The official Spring Sugar Beet Production Technical Guidelines have been released for the 2026 season. To support effective sugar beet production management this spring, experts from the Sugar Crop Expert Advisory Group under China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs developed these recommendations. These guidelines emphasize careful field selection, proper land preparation, and scientific seed selection, while promoting timely early sowing, drip irrigation for seedling protection, science-based fertilization, and integrated green pest management. The goal is to achieve uniform emergence and produce strong, healthy seedlings, laying a solid foundation for a high-yielding sugar beet season.
1. Field Selection and Land Preparation
Proper field selection and land preparation are fundamental to securing strong, uniform seedlings. Growers should give preference to sandy loam or loam soils with deep topsoil, level terrain, and convenient irrigation and drainage. Continuous cropping and short rotations should be avoided, as should fields with herbicide residues, excessive salinity-alkalinity, or low-lying areas prone to waterlogging. For fields with heavy salinity-alkalinity, spring leaching irrigation can be performed in advance to flush out salts; once the soil moisture is suitable, land preparation can proceed to reduce surface salt accumulation. The seedbed should be fine, well-broken, level, and firm, free of clods and crop residue.
2. Selecting High-Quality Varieties
Based on local conditions in each production region, growers should select superior varieties with resistance or tolerance to rhizomania, Cercospora leaf spot, and root rot. As sugar content is a key pricing factor at procurement, preference should be given to varieties offering both stable yields and high sugar content. Domestically bred, monogerm pelleted varieties with high sugar content should be selected according to local conditions. Sugar processors are encouraged to work closely with growers, strengthening cultivation support packages tailored to domestic varieties and providing robust technical guidance and training. The combined use of quality seed with proper agronomic practices, supported by appropriate mechanization, will help ensure stable yields and improved profitability.
3. Improving Sowing Quality
Sowing can begin once the soil temperature at a 5 cm depth has remained stable above 5 °C (41 °F) for five consecutive days; timely early sowing is recommended. In the Northwest, sowing typically begins in mid-to-late March, while in North and Northeast China it generally starts in early-to-mid April. The optimal sowing depth is 2–3 cm; sowing should not be excessively deep. Soil cover should be uniform and well-compacted, with consistent depth and row spacing. Drip irrigation should be applied immediately after sowing to ensure even emergence. For systems using drip irrigation under plastic mulch, fields should be inspected after sowing to release seedlings through the mulch and prevent heat damage. Wind damage should also be guarded against; in regions where wind damage is a recurring concern, intercropping a small proportion of small grain cereals can provide protection. To support strong yield potential, planting density may be moderately increased, with a target stand of more than 7,000 plants per mu (105,000 per hectare) in the Northwest, and more than 6,000 plants per mu (90,000 per hectare) in North and Northeast China.
4. Strengthening Water and Nutrient Management
Fertilization should be based on soil testing and balanced nutrient formulation. Starter fertilizer should consist primarily of organic manure plus phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, applied at 2–3 tons of well-decomposed organic manure per mu, combined with 15–20 kg of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and 8–10 kg of potassium sulfate, or alternatively 50–60 kg of a sugar beet–specific compound fertilizer. During the seedling stage, water and fertilizer should be applied sparingly to encourage root development and seedling vigor; excessive nitrogen must be strictly avoided to prevent leggy, weak plants. On saline-alkaline soils, humic acid and microbial fertilizers can be added to improve soil structure, enhance fertility, and increase seedling survival. Two to three rounds of inter-row cultivation should be performed before canopy closure, gradually increasing in depth, to loosen the soil, raise soil temperature, suppress weeds, reduce salt accumulation, prevent disease, and strengthen root systems. After the 8-leaf stage, a thorough irrigation combined with fertilization should be applied to promote rapid canopy closure.
5. Disaster Prevention and Pest Management
Weed control. One to two days before sowing, apply a pre-emergence herbicide registered for use on sugar beet at the labeled rate to provide effective soil sealing. During the seedling stage, low-dose post-emergence herbicide applications should be made before weeds reach the 3- to 4-leaf stage. After canopy closure, any escaping large weeds should be removed manually in a timely manner.
Insect pests. During the seedling stage, attention should be given to managing key pests including sugar beet weevil, white grubs, and cutworms.
Diseases. During the seedling stage, watch for sugar beet damping-off (Rhizoctonia solani); under drip-irrigated mulch systems, fungicides can be applied through the irrigation system. Following canopy closure, control measures should target Cercospora leaf spot.
Natural disasters. In the event of low temperatures or frost, prompt protective measures such as drip irrigation or smoke fumigation should be implemented to safeguard seedlings. After wind damage, fields should be promptly inspected and replanted as needed.
Note: The recommendations above are intended for sugar beet production in Asia. Application in other regions is for reference only.
Disclaimer: The Spring Sugar Beet Production Technical Guidelines presented above are compiled based on reports from agricultural advisory authorities in Asia and are intended for informational, educational, and institutional reference purposes only. Agricultural conditions, soil chemistry, and climate dynamics vary significantly by geographic region. Readers and growers outside the primary specified zones should adapt these technical recommendations to local environmental regulations and consult regional agronomic experts before large-scale implementation. ynsugar.com assumes no liability for regional crop outcomes based on these general guidelines.
