
(number of
applications)
active ingredients
Germany h - - Azoxystrobin;
Carbendazim;
Difenokonazol;
Epoxiconazol;
Fenpropidin;
Flusilazol;
Kresoxin-methyl;
Propiconazol;
Prochloraz;
Tetraconazol
Hungary - - -
Ireland n/a
Luxembourg n/a
the Netherlands - - Cyproconazol;
Difenokonazol;
Epoxiconazole;
Fenpropidin;
Fluazinam;
Trifoxystrobin
Poland j - - Epoxiconazole;
Tebuconazole;
Tetraconazol;
Thiophanate-methyl
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia n/a
the United
c, d, e
Kingdom
Bulgaria n/a
Cyprus n/a
- - -
- - -
71% d
40.2% e
1 d
0.4 e
Carbendazim;
Flusilazole;
Strobilurin;
Sulphur;
Triazole
France b - 1-3.2 Azoxystrobin;
Cyproconazole;
Difenoconazol;
Epoxiconazole;
Fenpropidin;
Flutriafol;
Kresoxin-methyl;
Propiconazol;
Pyraclostrobine;
Quinoxyfen;
Zineb
Greece - - -
Italy - - -
Malta n/a
Portugal n/a
Page 39 of 66

Zone Member State Fungicides
(% of
cultivated
sugar beet
area)
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Fungicides
(number of
applications)
active ingredients
Spain a - 1-3 Bitertanol;
Bupirimate;
Carbendazim;
Cypermetrin;
Cyproconazol;
Difenoconazol;
Epoxiconazol;
Fenpropimorf;
Flutriafol;
Mancozeb;
Maneb;
Miclobutanil;
Pencicuron;
Prochloraz;
Propiconazol;
Strobilurin;
Sulphur;
Tetraconazol;
Thiram;
Triadimenol;
Triazole
Online documents and software programs are available for farmers to decide on pest and disease
control: online diagnosis program (serving Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania,
the Netherlands and Sweden); BISZ Warning Service and LIZmonitoring (Germany); Cercostop
(Italy); Betakwik Pests and Diseases (the Netherlands) (CIBE-CEFS, 2010); ResauBet Fongi in
France.
5.2.4 Plant Protection Products
The placing on the market of plant protection products is regulated by Regulation (EC) No
1107/2009 10 . Whereas the active substance is approved at EU level, the actual plant protection
products are authorised at Member State level and the authorisation includes details of each
authorised use. Potential environmental impacts already addressed by that Regulation include impact
on non-target species and the likelihood of resistance development.
A plant protection product must -among other aspects- not have any unacceptable effects on plants or
plant products; and have no unacceptable effects on the environment, having particular regard to its
fate and distribution in the environment, its impact on non-target species and its impact on biodiversity
and the ecosystem.
In addition to management measures, the holder of an authorisation for a plant protection product is
also required to monitor and to report annually to the competent authorities of the Member States
which authorised the plant protection product if the holder has any <strong>information</strong> available relating to the
lack of expected efficacy, the development of resistance and to any unexpected effect on plants, plant
products or the environment. Any agricultural development that would include a change in the use of a
crop protection product, will need to fulfil the requirements imposed by this legislation and will be
evaluated in line with similar products by the relevant competent authorities.
10 Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009
concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives
79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC. OJ L 309, 24.11.2009, p.1-50.
Page 40 of 66

The Sixth Environment Action Programme and the Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of
Pesticides, adopted by the Council and Parliament for the period 2002-2012, aims towards a healthier
environment. Amongst the objectives are the reduction of the levels of harmful active substances
used, in particular by substituting the most dangerous with safer alternatives, and the promotion of
low-input or pesticide-free cultivation. This resulted in the 2009/128/EC Framework Directive 11
establishing the framework to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides by reducing the risks and
impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment and promoting the use of integrated
pest management and of alternative approaches or techniques such as non-chemical alternatives to
pesticides. This Directive obliges the Member States to adopt National Action Plans (NAPs) by 14
December 2012 to set up measures to implement Community legislation and to achieve individual
objectives.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a key element in the NAPs. The use of disease and pest
resistant or tolerant varieties, may add substantially to the implementation of IPM by farmers.
Examples of pesticide-use reduction programmes include:
- Denmark launched its first pesticide-use reduction programme in 1986. In 2000 the second
pesticide action plan began. It aimed to reduce pesticide use to attain a treatment frequency index
(TFI) of 1.7. This target indirectly remains in a new pesticide action plan (Agreement on green
growth, 2009) which is part of a wider action plan. For 2010-15 the indicator TFI is slightly
changed and now also includes organic cultivated land. The new target is a modified index
(pesticide impact index) of 1.4 by 2013.
- In Germany, the Plant Protection Product Reduction Programme was devised and published in
2004. This National Action Plan on Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products builds on that
programme (2008). The leitmotiv is the use of the necessary minimum of plant protection
products when all other practicable options to prevent and deter harmful organisms have been
exhausted.
- In 2008, France set a 50% reduction, where possible, by 2018 in the ‘Ecophyto 2018’. It also
banned the 53 most problematic substances, 30 of which would have been banned by the end of
2008.
Any change in agricultural practice will need to be evaluated against these objectives. New
developments may offer alternatives to existing products and present options for lower levels of
application of active ingredients with an improved environmental profile. Additionally, integration of
genetic tolerances or resistances to pests or diseases may expand IPM strategies.
Pest populations have the potential to develop resistance to the crop protection products used against
them, particularly if they are regularly treated with a single product. The result is that once effective
products are no longer able to control the pest and have to be replaced. Resistance is a natural
phenomenon but its development is an important threat for sustainable crop protection that must be
tackled proactively, through resistance management programmes.
Resistance management is undertaken within the context of an Integrated Pest Management
Strategy. It is possible that resistance management programmes require a change in agricultural
practice, e.g. by implementing diversification of protective measures in adjacent field zones.
The 2000/60/EC Water Framework Directive 12 states that aquatic environments throughout the EU will
have to achieve good ecological status by 2015. Pesticides are one of the main sources of water
pollution and aquatic environment degradation. The Groundwater Directive 2006/118/EC 13 has been
developed to elaborate further on the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. Member States
have developed national laws and regulations, prohibiting the use of some products, limiting the
application of others. E.g. in Belgium, buffer zones between the last treated row and water bodies are
required for certain weed control products. Denmark established a mandatory 10 m non-sprayed, nonfertilised
and unfarmed buffer zones on all water courses (by 2012) and a mandatory 25 m sprayingfree
buffer zones around public drinking water sources (NAP 2010-15). Buffer zones are also
11 Directive 2009/128/EC of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for Community action to
achieve the sustainable use of pesticides. OJ L309, 24.11.2009, p.71-86
12 Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for
the Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1-72.
13 Directive 2006/118/EC of 12 December 2006 on the protection of groundwater against pollution and
deterioration, OJ L372, 27.12.2006, p. 19-31.
Page 41 of 66

ecommended near streams or dams in Portugal (Anpromis). It is expected that for new crop
protection products a similar consideration will determine if a specific buffer zone is required.
5.3 Irrigation
In EU-27 the total agricultural area equipped for irrigation in the year 2003 accounts for 16 million ha
on a total of 182 million ha of agricultural land (Eurostat, Farm structure survey data 2000, 2003). The
majority of irrigated areas are concentrated in the Mediterranean region. France, Greece, Italy,
Portugal and Spain account for 12 million ha corresponding to 75% of the total area equipped for
irrigation in EU-27 (JRC, 2008, Water Requirements for Irrigation in the European Union). Germany
has less than 0.5 million ha of irrigated land on a total of 17 million ha (

