Twoway analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for the analysis of data (Hadživuković, 1973).

The mean root yield averaged over 4 localities and among 17 varieties was very high, 98.13 t/ha. The highest yielding variety was Marcus (106.63 t/ha), followed by Mauricio (105.58 t/ha), Tibor (105.26 t/ha), and the others. The lowest was Esprit (88.22 t/ha). The highest variability in the root yield among the investigated varieties was 18.41 t/ha or 17.27 %. Regarding the root sugar content, the first ranked variety was Esprit (16.75 %), followed by Tibor (16.73%), Merak (16.57 %), Victor (16.49%) and the others whereas the last ranked was Standard II (15.15 %). The extreme difference in this parameter recorded among the varieties was 1.60 % absolute or 9.55 % relative. Important parameter in the processing of sugar beet is sugar utilization which is expressed in percents on root. Mean sugar utilization, averaged over localities and among varieties was high and amounted to 14.08%. The variety Esprit was the highest in this parameter (14.99 %) whereas Standard II was the lowest (12.75 %). Among the observed varieties, the maximal difference in this parameter was extreme, 2.24 % absolute or 14.94 % relative.The recently adopted variety Fabio demonstrated the highest thick juice purity (94.13) whereas Standard II showed the lowest purity (91.87). The maximal difference among the varieties was 2.26 that accounts for rather high value. The average thick juice purity was 93.30.

The sugar content in molasses, averaged over localities and among varieties, was low and amounted to 1.37 % on root. The variety Fabio had the lowest content of sugar in molasses (1.10 %) while Standard II was the highest with 1.79 % on root. Esprit was found to have the lowest potassium content (averaged over localities) - 17.68 mmol/100 °S whereas Standard I was the highest – 23.10 mmol/100°S. The difference in the potassium content between the two varieties was high, 5.42 mmol/100 °S. The average potassium content was 19.73 mmol/100 °S. Low mean sodium content averaged over localities and among varieties, was recorded (6.42 mmol/100°S). But, marked differences among the varieties were found in this parameter. The lowest sodium content of only 2.94 mmol/100 °S was found in the variety Fabio and the highest in Standard II which had 14.60 mmol/100 °S. Therefore, the extreme difference found was 11.66 mmol/100 °S which means that Fabio contained almost fivefold lower amount of sodium as compared to that of Standard II. For the average location mean, the variety Victor had the lowest alpha-amino nitrogen content of 14.79 mmol/100 °S whereas Kontrola I had the highest (18.46 mmol/100 °S). The maximal difference was 3.85 mmol/100 °S and the mean content was 16.33 mmol/100 °S. The highest yielding in the polarizing sugar was achieved by Tibor (17.589 t/ha) and the lowest by Standard II 14.030 t/ha. The maximal difference found was 3.559 t/ha or 20.23 %. The most important quality parameter in sugar beet processing is granulated sugar yield. The varieties tended to yield high amounts of granulated sugar – mean yield averaged over localities and among varieties was 13.788 t/ha. The variety Tibor, showing the best performance in all observed parameters, produced an excellent yield of 15.717 t/ha. In contrast, the variety Standard II demonstrated the lowest yield of 11.809 t/ha. The maximal difference in granulated sugar yield among the varieties was high and amounted to 3.908 t/ha or 24.86 %.

High differences found in the root yield for 17 investigated varieties coincide with the findings reported elsewhere (Webstere et al. 1977). The maximal difference in the root sugar content of 9.55 % between the varieties reported here is similar to the findings of Märländer (1991). Similar differences in this parameter were also reported by Radivojević et al. (1997). Positive correlation coefficient was found between the sugar utilization and root sugar content and the extreme differences found among the varieties are in agreement with the findings of Radivojević et al. (1988). In addition, the results obtained for thick juice purity and sugar content in molasses are similar to those reported by Bruhns et al. (2004). The contents of nonsugar compounds (potassium, sodium, alphaamino acid) were at similar level to values reported by Kenter et al. (2008).

The variability in the polarizing sugar content among the varieties was higher than values reported by Kovačev et al. (2008). The mean granulated sugar content was extremely high, 13.788 t/ha. The highest granulated sugar yield was produced by Tibor with a yield of 15.717 t/ha and the maximal difference in this parameter was 3.908 t/ha. This is in fine agreement with data reported by Koch (2008).

The results obtained from four small-scale field trials conducted in 2008 which included 17 varieties of sugar beet showed that:

The above given results revealed that modern varieties of sugar beet have excellent performance characteristics. It is evident that they are capable to yield high amounts of root and sugar in addition to performing excellent technological quality characteristics. In this regard, it is apparent that yielding and technological quality characteristics of sugar beet varieties grown in Serbia are at high level, comparable to the results that have been achieved in the developed countries of Western Europe like France and Germany.