engleski

Status and perspectives of sugar beet growing in Croatia

Sugar beet growing in Croatia is situated in the eastern part of country under moderate continental climate conditions. Warm and relative dry summer is main characteristic of eastern Croatia climate. For example, mean monthly air-temperatures during July and August (Weather Bureau Osijek) ranged from 20 to 24 oC and they are for 3 to 5 oC above optimal temperatures for sugar beet growing. As sugar beet growing in Croatia is organized under dry farming system (without application of irrigation), stagnation of plant growth and development including drying of leaves, is in close connection with environmental stress. In general, we chose high-fertile soils for sugar beet growing, but these soils are limited concerning their area because of using usual crop management practice characterizing five-field crop rotation. Under influences of less favorable soil and weather conditions, as well as poor crop management practice (for example, inadequate soil tillage and fertilization) appears restoring of growth by forming of new leaves. Spending of sucrose supplies for new leaves forming and decreasing of root sucrose concentrations is main consequence of these stress conditions. Processing capacities of sugar beet in Croatia are 19000 t/day (four sugar beet factories: Osijek, Zupanja, Virovitica and Beli Manastir) and they are satisfied for our country sugar needs. Based on mean root yield (44.5 t/ha for the 10-year period 1981-1990) and 80 days/year duration of active work sugar beet factories, we have need for sugar beet growing on about 34000 ha/year. In the last 30-year period, we have increasing tendency of sugar beet growing (10-year means: 21658 ha, 23621 ha and 27838 ha, for the period 1960ies, 1970ies and 1980ies, respectively) but it is inadequate for using of total capacities of sugar beet factories. As result of war escalation in Croatia, in the five-year period (1991-1995), sugar beet growing area decreased about 50% and processing capacities decreased 23% in comparison with normal status. Also, sugar beet yields in this period were 37.5 t/ha or about 15% lower in comparison with 10-year (1981-1990) mean (44.5 t/ha). In the last 35 year period (1960-1995), quality of sugar beet (sucrose concentrations) in Croatia ranged considerably among years (from 12.92 to 16.55%) but it is not found increasing trend. In general, under normal conditions, sugar beet yields in Croatia are on level of those in the Western Europe countries. In the near future, it is needed to increase of sugar beet growing and to stabilize its root quality.

sugar beet; conditions of production; growing area; yield

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