As an example to show the necessity for irrigation in the South Sugar beets consume up to 560-
600 mm of water during the growing season. In Southern Europe even more, up to 800 mm
(AIMCRA). Sugar beets are most sensitive to moisture shortages in the early growing stages but their
peak moisture use comes late in the season when they have complete ground cover (400 to 480 mm
water is used between May and October) (IRS). Moisture stress reduces the growth rate of the
storage root. Irrigation is often needed to maintain soil moisture until two weeks prior to harvest.
Irrigating near harvest reduces sugar content.
Table 17 is included. Fields in Andalucía without irrigation only produce 60% of the yield of irrigated
fields.
Sugar beets consume up to 560-600 mm of water during the growing season. In Southern Europe
even more, up to 800 mm (AIMCRA). Sugar beets are most sensitive to moisture shortages in the
early growing stages but their peak moisture use comes late in the season when they have complete
ground cover (400 to 480 mm water is used between May and October) (IRS). Moisture stress
reduces the growth rate of the storage root. Irrigation is often needed to maintain soil moisture until
two weeks prior to harvest. Irrigating near harvest reduces sugar content.
Table 17: Production and yield of sugar beet in Andalucía in the 2008/2009 season (AIMCRA)
Irrigation Number of
farmers
Surface (ha) Production (t) Yield (t/ha)
without 183 1,686 66,207 39.3
with 1,271 10,321 708,145 68.6
Total 1,453 12,007 774,352 64.5
In order to speed seedling emergence irrigation is practised in dry periods (IRS). In the growing
season irrigation is started when leaves that tend to wilt during daytime do not recover completely in
the evening (IRS).
In Belgium, Poland, Denmark and Finland (representing about 20% of EU beet area), sugar beet is
not irrigated at all (CIBE-CEFS, 2010). In the Czech Republic, Germany, France, the Netherlands,
Romania, Sweden and the UK (representing more than 2/3 of the sugar beet area in the EU), only a
small proportion of beet area (

A
North
B
Centre
Region Sugar beet
production
Irrigated
sugar beet
as % of
sugar beet
area
Denmark 49,600 0 0.0
Estonia 0 0
Finland 28,800 0 0.0
Latvia 14,400 0 0.0
Lithuania 25,600 - -
Sweden 50,100 - -
Austria 43,200 9,130 21.1
Ostösterreich 37,300 9,130 24.5
Belgium 91,200 180 0.2
Czech Republic 77,300 - -
Germany 445,600 - -
Hungary 51,500 1,290 2.5
Közép-Magyarország 2,900 0 0.0
Közép-Dunántúl 3,500 0 0.0
Nyugat-Dunántúl 11,900 460 3.9
Dél-Dunántúl 3,900 0 0.0
Észak-Magyarország 2,300 0 0.0
Észak-Alföld 17,700 540 3.1
Dél-Alföld 9,300 260 2.8
Ireland 31,500 0 0.0
Luxembourg 0 0
the Netherlands 102,800 2,390 2.3
Noord-Nederland 30,300 150 0.5
Oost-Nederland 19,900 220 1.1
West-Nederland 28,800 250 0.9
Zuid-Nederland 23,700 1,770 7.5
Poland 286,300 - -
Romania 45,200 1,690 3.7
Nord-Vest 4,400 160 3.6
Centru 8,600 220 2.6
Nord-Est 15,900 380 2.4
Sud-Est 6,000 600 10.0
Sud - Muntenia 6,600 290 4.4
Bucuresti - Ilfov 0 0
Sud-Vest Oltenia 1,900 0 0.0
Vest 1,800 0 0.0
Slovakia 32,000 12,640 39.5
Bratislavský kraj 2,000 1,400 70.0
Západné Slovensko 26,000 10,820 41.6
Stredné Slovensko 2,000 290 14.5
Východné Slovensko 2,000 0 0.0
Page 44 of 66

Zone Member State
Region
C
South
Total area (ha) of Irrigated
Sugar beet
production
Irrigated
sugar beet
as % of
sugar beet
area
Slovenia 5,400 60 1.1
United Kingdom 162,100 - -
Bulgaria 400 30 7.5
Cyprus 0 0
France 399,800 49,000 12.3
Île de France 41,200 8,550 20.8
Champagne-Ardenne 79,900 1,980 2.5
Picardie 148,500 5,870 4.0
Haute-Normandie 21,100 0 0.0
Centre 24,300 25,030 100.0*
Basse-Normandie 6,400 690 10.8
Bourgogne 7,400 2,810 38.0
Nord - Pas-de-Calais 60,000 20 0.0
Lorraine 200 0 0.0
Alsace 5,400 1,180 21.9
Franche-Comté 1,100 670 60.9
Pays de la Loire 400 0 0.0
Bretagne 0 0
Poitou-Charentes 0 0
Aquitaine 0 0
Midi-Pyrénées 0 0
Limousin 0 0
Rhône-Alpes 200 170 85.0
Auvergne 3,700 1,970 53.2
Languedoc-Roussillon 0 0
Provence-Alpes - Côte d'Azur 0 0
Corse 0 0
Greece 41,400 35,250 85.1
Anatoliki Makedonia 13,100 12,860 98.2
Kentriki Makedonia 15,000 12,110 80.7
Dytiki Makedonia 2,600 2,080 80.0
Thessalia 8,800 6,700 76.1
Ipeiros 0 0
Ionia Nisia 0 0
Dytiki Ellada 0 0
Sterea Ellada 1,900 1,490 78.4
Peloponnisos 0 0
Attiki 0 20 -
Voreio Aigaio 0 0
Notio Aigaio 0 0
Kriti 0 0
Italy 214,200 83,200 38.8
Piemonte 12,300 5,920 48.1
Valle d'Aosta 0 0
Page 45 of 66

