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Background Diversification on the basis of utilization is a hallmark of Beta vulgaris (beet), as well as other crop species. Often, crop improvement and management activities are segregated by crop type, thus preserving unique genome diversity and organization. Full interfertility is typically retained in crosses between these groups and more traits may be accessible if the genetic basis of crop type lineage were known, along with available genetic markers to effect efficient transfer (e.g., via backcrossing). Beta vulgaris L. (2n =18) is a species complex composed of diverged lineages (e.g., crop types), including the familiar table, leaf (chard), fodder, and sugar beet crop types. Using population genetic and statistical methods with whole genome sequence data from pooled samples of 23 beet cultivars and breeding lines, relationships were determined between accessions based on identity-by-state metrics and shared genetic variation among lineages. Results Distribution of genetic variation within and between crop types showed extensive shared (e.g. non-unique) genetic variation. Lineage specific variation (e.g. apomorphy) within crop types supported a shared demographic history within each crop type, while principal components analysis revealed strong crop type differentiation. Relative contributions of specific chromosomes to genome wide differentiation were ascertained, with each chromosome revealing a different pattern of differentiation with respect to crop type. Inferred population size history for each crop type helped integrate selection history for each lineage, and highlighted potential genetic bottlenecks in the development of cultivated beet lineages. Conclusions A complex evolutionary history of cultigroups in Beta vulgaris was demonstrated, involving lineage divergence as a result of selection and reproductive isolation. Clear delineation of crop types was obfuscated by historical gene flow and common ancestry (e.g. admixture and introgression, and sorting of ancestral polymorphism) which served to share genome variation between crop types and, likely, important phenotypic characters. Table beet was well differentiated as a crop type, and shared more genetic variation within than among crop types. The sugar beet group was not quite as well differentiated as the table beet group. Fodder and chard groups were intermediate between table and sugar groups, perhaps the result of less intensive selection for end use.

In the sugar beet cultivars, the leaf mass has the lowest content of acid-detergent fibers (from 25.7 to 50.8%), acid-detergent lignin (from 25.7 to 50.8%) and cellulose (from 10.9 to 14.3%), but with a higher concentration of neutral - detergent fibers (with from 15.1 to 15.4%) and hemicellulose (with from 54.0 to 74.0%) compared to that of fodder and table beets. Since these food by-products can be major sources for the recovery of bioactive compounds, many studies have proposed a strategy to valorize them using extraction techniques (Tinello and Lanté 2019; Cisneros-Yupanqui et al., 2021; Lånte et al., 2020). The main chemical composition of the dried leaf mass was analyzed, including the following indicators: * Crude fiber (CFr, g kg\"1 DM) according to the Weende analysis - the sample was treated sequentially with solutions of 1.25% (w/v) H2SO4 and 1.25% (w/v) NaOH under special conditions. Neutral Detergent Fibers (NDF, g kg\"1 DM); Acid detergent fiber (ADF, g kg\"1 DM) and Acid detergent lignin (ADL, g kg\"1 DM) by the Van Soest and Robertson (1979) detergent assay and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD, g kg\"1) according to a two-way pepsin-cellulase method of Aufrere (1982).

The ongoing depletion of fossil resources, the energetic autonomy of countries, soaring prices for petroleum and climate change have stimulated research and development on renewable energy as biofuels. In this work, a bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science database was carried out to identify the research related to sugar beet to biofuels. The equation logistic was used to quantitatively describe the growth of the publication of sugar beet in the biofuels field. The results show that the publications of sugar beet for biofuel have a rate of growth of 0-1898 year-1. Germany and the USA were the countries with high influence for research in the field of sugar beet for biofuels. The journal Zuckerindustrie was the referent to publications in the field of study. From 2003 to 2019, the exponential growth of publications was found, this profile of growth can be attributed to the development of renewable energy and the relevance of global warming, security energetic and laws that promoted clean energy. This work shows that the logistic equation can be used to predict the evolution of publications in the field of study.

