BEETROOT PRODUCTION
A Simplified Guide
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By Dahlia Shumba 0775589553
Beetroot Production
Classification Family Amaranthaceae
Genus Beta
Species Vulgaris
Soil requirements Soils Well drained soils, rich in well decomposed OM
pH 5.6-6.6
Climatic requirements Temperature 10-30⁰C
Time of planting All year round
Sunlight Sun, Partial shade
Seed requirement Seeds/gram 100seeds
Seeds/ha 200-250g
Spacing Inrow 8-10cm
Interrow 20-30cm
Planting requirements Planting depth 1.2-2cm
Days to emergence 7-10days
Days to maturity 70-110days
Ease of care Easy
Water Average
Plant population Minimum 55k
Maximum 111k
Varieties Detroit dark red
Fertilisation
Application Fertiliser Composition Rate/ha N P K Remarks
Basal Compound C 5 : 15 : 12 500 25 75 60 All at
planting
Top dressing Ammonium Nitrate 34.5%N 150 52 At week 2
Potassium nitrate 13 : 0 : 46 150 19 69 At week 5
Total nutrients (soil applied in kg) 96 75 129
Foliar spray Humuson basal Fulvic & Humic 2ltr Drench at transplanting
Humuson top Macro & Micro 1ltr Apply at week 2
Wuxal macromix 16 : 16 : 12 1ltr Apply at week 4 and 8
Wuxal calcibor 9%N, 14%Ca 1ltr Apply at week 6 and 10
Notes
1. Compound C- Should be applied before planting at 60g/m² with light incorporation
2. Ammonium nitrate- broadcasted at week 2 at 15g/m² followed with light irrigation
3. Potassium nitrate- broadcasted at week 5 at 15g/m² followed with light irrigation
4. Humuson basal- drench at 160ml/16l soon after transplanting
5. Humuson top- foliar spray at 80ml/16l at week 2
6. Wuxal macromix- foliar spray at 80ml/16l at week 4 and 8
7. Wuxal calcibor- foliar spray at 80ml/16l at week 6 and 10
✓ Point to note- Soil applied fertilisers complimented with foliar fertilisers will give the best results. Never
replace soil applied fertilisers with foliar fertilisers
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Insects
Nematodes Aphids Cutworms
Oxamyl, Velum, Fenamiphos Dimethoate, Diazinon, Dichlorvos, Chlorpyrifos, Lambda cyhalothrin,
Malathion, Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid, Carbaryl, Deltamethrin
Thiamethoxam
Flea beetle Bagrada bug Leafminer
Carbaryl, Acephate, Cartap, Diazinon, Abamectin, Acetamiprid, Abamectin, Emamectin benzoate,
Malathion, Dichlorvos, Deltamethrin, Imidacloprid, Dichlorvos, Emamectin Acephate, Dichlorvos
Emamectin benzoate benzoate, Lufenuron, Acephate
Fungal Diseases
Damping off Cercospora leaf spot Downey mildew
Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,
Copper oxychloride, Metalaxyl Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,
Chemlaxyl, Chlorothalonil
Chemlaxyl, Cymoxanil, Chlorothalonil
Alternaria blight Fusarium wilt Powdery mildew (Erysiphe polygoni)
Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride, Benomyl, Copper oxychloride Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,
Chemlaxyl, Chlorothalonil, Chemlaxyl, Chlorothalonil, Tebuconazole,
Tebuconazole, Difenoconazole, Difenoconazole, Propiconazole
Propiconazole
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Program
Planting date Variety
Plant pop Area Spacing
Week after Age Date Activities Fertilisers/ m² Pesticides/ 16l Fungicides/ 16l Foliar sprays/
emergence knapsack knapsack 16l knapsack
Transplant Compound C 500g Lambda 16ml Copper 80g Humuson basal
Rotten manure 5kg
1 7
2 14 AN(NH₄NO₃) 15g Abamectin 16ml Acomil 50g Humuson top
3 21 Weeding
4 28 Carbaryl 50g Copper 80g Macromix 80ml
5 35 PN(KNO₃) 15g
6 42 Dichlorvos 16ml Range 100g Calcibor 80ml
7 49
8 56 Imidacloprid 16ml Aegis 16ml Macromix 80ml
9 63
10 70 Hoover 16ml Bravo 32ml Calcibor 80ml
11 77
12 84 Abamectin 16ml Acomil 50g
13 91
14 98
Beetroot 1Ha Budget
INCOME WC BC
Yield (t /ha) 25000 25000
Producer price/kg 0.2 0.5
GROSS INCOME (US$/ha) 5000 12500
VARIABLE COSTS Cost ($ /unit) unit Rate/ha $/ha $/ha %TVC
Seed 37.5 37.5 1%
Detroit dark red 150 per kg @ 0.25 37.5 37.5
Fertilizer 900 900 35%
Compound C 45 per 50kg @ 10 450 450
Ammonium nitrate 40 per 50kg @ 3 120 120
Potassium nitrate 110 per 50kg @ 3 330 330
Foliar fertilizer 110 110 4%
Humuson basal 30 per ltr @ 1 30 30
Humuson top 30 per ltr @ 1 30 30
Wuxal macromix 12.5 per ltr @ 2 25 25
Wuxal calcibor 12.5 per ltr @ 2 25 25
Insecticides 62 62 2%
Lambda cyhalothrin 5 per 500ml @ 1 5 5
Acetamiprid + Emamectin 6 per 250ml @ 2 12 12
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Dichlorvos 6 per 500ml @ 1 6 6
Imidacloprid 6 per 250ml @ 2 12 12
Abamectin 6 per 500ml @ 2 12 12
Carbaryl 15 per 1kg @ 1 15 15
Fungicides 117 117 5%
Copper oxychloride 12 per kg @ 2 24 24
Bravo 9 per ltr @ 1 9 9
Range 15 per kg @ 2 30 30
Acomil 12 per kg @ 2 24 24
Aegis 30 per ltr @ 1 30 30
Adjuvants 30 30 1%
Wel-Wet 10 per ltr @ 3 30 30
Operations 1290 1290 51%
Ploughing 140 per $/ha @ 1 140 140
Discing 100 per $/ha @ 1 100 100
Labor 50 per Lab @ 9 450 450
Irrigation 200 per $/ha @ 1 200 200
Transport 200 per load @ 2 400 400
Total Variable costs/ha 2546.50 2546.50 100%
25%
Overheads/Misc. @ TVC 636.63 636.63
Cost of production/ha 3183.13 3183.13
Cost of production per kg 0.13 0.13
Gross margin/kg 0.07 0.37
Gross margin/ha 1816.88 9316.88
% Gross margin/ha 36% 75%
Return per dollar invested 1.57 3.93
Break Even price/kg 0.13 0.13
NB: Prices may vary from time and place, therefore it should be used as a guide
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