Zone Member State
Region
Total area (ha) of Irrigated
Sugar beet
production
Irrigated
sugar beet
as % of
sugar beet
area
Liguria 0 0
Lombardia 15,100 9,790 64.8
Provincia Autonoma Bolzano 0 0
Provincia Autonoma Trento 0 0
Veneto 33,600 11,200 33.3
Friuli-Venezia Giulia 4,800 1,930 40.2
Emilia-Romagna 67,900 22,440 33.0
Toscana 6,600 2,240 33.9
Umbria 4,600 2,140 46.5
Marche 30,300 6,340 20.9
Lazio 5,100 3,880 76.1
Abruzzo 5,400 2 880 53.3
Molise 4,000 2,010 50.3
Campania 1,300 370 28.5
Puglia 18,400 8,410 45.7
Basilicata 1,000 760 76.0
Calabria 1,600 1,810 100.0*
Sicilia 0 0
Sardegna 2,200 1,080 49.1
Malta 0 0 -
Portugal 7,500 4,720 62.9
Norte 0 0
Algarve 0 0
Centro 400 300 75.0
Lisboa 500 100 20.0
Alentejo 6,400 4,320 67.5
Spain 99,800 84,100 84.3
Galicia 0 0
Principado de Asturias 0 0
Cantabria 0 0
País Vasco 2,400 2,410 100.0*
Comunidad Foral de Navarra 100 0 0.0
La Rioja 1,700 1,480 87.1
Aragón 0 0
Comunidad de Madrid 0 20
Castilla y León 50,600 50,120 99.1
Castilla-la Mancha 4,300 6,560 100.0*
Extremadura 700 620 88.6
Cataluña 0 0
Comunidad Valenciana 0 0
Illes Balears 0 0
Andalucía 40,300 22,880 56.8
Región de Murcia 0 0
Canarias 0 0
Page 46 of 66

-: figure not available
*: As data from two different Eurostat tables were combined, the figure for irrigated soybean may be higher than for the total
area of production. It was then assumed that 100% of the area was irrigated.
Page 47 of 66

Table 19: Irrigation of sugar beet fields (Sources: a IRS, b AIMCRA; c CIBE-CEFS, 2010)
Zone Member State Irrigation % of sugar
beet area c
A
North
B
Centre
C
South
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Denmark Mostly not 0%
Estonia n/a
Finland - 0%
Latvia n/a
Lithuania - -
Sweden -

Table 20: Irrigation methods and sources of irrigation water for agricultural land in general expressed in hectares irrigated at least once in 2003
(EUROSTAT) (crops under glass and in kitchen gardens are not included)
Irrigation methods
Irrigation source Total Surface Sprinkler
irrigation irrigation
Zone Member
State
Several
irrigation
methods
Drip
irrigation
Denmark Total 201,480 0 199,780 350 1,340 a
ground water 201,480 0 199,780 350 1,340 a
Latvia Total 0 0 0 0 0
Finland Total 0 0 0 0 0
Sweden Total 53,440 0 53,440 0 0
ground water 11,830 0 11,830 0 0
on-farm surface water 9,310 0 9,310 0 0
off-farm surface water 14,250 0 14,250 0 0
off-farm water from water supply networks 1,280 a 0 1,280 a 0 0
ground and surface water 8,450 0 8,450 0 0
ground water and public network 450 a 0 450 a 0 0
mixed surface water 1,680 0 1,680 0 0
surface water and public network 770 a 0 770 a 0 0
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 5,950 0 5,950 0 0
Austria Total 34,230 a 2,310 c 24,680 a 2,830 a 4,400 a
ground water 24,200 a 1,980 c 17,690 a 1,540 b 2,990 a
on-farm surface water 580 c 110 c 260 c 120 c 90 c
A
North
B
Centre
off-farm surface water 1,280 c 100 c 1,090 c 60 c 0
off-farm water from water supply networks 1,440 b 50 c 310 c 930 b 150 c
ground and surface water 2,760 b 0 2,350 c 0 340
ground water and public network 2,050 c 0 1,350 c 110 c 590 b
surface water and public network 220 c 0 160 c 40 c 10 c
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 1,090 b 0 910 c 20 c 0
Belgium Total 1,850 200 1,350 150 150
ground water 1,030 90 760 110 70
Page 49 of 66

Irrigation methods
Irrigation source Total Surface Sprinkler
Drip Several
irrigation irrigation irrigation irrigation
methods
on-farm surface water 420 40 350 0 0
off-farm surface water 280 20 190 0 0
off-farm water from water supply networks 50 0 0 0 0
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 70 0 0 0 0
Total 16,860 280 c 14,060 1,310 1,210
ground water 1,000 b 40 c 740 b 190 b 30 b
on-farm surface water 530 a 110 a 280 a 140 0
off-farm surface water 14,800 130 c 12,760 970 940
off-farm water from water supply networks 110 b 0 100 b 10 c 0
ground and surface water 210 a 0 40 b 0 170 a
surface water and public network 20 a 0 0 0 20 b
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 190 0 0 0 0
Hungary Total 148,690 10,850 111,920 8,830 17,090
ground water 27,990 3,200 16,960 6,040 1,780
source: on-farm surface water 6,950 1,100 4,480 1,250 b 0
off-farm surface water 20,640 800 a 18,020 820 1,000
off-farm water from water supply networks 76,150 5,430 64,220 660 5,840
ground and surface water 4,170 250 b 2,150 40 b 1,720
ground water and public network 2,730 50 b 1,490 10 c 1,180
surface water and public network 9,100 0 3,810 0 0
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 940 20 b 760 0 160
Ireland Total 0 0 0 0 0
Luxembourg Total 0 0 0 0 0
The
Total 62,190 0 56,910 1,600 3,670
Netherlands ground water 36,090 0 33,710 820 1,570
on-farm surface water 3,040 0 2,370 300 370
off-farm surface water 22,710 0 20,710 300 1,700
Zone Member
State
Czech
Republic
Page 50 of 66

