Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L. var. conditiva)
Goosefoot family
(Chenopodiaceae)
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| globose and flattened beetroot
varieties |
Source: Klapp E., Lehrb. des Acker-u.Pfl.baues, Verlag Paul Parey 1967; Bock.D., MPI Köln
Distribution, Yield, Use:
- Distribution:
World-wide in temperate zones.
No special soil requirements.
- Yield:
150-500 dt/ha
- Use:
Boiled as a salad, finely sliced and pickled in vinegar
The root contains
6-10% sugar, 1-2% protein,
10 mg vitamin C, 40 mg oxalic acid/100 g.
Region of origin:
Region of cultivation:
- Cultivation and Breeding:
Both white and red beets were already known in Sicily 1000 years BC.
Varieties with distinctly swollen roots were first established in Europe in the middle ages. Since the 16th Century, beetroots have been cultivated for culinary purposes. Globose and slightly flattened varieties are preferred today to longer beet forms.
- Breeding aims:
In addition to improved yields, early ripening, taste, nutritional content and cooking properties are important.
Text by
Dr. Wolfgang Schuchert
Adapted to HTML by R.Saedler