Fodder beet varieties:A Flat globe, B cylinder, C globe, D spindle
Fodder beet in the field
Fodder beet ripe for harvesting
Source: Klapp E., Lehrb. des Acker- u. Pfl.baues, Verlag Paul Parey 1967; Bock.D., MPI Köln
Distribution, Yield, Use:
Distribution:
World-wide in temperate zones up to 55oN.
Requires deep, nutrient-rich soils, less warmth
but more moisture than the sugar beet.
Yield:
Fresh root mass 700-1500 dt/ha
Fresh leaf mass 400-700 dt/ha
Use:
Fodder plant
(leaves and chopped roots fed fresh or as
silage).
10-20% dry mass, of which
3-5% sugar, 6-8% protein in the beet.
Region of origin:
Region of cultivation:
Cultivation and Breeding:
The fodder beet was cultivated relatively recently. It was first grown in the Rhineland at the beginning of the 18th Century. The reason for breeding was the change in the strict use of the three-field system. The fallow field-type was replaced with the fodder beet, which was particularly suitable for the purpose. The development of the cylindrical shaped variety "Eckendorfer", from which many of today's varieties are descended, began around 1840. The various beet varieties are assessed according to their yield and dry weight.
Breeding aims:
Above all, a high dry mass, shape and soil depth of the root body, a higher root and leaf yield, a reduced bolting tendency and resistance to fungal diseases are of interest to breeders.
Region of cultivation: 