Zone Member
Irrigation methods
State Irrigation source Total Surface Sprinkler
Drip Several
irrigation irrigation irrigation irrigation
methods
off-farm water from water supply networks 340 0 130 180 40
Poland Total 46,910 - - - -
Romania Total 400,520 24,040 341,620 570 34,290
ground water 25,510 6,470 17,210 140 1,690
on-farm surface water 66,250 1,720 64,000 60 470
off-farm surface water 44,240 1,980 38,420 30 3,800
off-farm water from water supply networks 220,870 11,080 189,830 320 19,640
ground and surface water 2,610 180 730 10 1,690
ground water and public network 9,860 660 7,830 0 1,370
mixed surface water 2,110 20 1,870 0 210
surface water and public network 26,160 1,910 19,570 0 4,690
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 2,900 30 2,140 0 730
Slovakia Total 104,560 37,580 49,830 1,310 15,830
ground water 4,580 1,720 1,760 600 500
on-farm surface water 8,140 2,880 5,030 0 0
off-farm surface water 60,060 18,500 33,040 270 8,240
off-farm water from water supply networks 1,140 780 350 0 0
ground and surface water 2,940 480 1,170 0 0
ground water and public network 60 a 10 c 0 0 0
mixed surface water 70 0 0 0 0
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 27,520 13,150 8,430 350 5,590
Slovenia Total 1,880 a 70 c 1,280 a 250 a 270 c
ground water 140 a 0 50 50 b 30
on-farm surface water 190 a 10 c 30 c 110 b 40 a
off-farm surface water 1,390 a 40 c 1,180 a 80 b 90 b
off-farm water from water supply networks 10 a 0 0 0 0
ground and surface water 120 c 10 b 0 0 90 c
Page 51 of 66

Irrigation methods
Irrigation source Total Surface Sprinkler
Drip Several
irrigation irrigation irrigation irrigation
methods
mixed surface water 20 c 0 10 c 0 0
surface water and public network 10 c 0 0 0 0
United Total 227,120 - - - -
Kingdom
Bulgaria Total 79,370 65,920 7,170 1,250 5,030
ground water 13,980 12,500 830 280 380
on-farm surface water 2,090 1,370 710 0 10
off-farm surface water 15,280 12,280 2,490 290 210
off-farm water from water supply networks 38,950 32,790 2,430 430 3,290
ground and surface water 1,410 930 260 90 130
ground water and public network 4,640 3,820 330 0 480
mixed surface water 310 110 0 0 0
surface water and public network 2,170 1,650 100 0 270
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 550 470 0 0 0
Cyprus Total 35,410 3,440 6,760 15,860 9,340
France Total 1,938,730 70,480 1,647,270 49,880 164,950
ground water 617,790 4,780 b 573,930 12,090 a 26,910 a
Zone Member
State
C
South
on-farm surface water 133,350 1,180 c 121,600 3,830 b 6,610 b
off-farm surface water 135,460 11,270 b 113,880 2,260 b 6,990 b
off-farm water from water supply networks 466,020 39,230 a 356,250 19,530 a 47,050 a
ground and surface water 132,560 a 310 c 115,490 a 2,090 b 14,630 a
ground water and public network 130,650 a 880 c 109,770 a 2,820 b 17,170 a
mixed surface water 44,500 a 50 c 40,160 a 1,420 c 2,860 c
surface water and public network 129,910 11,060 a 100,060 a 2,220 b 15,770 b
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 148,490 1,690 c 116,120 a 3,630 a 26,960 a
Greece Total 1,294,400 216,660 323,890 232,220 521,630
ground water 351,160 37,140 123,310 95,930 94,770
on-farm surface water 16,590 a 3,390 b 5,260 b 2,380 b 5,560 a
Page 52 of 66

Irrigation methods
Irrigation source Total Surface Sprinkler
irrigation irrigation
Zone Member
State
Several
irrigation
methods
Drip
irrigation
off-farm surface water 129,830 48,560 53,110 6,740 a 21,430 a
off-farm water from water supply networks 438,750 91,510 90,680 100,690 155,870
ground and surface water 54,080 6,330 b 12,320 a 3,420 b 32,010 a
ground water and public network 210,140 14,910 a 25,580 19,470 150,180
mixed surface water 930 b 380 c 350 c 20 c 190 c
surface water and public network 63,050 11,520 a 7,840 a 2,410 b 41,270
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 29,870 2,920 b 5,430 b 1,170 b 20,350 a
Italia Total 2,732,730 892,720 881,810 387,940 a 406,260
ground water 648,240 98,890 a 213,500 a 205,960 a 63,360 b
on-farm surface water 156,900 a 33,650 b 62,250 a 31,650 b 17,240 b
off-farm surface water 820,350 381,350 274,290 35,910 c 106,600 a
off-farm water from water supply networks 510,360 191,130 a 159,490 a 46,770 b 76,100 b
ground and surface water 245,320 94,910 a 73,850 a 15,220 b 58,000 a
ground water and public network 146,200 a 26,970 b 37,580 b 35,730 c 33,080 b
mixed surface water 75,170 a 21,070 c 30,230 b 3,610 c 17,890 b
surface water and public network 88,050 a 33,100 a 23,160 b 6,670 c 18,960 c
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 42,140 a 11,640 b 7,490 b 6,420 c 15,030 b
Malta Total 2,130 50 c 220 c 710 a 1,100 a
ground water 1,770 a 30 c 150 c 620 a 930 a
off-farm water from water supply networks 10 c 0 0 0 10 c
ground water and public network 20 c 0 0 0 10 c
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 330 b 20 c 80 c 90 b 140 b
Portugal Total 248,040 106,470 63,580 36,650 41,080
ground water 95,490 41,280 20,430 21,980 11,630 a
on-farm surface water 28,440 7,350 a 11,650 a 2,720 a 6,720 a
off-farm surface water 21,100 12,100 a 5,090 a 1,440 a 2,450 a
off-farm water from water supply networks 15,110 a 6,290 a 4,890 b 870 b 3,060 b
Page 53 of 66

Zone Member
Irrigation methods
State Irrigation source Total Surface Sprinkler
Drip Several
irrigation irrigation irrigation irrigation
methods
ground and surface water 53,830 24,050 13,730 7,030 a 8,980
ground water and public network 5,760 a 2,060 b 1,020 c 870 b 1,790 a
mixed surface water 9,160 a 6,930 a 1,270 b 350 b 600 b
surface water and public network 7,650 b 1,860 b 2,290 c 60 3,450 b
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 11,490 a 4,550 a 3,200 a 1,330 b 2,410
Spain Total 3,437,370 1,302,780 956,360 1,178,220 0
ground water 1,272,200 135,860 a 486,670 a 649,670 0
on-farm surface water 100,650 a 19,960 b 29,310 b 51,370 b 0
off-farm surface water 405,650 a 179,170 a 123,460 b 103,030 a 0
off-farm water from water supply networks 1,650,350 964,700 314,820 a 370,830 0
other sources or at least 3 mixed sources 8,520 b 3,090 c 2,110 b 3,320 b 0
-: no data available
a
: sampling error: 5-

