Beetroot is known for its antioxidant and cancer-curing properties. It is straightforward to cultivate, and it is one of the most grown vegetables in India and the world. In India, we know the beetroot by many names like Beeta in Marathi, dump Mokka in Telugu, Salada in Gujarati etc.
Equipment plays a significant role in farming. Thus Beetroot cultivation requires essential equipment, which plays a significant role in agro-processing. Therefore, equipment, harvesters and tractors are the main ones in cultivating beetroot. Therefore, we recommend the Captain tractor.
Beetroot Farming Process:-
Climate Information for Beetroot Cultivation
Beetroot is a cool-season crop, but you can also grow it in slightly warmer climates. Cool-weather helps in the increase of more sugar content in the roots. The optimum temperature for roots is 18°C to 21°C, whereas temperatures below 10°C cause bolts before the roots attain marketable size, which is undesirable. At 30°C and above, the roots are tested for sugar deposition.
Temperature above 30 degrees leads to underdeveloped roots and poor colour. Areas with high rainfall will bring root cause disease in the early stage.
Soil Requirement
Generally, you can grow beetroot on many types of soil; Although loamy soil is considered the best among all varieties. Anything between 6.3 -7.5 pH level is considered good for growing beets. Too acidic soil is not good for beet cultivation.
Land Preparation for Beetroot Cultivation
You should use one deep plough by turning the plough, and the tiller does 2 to 3 ploughing to ensure good tillage of the soil.
Sowing methods and tips for Beetroot Cultivation
Farmers sow the seeds at a distance of 30-45 cm on the ridge and 8-10 cm between plant to plant. First, sow the seeds 2-3 cm deep. Later, they should thin it to maintain a distance of 10-15 cm in rows. Before sowing, the seeds should be soaked in water for 12 hours to ensure early germination.
Fertilizer Requirement for Beetroot Cultivation
Apply well-decomposed cow dung or compost at the time of last tillage at 200-250 QTL/ha. In addition, use 30-40 kg N, 100-120 kg phosphorus, 60-70 g potassium, 20 kg borax/ha as basal dose and 30-40 kg N/ha as a top dressing 3 to 4 weeks after sowing.
Irrigation methods and tips for Beetroot Cultivation
Irrigate the field immediately after sowing the seeds. Farmers should keep light but regular irrigation to maintain an optimum moisture level in the field for better germination, growth and yield. A total of 4-6 irrigations are required by sugar beet. Water stagnation is harmful.
Propagation of Beetroot
Beet cultivation is mainly done through seeds. The farmer sows the seeds at a 1.5 to 2 cm depth and space 6 to 7 cm between them. Thus, in each row, you should keep a distance of at least 35 cm between them. Most cultivation begins between mid-April and mid-July, although those places may vary from place to place due to the different climatic conditions.
Farmers should provide continuous water for the effective and efficient cultivation of sugar beet. It takes about 15 days to start transplanting above ground. When the seedlings reach a height of about 4 cm, thinning is required, i.e., removing weak shoots and maintaining a distance of 8 to 10 cm between each seedling. At maturity, the plant reaches a height of 8 to 9 cm and takes about 2 months to do so.
Inter – Culture and weed control in Beetroot Cultivation
Earthing up is important to cover exposed roots. You should keep the field free from weeds during the first two months of sowing. One of the two shallow weeds should be careful without damaging the roots. Consider incorporating trifluralin at 0.5-1.0 kg/ha or cyclohexene at 3-4 kg/ha to soil and pre-emergence application of pyrazole at 1.5 – 2.0 kg/ha or pendimethalin at 1.0 kg/ha gave good control of weeds in sugar beet.
Pest and Weed Control
Weeds hinder and reduce the yield of beetroot, and hence you must keep it under control. You should Frequent shallow weeds to control weeds. Most beets are free from pests or diseases; however, they are most commonly found in leaf spots. Crop rotation between sugar beet cultivation and other cultivars in the same garden may be one way to overcome this disease.
Beetroot Harvesting
The first harvesting begins when the beet reaches about 9 weeks into the cultivation cycle. At this stage, the bulbs reach a size of 1 inch in diameter due to their tenderness. The rest of the cultivar progresses and reaches full maturity of 3 inches in diameter. Farmers harvest all cultivars and store them at this stage. If they allow the growth to proceed further, the sugar beet becomes woody and loses its flavor.
Another way to determine if beet is fully ripe is when the leaves or tops begin to wilt. In India, mostly farmers harvest beetroot vegetables by hand. However, in advanced countries, the same done by machines. After harvesting, you should wash, separate and pack all the beetroot for better shelf-life. In addition, proper packaging minimizes water loss during shipment and storage.
Completing the guidelines of this cultivation, also we require to know about some important points about the cultivation of beetroot. That’s why we recommend the Mahindra tractor. In addition, various equipment like a rotary tiller, cultivator and many more are required for farming.
For more information regarding beetroot cultivation in India, stay tuned with us.
