Yellow beet worries

24 July 2002

Yellow beet worries

THE latest crop to suffer a mysterious yellowing is sugar beet, with Lincs crops appearing hardest hit, says Suffolk-based Brooms Barn research institute.

Experts have failed to pinpoint a cause following enquiries from several farmers. Crop samples were being taken for lab testing earlier this week.

"Yellowing weve seen so far this season has been caused by manganese or magnesium deficiencies, capsid bugs or herbicide damage," says Brooms Barns Mark Stevens.

"But this is a very pale yellowing and no one is sure whats causing it." Rhizomania has not been implicated, nor nitrogen deficiency, since yellowing includes well-dressed crops. No varietal effect is apparent. &#42