The main overall objective of EU water policy is to ensure access to good quality water in sufficient
quantity for all Europeans, and to ensure the good status of all water bodies across Europe. While
Europe is by large considered as having adequate water resources, water scarcity and drought is an
increasingly frequent and widespread phenomenon in the EU. This major challenge has been
recognised in the Communication “Addressing the challenge of water scarcity and droughts" from the
European Commission 14 adopted in 2007.
Based on the results of a workshop on farm advisory and water protection organised by DG
Environment, a handbook of ideas for administrations about integrating water issues in farm advisory
services was developed. The handbook 15 confirms that as the use of water for irrigation contributes to
increase water scarcity, especially in southern Europe. Crop selection (water needs of the plants)
irrigation technology and irrigation management are identified as sources of the problem.
Good farming practices in relation to irrigation methods and equipment are addressed in the codes of
Spain, Greece, Portugal and France where the scale of irrigation is significantly greater than in
northern countries (EEA, 2005). E.g. in Spain the National Irrigation Plan (PNR), which was passed by
Royal Decree 329/2002 (valid until 2008), followed by an Emergency Plan (Royal Decree 287/2006),
aimed to modernise Spanish irrigation. As a result 41.6% of irrigation area currently uses drip
irrigation. More than 60% of irrigated land in Spain has improved its efficiency in recent years (OECD,
2007).
14 COM(2007)414
15 Berglund M., Dworak T. (2010) Integrating water issues in Farm advisory services - A Handbook of
ideas for administrations.
Page 55 of 66

6 Harvest and post-harvest land use
6.1 Harvest
Harvest is done mechanically. A beet harvester uses a series of blades to chop the leaf and crown
from the root. The beet crown of the sugar beet contains high levels of impurities, which impede the
factories ability to extract the sugar from the remainder of the harvested root. The beet harvester then
lifts the root, and removes excess soil from the root. Currently up to six rows are harvested at a time.
The harvester also separates soil partially and conveys the sugar beets to the border of the sugar
beet field to be stored there or conveys the beets into a truck or tractor to be transported to other
storage yards. The stored beets are piled up in clamps (i.e. heaps) and later transported to the
factories to ensure that the raw material is continuously supplied throughout the campaign.
In Germany, Denmark, the Slovak Republic and Sweden all beet is pre-cleaned in the field. This
saves transport costs and emissions (CIBE-CEFS, 2010). Leaving fertile soil in the fields instead of
transporting it to the sugar factory is another positive effect. Breeding efforts and advanced harvesting
equipment has lowered soil tare to 10% and less in most EU countries.
To prevent the spread of beet yellows disease it is forbidden in the Netherlands to keep beet
(residues) in stock after April 1 in the southern part of the country, and after April 15 in the North,
respectively (PA). The aphids that would pick up the causing virus from the young leaves emerging on
theses beets, are in this way prevented to transfer the disease to the next crop.
Table 21: Yields: in tonnes of beets per hectare (Source: EUROSTAT)
Zone Member
State
A
North
B
Centre
2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
Denmark 60.10 49.95 60.09 57.22 55.86 58.76 58.03 57.61 58.56 55.91
Estonia n/a
Finland 37.13 37.77 34.41 42.07 39.83 37.74 34.64 30,98 34.84 35.54
Latvia - - - 37.00 37.31 38.51 36.64 36.97 39.14 34.84
Lithuania 47.22 45.17 38.98 47.33 38.76 38.02 38.84 38.18 36.04 33.22
Sweden 52.08 60.47 53.70 52.55 49.55 48.42 48.02 49.59 48.60 48.50
Austria 69.84 70.29 71.84 62.84 63.27 70.86 64.87 57.50 68.05 62.04
Belgium 75.29 82.70 73.31 69.29 68.35 69.98 70.80 70.72 67.74 58.72
Czech
Republic
54.36 57.91 57.26 53.25 51.48 53.31 50.34 45.20 49.45 45.41
Germany 65.01 67.57 62.29 62.43 57.74 60.19 61.65 53.22 58.32 55.24
Hungary 58.34 53.60 59.67 41.04 52.41 57.04 52.50 35.15 41.07 44.19
Ireland - 45.00 45.00 45.00 45.00 44.52 59.79 47.78 41.59 48.20
Luxembourg n/a
the
Netherlands
74.37 78.88 72.25 67.15 66.02 64.95 64.38 60.41 57.40 54.50
Poland 49.13 54.26 46.48 51.25 43.79 41.63 42.83 41.00 44.33 35.80
Romania 38.36 38.30 34.56 26.06 28.94 28.93 32.29 16.92 22.93 22.45
Slovakia - - - - - - 45.75 37.71 52.18 39.52
Slovenia 54.52 56.37 61.06 44.86 49.51 52.42 45.36 36.77 44.65 41.64
the United
Kingdom
- 74.18 63.86 53.87 56.86 58.58 58.75 57.34 56.50 46.99
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Zone Member
State
C
South
2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
Bulgaria - - - 12.68 19.76 19.11 24.35 23.04 23.74 14.10
Cyprus n/a 0.00
France 83.21 93.70 86.77 84.40 78.75 82.30 80.06 73.36 76.42 62.55
Greece 81.25 66.12 81.96 62.94 61.34 65.88 63.48 56.41 61.00 65.70
Italy 60.05 54.57 ? 54.06 52.28 55.94 45.60 33.32 51.80 44.52
Malta n/a
Portugal 48.98 48.98 86.38 84.07 74.86 70.15 74.96 64.61 71.22 52.28
Spain 76.74 84.83 79.75 71.92 68.14 71.33 69.59 63.76 72.06 63.17
n/a: not applicable
-: no data available, or real zero or zero by default
Table 22: Harvest date (Sources: a La filière betteravière; b NBR ; e FSE; f EuropaBio member
companies)
Zone Member State Harvest date
A
North
B
Centre
C
South
Denmark b Mid-September – mid-November
Estonia n/a
Finland -
Latvia n/a
Lithuania -
Sweden b Mid-September – mid-November
Austria -
Belgium End of September – first frost
Czech Republic -
Germany -
Hungary -
Ireland n/a
Luxembourg n/a
the Netherlands End of September – first frost
Poland -
Romania -
Slovakia -
Slovenia n/a
the United Kingdom e September - November
Bulgaria n/a
Cyprus n/a
France End of September – mid November a
Greece -
Italy -
Malta n/a
Portugal n/a
Page 57 of 66

