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Sugar beet
Beets are a storehouse of vitamins and one of the most commonly grown vegetables in Russia. But there are several types of beets. And not all of them are edible. For example, neither sugar beets nor fodder beets are used for this, they have their own purpose. In addition, they differ in appearance, and also have different characteristics.
External differences between sugar and fodder beets
The two types can be distinguished by the shape of the fruit, color, leaf shape and color of the fruit. Knowing the distinctive features of each species, you can answer tricky questions.
Sugar beets are used for making sugar while fodder beets are used for animal feed.
The following external differences are distinguished:
- According to the shape of the fruit: the sugar fruits are oblong and pointed at the bottom. Fodder beets can be of different shapes: in the form of a ball, cone or cylinder.
- By the color of the fruit: the sugar fruits are light, white or yellow. At the stern, they can be red, pink or orange.
- By color and shape of leaves: the sugar species has long green petioles. Large leaves are located on them – about 50 pieces. The forage species has heart-shaped smooth leaves, much less of them than on sweet beets.
Knowing the external differences, you will be able to distinguish one species from another when you see them.
Differences in performance and application
The most important difference between the two is their scope:
- Sugar is used to make sugar.
- Fodder – as animal feed.
But besides this, there are also differences in characteristics:
- Planting depth. The root crop of sweet beets is always completely submerged in the ground. Beetroots, which are used as livestock feed, peep out of the ground. In this regard, the harvester is easier to harvest sweet beets, and fodder – easier with your hands.
- The ripening period for sugar is 3 weeks less than that of feed.
- Sugar is resistant to drought and temperature drop.
- Sugar varieties need more fertilizers, and fodder varieties need more frequent watering.
- The yield of forage varieties is higher.
- The sugar content in sweet varieties reaches 20 percent, while in feed only 1-3 percent.
- Forage varieties are characterized by a high protein content of about 6-7 grams.
- But sweets are more nutritious due to their high sugar content.
But the most important thing is to remember that both varieties are not used by humans as food. We eat beetroot. Knowing these differences, you can grow the necessary beets on your site or keep up a conversation with a person who is passionate about gardening.
Thanks to the fact that you know how fodder differs from sugar beets, you can grow the beets you need in your garden or tell your friends. When choosing beets, start from your needs: if you need vegetables for animal feed, then choose fodder, if for personal use – sugar.