Feeding fodder beet (FB) to dairy cows in early lactation has recently been adopted by New Zealand dairy producers despite limited definition of feeding and grazing management practices that may prevent acute and sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA). This modelling study aimed to characterize changes of rumen pH, milk production and total discomfort from FB and define practical feeding strategies of a mixed herbage and FB diet. The deterministic, dynamic and mechanistic model MINDY was used to compare a factorial arrangement of FB allowance (FBA), herbage allowance (HA) and time of allocation. The FBA were 0, 2, 4 or 7 kg dry matter (DM)/cow/day (0FB, 2FB, 4FB and 7FB, respectively) and HA were 18, 24 or 48 kg DM/cow/day above ground. All combinations were offered either in the morning or afternoon or split across two equal meals. Milk production from 2FB diets was similar to 0FB but declined by 4 and 16% when FB increased to 4 and 7 kg DM, respectively. MINDY predicted that 7FB would result in SARA and that rumen conditions were sub-optimal even at moderate FBA (pH < 5.6 for 160 and 90 min/day, 7FB and 4FB respectively). Pareto front analysis identified the best compromise between high milk production and low total discomfort was achieved by splitting the 2FB diet into two equal meals fed each day with 48 kg DM herbage. However, due to low milk response and high risk of acidosis, it is concluded that FB is a poor supplement for lactating dairy cows.

Purpose In grazed pastures, nitrous oxide (N 2 O), a powerful greenhouse gas and an ozone depletion substance, is mostly emitted from animal excreta, particularly animal urine-N returned to the soil during grazing. We conducted a series of four field lysimeter and plot experiments to assess the potential of using gibberellic acid (GA) and/or alternative pastures or forage crops to mitigate N 2 O emissions from outdoor dairy farming systems. Materials and methods Pasture and forage plants assessed in the experiments included Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum L.), lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.), diverse pastures (including plantain ( Plantago lanceolata L.), chicory ( Cichorium intybus L.), perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.) and white clover ( Trifolium repens L.)), fodder beet ( Beta vulgaris L.), kale ( Brassica oleracea L.), as well as the standard perennial ryegrass and white clover (RG/WC) pastures. N 2 O was determined using a standard static chamber method in the field either on top of lysimeters or field plots. Results and discussion The results showed that the application of GA to urine-treated lysimeters with Italian ryegrass, lucerne or RG/WC pastures did not result in lower N 2 O emissions. However, the use of diverse pastures which included plantain with a lower urine-N loading rate at about 500 kg N ha −1 significantly decreased N 2 O emissions by 46 % compared with standard RG/WC with a urine-N loading rate at 700 kg N ha −1 . However, when urine-N was applied at the same rates (at 500 or 700 kg N ha −1 ), the N 2 O emissions were similar between the diverse and the standard RG/WC pastures. This would indicate that it is the N-loading rate in the urine from the different pastures that determines the N 2 O emissions from different pastures or forages, rather than the plants per se. The N 2 O emissions from cow urine from fodder beet were 39 % lower than from kale with the same urine-N application rate (300 kg N ha −1 ). Conclusions These results suggest that N 2 O emissions can potentially be reduced by incorporating diverse pastures and fodder beet into the grazed pasture farm system. Further studies on possible mechanisms for the lower N 2 O emissions from the different pastures or forages would be useful.

Dairy cows are customarily given grains and highly digestible byproduct ingredients as additions to forage to support milk production. In many parts of the world growing seasons are short, and the grain crops that can be grown may not provide adequate yields. Sugar beets, on the other hand are relatively hardy, and dry matter yields surpass the yields of most grain crops. There are however, perceptions that beets may not be suitable as a feed ingredient due to the fact that the storage form of carbohydrate is sugar rather than starch. With little analytical support, sugar has been rejected in many feeding programs with the view that sugar reduces rumen pH, fiber digestion and microbial yield. This review explores available facts revolving around these concerns. Information regarding the feeding of sugar beets is provided and the use of sugar beets as a partial replacement for grain is proposed.

Fodder beet root crops in the autumn-winter period are one of the main types of juicy fodder for dairy livestock. Mechanized harvesting of fodder beet roots is a rather complex and energy-consuming technological process. The criteria that meet the requirements for the operation of root-harvesting machines are first of all the quality of digging and separation of impurities from root crops. The purpose of the work was improvement of the process of mechanized digging of fodder beets by an adapted digging-transport combined working body based on analytical and empirical research of the second feeds of constituent components of the dug pile of root crops. Based on the results of experimental studies, empirical regression equations were developed, which functionally describe the change in the second supply of the excavated components of the pile of root crops, depending on the speed of the root-harvesting machine and the rotation frequency of the drive shaft of the adapted digging-transport combined working body. Based on the comparative analysis, it was found that the discrepancy between the theoretical and approximated experimental values of second feeds is 5–10%. The results of the study are a further step in improving the method of optimizing the parameters of working bodies for digging and cleaning root crops from impurities.