n/a: not applicable
-: no data available
Spain N: October - February
S: July
6.2 Intercropping
Catch crops sown before or after the main crop can fix the amount of residual nitrate in the soil at the
end of the vegetation period. Intercropping is also a remedy against weed growth thereby preventing
herbicide leakage to the groundwater. It also decreases soil erosion in winter time.
Nematode-resistant cruciferous species like Sinapis alba and Raphanus sativus are often used to
combat nematodes (Heterodera schachtii and H. betae). Time of flowering and sensitivity to frost are
factors that determine the variety and plant choice.
In France 50% of the beet acreage is preceded by a crop to cover the soil in winter time (CIBE-CEFS,
2010; IBT). In vulnerable zones local regulations impose rules on the part of field to be covered, dates
of sowing and crop destruction etc. (ITB).
6.3 Soil management & rotation
To avoid disease problems sugar beet is most often cultivated in a four-year rotation. Also one in
three, one in five and even one in six year rotations exist (CIBE-CEFS, 2010). In the UK sugar beets
are commonly grown in conjunction with wheat, barley or pulses 16 . In the Netherlands winter wheat,
spring barley, potatoes, onions, grass seed, linseed, chicory and sometimes vegetables and flower
bulbs are grown between two sugar beet crops in case of clay soils. On sandy soils usually spring
barley, potatoes or maize is sown (Van den Brink et al., 2008).
Barley or wheat are advised as the ideal crop preceding beets because of the early harvest leaving
time for a good soil and seedbed preparation (Beta Italia).
Sugar beet provides a valuable break crop in the mainly cereal-based crop rotations returning organic
matter to the soil and preventing the build-up of diseases. Sugar beet is seldom a host to pests and
diseases which affect combinable crops.
If the following crop is a cereal, possibly occurring weed beets and volunteers can be managed
chemically by applying e.g. metsulferon-methyl, MCPA, pendimethalin, iodosulferon, mesosulferon,
diflufenacan, isoproturon, ioxynil, fluroxypyr or aclonifen (IRS). In potatoes weed beets are eliminated
when preparing the soil and earthing up (IRS). Also the herbicides used in potato are effective against
beets (metribuzin, pendimethalin, metazachloor and rimsulferon) (IRS).
Oil seed rape is found more and more in a sugar beet rotation.
16 UK, http://www.ukagriculture.com/crops/sugar_beet_farming.cfm
Page 58 of 66

7 References
The following table provides an overview of the different sources that were consulted. When no <strong>information</strong> useful for this analysis was found, this was
indicated.
Europe
EUROSTAT http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu
European Commission European Commission, 2006, The European Sugar Sector – A long-term competitive future
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/capreform/sugar/infopack_en.pdf
International Confederation of European Beet www.cibe-europe.eu
Growers (CIBE)
joint publication with CEFS: The EU beet and sugar sector: a model of environmental sustainability
http://www.cibe-europe.eu/Press/Brochure%20CIBE-CEFS%20Final_05.05.2010.pdf
Comité Européen des Fabricants de Sucre www.cefs.org
(CEFS)
European Fertiliser Manufacturers Association http://www.efma.org/, Information is too general
(EFMA)
European Crop Protection Association http://www.ecpa.be/, Information is too general
ENDURE, EU network for the durable exploitation http://www.endure-network.eu/
of crop protection strategies (FP6, 2007-2010) Deliverable DR2.17 SWOT analysis of existing MBCSs in the four regions; and other publications:
http://www.endure-network.eu/endure_publications/deliverables
Joint Research Centre (JRC) Wriedt G., Van der Velde M., Aloe A., Bouraoui F., 2008, Water Requirements for Irrigation in the
European Union, 70p.
http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/111111111/7527
Joint Research Centre (JRC) Messean A., Angevin F., Gomez-Barbero M., Menrad K., Rodrigues-Cerezo E., 2006, New case
studies on the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops in European Agriculture.
http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/eur22102en.pdf
International Institute for Beet Research (IIBR) To advance sugar beet production by promoting the cooperation between all specialists interested in
improving beet growing techniques as well as in research in these fields.
Publishes ‘Advances in Sugar Beet Research’
http://www.iirb.org/
European Environmental Agency (EEA) Agriculture and environment in EU-15 — the IRENA indicator report, EEA report, No 6/2005
http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/eea_report_2005_6
Pesticide Action Network (PAN) NAP Best Practice. Sustainable use of pesticides: Implementing a National Action Plan,
http://www.pan-europe.info/Resources/Reports/NAP_best_practice.pdf
Page 59 of 66

SoCo Project Team (2009) Final report on the project ‘Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation (SoCo), Editors: Geertrui
Louwagie, Stephan Hubertus Gay, Alison Burrell Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the
European Communities EUR – Scientific and Technical Research series – ISSN 1018-5593 / ISBN
978-92-79-12400-6 / DOI 10.2791/10052
http://www.lebensministerium.at/
Austria
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and
Water Management (Lebensministerium)
Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety www.ages.at
(AGES)
Die Rübenbauern – Vereinigung der
http://www.rueben.at/
Österreichischen Rübenbauernorganisationen
Zuckerforschung Tulln GmbH (ZFI) Working mainly on sugar processing
http://www.zuckerforschung.at/
The Manure Decree (Mestdecreet) ‘Decree for the protection of water against pollution by nitrates
from Agricultural sources’ adopted on 22 December 2006 (Belgisch Staatsblad of 29.12.2006 p.
76368) http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article.pl
Belgium
Vlaamse Overheid, Departement landbouw en
visserij
Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut tot Verbetering van http://www.irbab-kbivb.be/nl/menu.php/
de Biet (KBIVB) - Institut Royal Belge pour
l’Amélioration de la Betterave (IRBAB)
Instituut voor Landbouw- en Visserijonderzoek http://www.ilvo.vlaanderen.be/
(ILVO)
Bodemkundige Dienst van België http://www.bdb.be/
Publications appear in e.g. magazines edited by the Boerenbond: e.g. Bemesting van suikerbieten ;
Suikerbieten optimaal bemesten volgens advies.
Boerenbond Magazines a.o. Boer&Tuinder (syndical, economic and juridic-social news), Landbouw&Techniek
(practical <strong>information</strong>: arable crops, mechanisation, cattle, pigs, poultry, small animals, field
vegetables), books and brochures
Bulgaria
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry http://www.mzgar.government.bg
National Agency for Advices in Agriculture http://www.naas.government.bg
Agricultural University Plovdiv http://www.au-plovdiv.bg/en/
Czech Republic
Ministry of Agriculture http://eagri.cz/public/web/en/mze/
Page 60 of 66

