Introduction
A biennial root vegetable grown as an
annul .it is hardy and can withstand cold temperatures. Can be boiled and eaten
hot or cold .sometimes pickled for use with cold meat and salads.
Climatic range
Grows in most areas, but will not
tolerate very high temperatures.
Soils
A light loam soil that is moist
during the growing period is preferred. A firm seedbed is required.
Varieties
Detroit Dark Red Crimson Globe, Flat
Egyptian.
Planting
Sow in rows 25cm apart and later thin
out to 10cm apart between plants. Sow monthly for continuity. Avoid sowing in
the middle of the rains because of leaf diseases.
Fertilizer
Apply 300kg/ha double superphosphate
along the rows before sowing .Manure should not be used.
Weeding
Keep well weeded and watered.
Harvest
Beet root is ready for harvest in
9-10 weeks with yields of 5-9 tons per hectare. Lift carefully so as not to
damage the tap root and bruise the beet. Twist off the leaves rather than cut,
to avoid bleeding .The young leaves can be used as spinach.
PESTS SYMPTOMS CONTROL
Bagrada bug
Bagrada spp
Small, black and red bugs also found
on the members of cabbage family. The Bagrada bug sucks sap from the leaves.
Control measures are Crop hygiene
including destruction remains of beet root and weeds of the family Cruciferae
to prevent pest population build-up.
Remove bugs by hand.
Chemically, Spray with any of
chemical fenitrothion.
Cabbage Sawfly (Athalia spp)
Sawfly adults are wasps with dark
head and thorax, bright yellow abdomen, and two pairs of membranous wings.
Larvae eat the blades of leaves leaving just the main veins. They drop from the
plant to pupate in the soil.
Control
Thuricide, Karate, Thiodan 35% EC,
brigade. Allow 10 days preharvest interval.
Flea Beetles (Haltica pyritosa)
These are defoliators and may
sometimes be found in large numbers.
Spray with permethrin or Carbaryl.