In a cross-over design, eight rumen cannulated dairy cows were used to explore the industry-recommended method for dietary transition to fodder beet (FB: Beta vulgaris L.) on changes to rumen fermentation and pH, milk production, dry matter intake (DMI) and the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) during early lactation. Cows were split into two groups and individually allocated a ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) diet (HO) or the same herbage supplemented with 6 kg DM/cow of harvested fodder beet bulbs (FBH). Dietary adaptation occurred over 20 days consisting of: stage 1: gradual transition to target FB intake (days 1–12, +0.5 kg DM of FB/d); stage 2: acclimatization (days 13–17) and stage 3: post-adaption sampling (days 18–20). Response variables were analyzed as a factorial arrangement of diet and stage of adaption using a combination of ANOVA and generalized linear mixed modelling. Dietary proportion of FB represented 22, (stage 1), 32 (stage 2) and 38% (stage 3) of daily DMI. One cow during each period developed SARA from FB and the duration of low pH increased with FBH compared to the HO treatment (p < 0.01). Rumen concentrations of lactic and butyric acid increased with FBH but concentrations of acetate, propionate and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) declined by 9.3% at day 20, compared to the HO treatment (p < 0.01). Treatments did not affect milk production but total DMI with supplemented cows increased during the final stage of adaptation and feed conversion efficiency (FCE kg milk/kg DM) declined with the FBH treatment. The occurrence of SARA in 25% of animals fed FB suggest it is a high-risk supplement to animal health and further evaluation of industry-recommended methods for feeding FB at the individual- and herd-scale are needed.

Two field experiments were carried out during 2018–2019 at the Hamedan and Qom sites, which are different ecological locations of Iran. Hamedan was selected as a temperate climate and Qom as semi-arid to study some of the morphological and physiological traits of fodder beet in various climatic conditions. The experimental map was designed as a split–split-plot in the form of a randomized complete block with three replications. The main plots were assigned three levels of methanol (i.e., control, 15, and 30% by volume). The sub-plots were restricted to two glycine betaine (GB) concentrations (i.e., control and four grams per liter of methanol consumed, and the sub-sub-plots consisted of six different genotypes of fodder beet). The results showed that root length, root and foliage yield/ha, as well as sugar content increased with the incremental level of methanol and/or GB concentration. Foliar application of methanol and GB also significantly changed the qualitative parameters including sodium content, catalase value, crude protein percentage, and dry matter digestibility. It should be noted that two sites differed in most of the investigated traits, so that Hamedan treatment had a more active role on fodder beet growth, yield, and quality compared with Qom. Meanwhile, there was a significant difference between fodder beet genotypes. Generally, spraying fodder beet with 15%by volume methanol or GB with concentration of four grams per liter of methanol is the recommended treatment for raising forage yield under the ecological circumstances of this research.

(1) Background: Winter grazing of livestock poses significant environmental risks of nitrogen (N) leaching and sediment runoff. (2) Methods: A field study tested the effects of sowing catch crops of oats (Avena sativa L.), ryecorn (Secale cereale L.) or triticale (Triticosecale) in June and August (winter) in Southland, New Zealand (NZ), on the risk of N leaching losses from simulated N loads left after winter forage grazing. (3) Results: Catch crops took up 141–191 kg N ha−1 by green-chop silage maturity (approximately Zadoks growth stage 52; November/December). Importantly, early-sown catch crops were able to capture more N during the key leaching period from winter to mid-spring (77–106 kg N ha−1 cf. 27–31 kg N ha−1 for June and August treatments, respectively). At this time, ryecorn and triticale crops sown in June captured 20–29 kg ha−1 more N than June-sown oats (77 kg N ha−1). In October, early-sown catch crops reduced mineral N in the soil profile (0–45 cm depth) by 69–141 kg N ha−1 through the process of plant uptake. At green-chop silage maturity, catch crop yields ranged from 6.6 to 14.6 t DM ha−1. Highest yields and crop quality profiles (e.g., metabolizable energy, crude protein, soluble sugars and starch) were achieved by the oats, irrespective of the sowing date, indicating that trade-offs likely exist between environmental and productive performances of the catch crop species tested. (4) Conclusion: The catch crop of choice by farmers will depend on the desired end use for the crop, its place in the crop rotation and its potential for an environmental benefit.