Crop Research Institute http://www.vurv.cz/, no relevant <strong>information</strong> found
Svaz Pestitelu Cukrovy Ceske Republiky http://www.spcc.cz/
Řepařšký institut s.r.o. Semcice
http://www.semcice.cz
Sugar Beet Institute
Agreement on Green Growth
http://www.mim.dk/NR/rdonlyres/54887891-D450-4CD7-B823-
CD5B12C6867A/0/DanishAgreementonGreenGrowth_300909.pdf
Denmark
Danish Ministry of Environment
Miljøministeriet
Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries http://www.fvm.dk/
Danske Sukkerroedyrkere http://www.danskesukkerroedyrkere.dk/
Nordic Beet Research (NBR) Variety trials and research on beet cultivation
http://ww-w.nordicbeet.nu/
Variety trials and research on beet cultivation
http://www.sjt.fi/
Finland
Sokerijuurikkaan Tutkimuskeskus (SJT)
Sugar Beet Research Centre
France
La Filière Betteravière http://www.labetterave.com/la_filiere_betteraviere/portrait_et_culture/12/index.html
Ministère de l'Alimentation, de l'Agriculture et de Agreste, La statistique, l'évaluation et la prospective agricole
la Pêche
SCEES 2006, 2007, survey of farming practice,
http://agreste.agriculture.gouv.fr/enquetes_3/pratiques_culturales_465/index.html
Ecophyto 2018
http://agriculture.gouv.fr/ecophyto-2018,510
Institut Technique de la Betterave Industrielle The ITB experiments on new culture techniques, makes available to sugar beet growers <strong>information</strong>
(ITB)
on the latest improvements, stimulates research by public laboratories
www.itbfr.org
Association de Recherche Technique
Conducts, promote and coordinates research to valorise sugar beets and the beet pulp.
Betteravière (ARTB)
www.artb-france.com
Confédération générale des planteurs de http://www.cgb-france.fr/
betteraves (CGB)
Institut National de Recherche Agronomique http://www.inra.fr/
(INRA)
scientific publications, theses, lectures, abstracts
Groupement National Interprofessionnel des http://www.gnis.fr/
Semences et plants (GNIS)
Centre national de la recherche scientifique http://www.cnrs.fr/ focus on fundamental research
(CNRS)
Institute of Biological Sciences (INSB) http://www.cnrs.fr/insb/ and the Institute of Ecology and
Page 61 of 66

Environment (INEE) http://www.cnrs.fr/inee/
La Confédération Générale des planteurs de represents the interests of the sugar beet growers in relation with the sugar processing industry, at
Betterave (CGB)
the level of the French government and the EU,
no technical <strong>information</strong> on cultivation www.cgb-france.fr
Germany
Dachverband Norddeutscher
http://www.dnz.de/
Zuckerrübenanbauer (DNZ)
North German Sugar Beet Growers' Association
Verband Süddeutscher Zuckerrübenanbauer http://www.vsz.de/
Rheinischen Rübenbauer-Verband (RRV), http://www.rrvbonn.de/
Rhineland Sugar Beet Growers' Association
Institut für Zuckerrübenforschung (IfZ)
http://www.ifz-goettingen.de/
Julius Kühn-Institut – Bundesforschungsinstitut Scientific publications, theses, http://www.jki.bund.de/nn_807080/
für Kulturpflanzen (JKI) (formerly part of
Bundesforschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft
(FAL))
Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung http://www.ble.de/cln_090/DE/00__Home/homepage__node.html?__nnn=true
(BLE)
Statistisches Bundesamt, Deutschland http://www.destatis.de/jetspeed/portal/cms/
Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft The German National Action Plan on Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products, 2008
und Verbraucherschutz
http://www.bmelv.de/cae/servlet/contentblob/741738/publicationFile/40210/NationalActionPlan2008.p
df
Bundessortenamt (BSA) Test protocol for sugar beet variety trials:
http://www.bundessortenamt.de/internet30/fileadmin/Files/PDF/Richtlinie_LW2000.pdf
Information on Länder • Baden-Württemberg: Ministerium für Ländlichen Raum, Ernährung und Verbraucherschutz:
Infodienst Landwirtschaft - Ernährung - Ländlicher Raum, http://www.landwirtschaft-mlr.badenwuerttemberg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1034707_l1/index.html
• Bayern: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten,
http://www.stmelf.bayern.de/
Info about sugar beet: http://www.stmelf.bayern.de/landwirtschaft/pflanzenbau/rueben/
Bayerische Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (LfL): http://www.lfl.bayern.de/ipz/
Bayerischer Bauernverband; http://www.bayerischerbauernverband.de
• Brandenburg: Landesamt für Ländliche Entwicklung, Landwirtschaft und Flurneuordnung (LELF):
http://www.mil.brandenburg.de/cms/detail.php/bb1.c.218891.de
• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Lebensmittelsicherheit und Fischerei
Page 62 of 66

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (LALLF M-V), http://www.lallf.de/
Plant protection: http://www.lallf.de/fileadmin/media/PDF/ps/Broschueren/PSD-MV-2011.pdf
• Niedersachsen: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft,
Verbraucherschutz und Landesentwicklung http://www.ml.niedersachsen.de
Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen; http://www.lwk-niedersachsen.de/
Landwirtschaftskammer Hamburg; http://www.lwk-hamburg.de/
Landwirtschaftskammer Bremen; http://www.lwk-bremen.de/
• Nordrhein-Westfalen: Landesamt für Natur, Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz NRW,
http://www.lanuv.nrw.de/home.htm
Landwirtschafskammer Nordrhein-Westfalen http://www.landwirtschaftskammer.de/
• Rheinland-Pfalz: Landwirtschaftskammer Rheinland-Pfalz, http://www.lwkrlp.de/index.jsp?jsessionid=4BFA9ACA2693233&kontext=main
Landwirtschaftskammer Rheinland-Pfalz; http://www.lwk-rlp.de/
• Saarland: Landesamt für Agrarwirtschaft und Landentwicklung,
http://www.saarland.de/64551.htm
Landwirtschaftskammer für das Saarland; http://www.lwk-saarland.de/
• Sachsen: Sächsisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft und Geologie,
http://www.smul.sachsen.de/lfulg/index.html
About soil erosion: http://www.smul.sachsen.de/landwirtschaft/11936.htm
• Sachsen-Anhalt: Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Forsten und Gartenbau, http://www.llg-lsa.de/
• Schleswig-Holstein: Ministerium für Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume,
http://www.schleswig-holstein.de/UmweltLandwirtschaft/DE/LandFischRaum/ein_node.html
Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein: http://lwksh.de/cms/
• Thüringer Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (TLL) http://www.thueringen.de/de/tll/
Greece
the National Agricultural Research Foundation http://www.nagref.gr/ publishes the “Journal of the National Agricultural Research Foundation”
(NAGREF)
the Benaki Phytopathological Institute (BPI) http://www.bpi.gr/pages/category.asp edits twice a year the “Hellenic Plant Protection Journal”
Hungary
Hungarian seed association http://www.vszt.hu/nyito.php?lang=a, no relevant <strong>information</strong>
Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Acta Agronomica Hungarica publishes a.o. on crop research,
Academy of Sciences Martonvásár
http://www.akademiai.com/content/119692
e.g. M. Rajić, N. Čačić, P. Sklenar and S. Denčić (2002) Seed yield of sugar beet as affected by stand
density and harvesting date. Acta Agronomica Hungarica 50(4): 417-423.
Cukorrépa Termesztők Országos Szövetsége http://www.ctosz.hu/
(CTOSZ)
National Federation of Sugar beet growers
Page 63 of 66

Central Agricultural Office www.mgszh.gov.hu operates as a plant production authority, soil protection authority, food-chain
inspectorate, breeding authority, forestry authority, hunting authority, fishing authority, wine-growing
authority, agricultural managerial authority, pálinka (brandy) controlling authority and an agricultural
damage assessment organisation.
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development www.fvm.hu
Agricultural and Rural Development Agency www.mvh.gov.hu
Association of Hungarian Plant Breeders www.plantbreeders.hu
Italy
Ministry of Agriculture http://www.politicheagricole.it/default.html
Agricultural Research Council (CRA) http://sito.entecra.it/
National Research Council (CNR) www.cnr.it
Associazione Nazionale Bieticoltori (ANB) http://www.anb.it/
Beta Italia Variety testing and research/advice on growing sugar beets,
http://www.betaitalia.it/
The Netherlands
Landbouw, Natuur en Visserij (LNV)
Ministerie van Economische Zaken, Landbouw en Innovatie
Information on manure:
http://www.hetlnvloket.nl/portal/page?_pageid=122,1780591&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
Tables for 2010-2013:
http://www.hetlnvloket.nl/portal/page?_pageid=122,1785923&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&p_do
cument_id=289200&p_node_id=6547617&p_mode
Ministerie van Economische Zaken, Landbouw en Nota Duurzame gewasbescherming – Beleid voor gewasbescherming tot 2010
innovatie
http://www.minlnv.nl/portal/page?_pageid=116,1640743&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&p_docum
ent_id=109845&p_node_id=10412638&p_mode=
Instituut voor Rationele Suikerproductie (IRS) http://www.irs.nl/index.asp
Betatip: http://www.irs.nl/overzicht.asp?sOnderdeel=betatip
Gewasbescherming, Feb. 2011: http://www.irs.nl/ccmsupload/ccmsdoc/5%20Gewasbescherming.pdf
Wageningen UR
http://www.asg.wur.nl/NL/
Praktijkonderzoek Plant & Omgeving
http://www.bemestingsadvies.nl/
Business-unit Akkerbouw, Groene ruimte en Van de Brink L., Bus C.B., Groten J.A.M., Timmer R.D. and Van de Wiel C. (2008) Gewas- en
Vollegrondsgroente
teeltbeschrijving van suikerbiet, maïs en aardappel in relatie tot verspreiding van genetisch materiaal.
Mate van verspreiding van genetisch materiaal in de landbouwpraktijk naar andere rassen verwante
soorten of naar het milieu. PPO nr. 3250099300, 53p.
http://edepot.wur.nl/1015
Van der Lans, M., Dekking A., Rovers J., De Haan J., 200, Best practices gewasbescherming
Page 64 of 66

akkerbouw en vollegrondsgroenten. PPO nr. 330-1, 68p.
http://documents.plant.wur.nl/ppo/agv/330-1-agv.pdf
LTO Nederland (Land- en Tuinbouw Organisatie) Entrepreneurial and employers' organisation for the agricultural sector. No guidelines/studies on the
topic found. http://www.lto.nl/templates/dispatcher.asp?page_id=25222754
Productschap akkerbouw (PA) Organisation of and for the arable industry, starting with the basic materials sector to the retail
(processed) agricultural produce, mainly cereals, potatoes and sugar. Recommendations about
preventing diseases.
http://www.productschapakkerbouw.nl/algemeen/welkom
Kennisakker Teelthandleiding suikerbieten (betatip)
http://www.kennisakker.nl/kenniscentrum/handleidingen/teelthandleiding-suikerbieten-betatip
Poland
Ministry of Agriculture http://www.minrol.gov.pl/ , no relevant <strong>information</strong> found
Krajowy Związek Plantatorów Buraka Cukrowego http://www.kzpbc.com.pl/
(KZPBC)
Portugal
Ministry of Agriculture, of Rural Development and Code of good agricultural practices (1997, under review) on fertilisation and protection of surface and
Fisheries (MADRP: Ministério da Agricultura, do groundwater, irrigation management
Desenvolvimento Rural e das Pescas)
Basic Guide to Agricultural Practices (2000) in management of irrigation, the use of pesticides and
fertilisers
Romania
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development http://www.madr.ro
AgroWeb Romania http://www.farmnet.eu/
Slovakia
Zväz pestovateľov a spracovateľov kukurice www.zpsk.sk aim to create the appropriate business conditions for its members
(ZPSK) Association of corn growers and no relevant <strong>information</strong> found
processors
Slovenia
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food http://www.mkgp.gov.si/en/
National chamber of agriculture and forestry of Agricultural advisory service; to represent and to protect the interests of agriculture, forestry and
Slovenia
fishery; Provides free technical aid in agricultural, forestry, legal and economic consultancy.
Spain
Azucarera Ebro The biggest sugar producing company in Spain, part of British Sugar. Has an alert system for pests
and diseases. Gives advice on irrigation.
http://www.azucarera.es/
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Interprofessional organisation (farmers, sugar industry), conducts trials on pesticides and for variety
registration. Publishes year reports on experiments, trimestral recommendation for farmers
http://www.aimcra.com/
Asociación de Investigación para la Mejora del
Cultivo de la Remolacha Azucarera (AIMCRA)
Ministerio de medio ambiente y medio rural y Good agricultural practices
marino (MARM)
http://www.marm.es/es/agricultura/temas/condicionalidad/cuadroguia.aspx
Sweden
Betodlarna http://www.betodlarna.se/se/index.asp
Nordic Beet Research (NBR) Variety trials and research on beet cultivation
http://www.nordicbeet.nu/
United Kingdom
DEFRA / FERA http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/
Statistics on pesticide use: http://pusstats.csl.gov.uk/myindex.cfm
‘Pesticide usage survey report 213: arable crops in Great Britain 2006
http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/plants/pesticideUsage/documents/arable2006.pdf
Drew Associates, 2006, Assessment of the agronomic impact of Directive 91/414/EEC (and a draft
regulation intended to replace it) and legislation on maximum residue levels, final report to DEFRA
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British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) Set up jointly by British Sugar plc (BS) and the National Farmers' Union (NFU).
Research and technology transfer projects
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OECD, Working Party on Environmental Environmental performance review of Spain, December 2007,
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