A successful production of sugar beet under Vojvodinian agro ecological conditions is not possible without the use of cultivars highly tolerant to Cercospora. Rhizomania and Rhizoctonia solani. The prevalence of Rhizomania and recently Rhizoctonia solani has been rather noticeable in last decade presumably due to continuous sugar beet growing in monoculture or 2-year crop rotation. The exact amount of area infested with the diseases has not been known, but a decrease in the root yields and increased damage coming from root has been evident. According to Bürcky (1995), rapid increase in areas infested with rhizomania was recorded in France. However, in north-west Europe, significant increase in the yield and quality of sugar beet has been observed during the last 20 years due to selection and better agro technical practices (Hoffmann, 2002). The aforementioned facts equally apply to Serbia, too, but only to those producers that follow the latest tehnological recommendations.

In 2009, small-scale field trials which included 15 recognized sugar beet cultivars were established. The cultivars were provided from the selection of Strube, Germany. The trials were set at four localities: Bavanište, Bečej, Sombor and Stara Pazova., in the Province of Vojvodina, Serbia, according to randomized complete block pattern with four replications at each location. The size of experimental plots was 30 m2 (10 m x 3 m). Agro technical measures similar to those used in commercial production were applied. Preventive measures against Cercospora beticola included three treatments with usual preparations at all locations. Sugar beet harvest occurred at optimal period, during the first half of October. The size of the basic plot from which the roots were harvested was 4.9 m2.
Chemical analyses of the samples were determined according to standard methods in the laboratories of the Institute for Food Technology in Novi Sad:

The other quality parameters were calculated according to the following formulas:

SM = 0.343 x (K+Na)+0.094 x alpha amino N-0.31. where K. Na and alpha amino N are given in mmol/100 g;

SU = D-SM-0.6. where D is sugar content (%). SM is sugar content in molasses (%). 0.6 refers to total losses;

Q = 99.36-0.1427 x (K+Na+alpha amino N). where K. Na and alpha amino N are given in mmol/100o S;

PSY = RY x D. where RY is root yield (t/ha). D is sugar content (%);

GSY = RY x SU.

Statistical analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA procedures according to Hadživuković (1973).

The mean root yield, averaged over four localities and 15 cultivars, was very high compared long average value in Vojvodina and amounted to 88.77 t/ha (Table 2). For this parameter, cultivar Maurizio was ranked first with 97.50 t/ha, followed by Prestige (97.01 t/ha), Solea (94.98 t/ha) and others whereas the last was cultivar Kontrola II with 77.84 t/ha. Highest differrence in the root yield within the tested cultivars was 19.66 t/ha or 20.16% rel. Cultivar Marcus was first-ranked regarding the content of sugar in roots (18.21%), followed by Elvis (18.13%), Tibor (17.99%) and others. The worst was Maurizio with 16.05% root sugar content. The highest differrence in this parameter was 2.16% absolute or 11.86% rel. One of the important parameters in sugar beet processing is sugar utilization expressed in percents on beet root. The mean sugar utilization, averaged over localities and cultivars was very high, compared long average value in Vojvodina, 15.37%. Cultivar Markus performed best (16.47%) whereas the poorest was Maurizio with 13.95%. The highest differrence in the sugar utilization was high, 2.52% abs. or 15.30% rel.

The highest thick juice purity was recorded for Markus (94.58) and the lowest for Prestige (92.99). The variability in this parameter was considered high, 1.59. The mean thick juice purity within all cultivars was 93.62.

The content of sugar in molasses, averaged over localities and cultivars, was very low, 1.35%. The lowest content, 1.13%, was determined for cultivar Tibor whereas the highest content was recorded for Prestige, 1.51%. The lowest in the potassium content, averaged over localities, was Markus (17.04 mmol/100oS) and the highest was Sandor (21.37 mmol/100oS). The difference in this parameter between the two extremely ranked cultivars was high, compared long average value in Vojvodina, 4.33 mmol/100oS whereas the mean content was 19.01 mmol/100oS. The mean sodium content in beet, averaged over localities and cultivars, was low, compared long average value in Vojvodina, and amounted to 4.77 mmol/100oS. However, large differrences in this parameter were found within the cultivars: Tibor showed the lowest sodium content of 1.89 mmol/100oS whereas the highest was Maurizio with 9.01 mmol/100oS. The extreme difference in the sodium content amounted to 7.12 mmol/-100oS or, in other words, Tibor contained 4.80 times less sodium than Maurizio. Averaged over localities, Markus was the lowest in the alphaamino nitrogen content, 13.83 mmol/100oS, in contrast to Santino which was the highest with 4.10 mmol/100oS. The difference was 4.10 mmol/100oS and the mean sodium content was 16.46 mmol/100oS. The highest polarized sugar yield was achieved by cultivar Akku (16.475 t/ha) and the lowest by Kontrola II (13.948 t/ha). The extreme differrence within the cultivars was 2.520 t/ha or 15.34% rel. The mean granulated sugar yield, the most important parameter in sugar beet processing, was high compared long average value in Vojvodina (13.631 t/ha). The highest in the granulated sugar yield was cultivar Akku (13.631 t/ha) due to excellent performance regarding other quality parameters. The lowest was Kontrola II with 12.314 t/ha. The highest difference established for this parameter within the tested cultivars was high, 2.466 t/ha or 16.68% rel.

High variability in the root yield found within the cultivars harmonizes well with the findings of other authors (Webster et al. 1977, Buddemeger et al. 2004). The extreme difference in the root sugar content between the cultivars was 11.86% rel. and is similar to the results reported by Märländer et al. (1991) and Galattkowski et al. (1994). The variation in this parameter within the tested cultivars is comparable to that reported by Radivojević et al. (1997) in an earlier study. The percentages of sugar utilization were in positive correlation with the root sugar content which is also in agreement with the findings of Radivojević et al. (1998). Values obtained for thick juice purity and sugar content in molasses were found to be in concordance with the conclusions of Bruhns et al. (2004). Kenter et al. (2008) reported similar contents of non-sugar compounds (potassium, sodium, alpha-amino nitrogen) to those found in this study. Higher variation in the polarized sugar yield within the cultivars was in contrast to the findings of Kovačev et al. (2007). The mean yield of granulated sugar was very high, 13.631 t/ha. However, the best performing cultivar regarding this parameter was Akku with 14.780 t/ha and the maximum difference between the first and last ranked cultivar was 2.466 t/ha. Similar results have been reported in other studies (Koch et. al. 2008. Buhre et. al. 2007).

On the basis of the results obtained in the small-scale trials with 15 cultivars located on the territory of the Province of Vojvodina, the following conclusions can be drawn:

On the basis of the aforementioned results, it is obvious that newly recognized sugar beet cultivars are high yielding and have excellent processing quality. The yields and overall performance reported in this study, and the previous five years, proved that the results achieved in Vojvodina are at comparable level to those reached in the developed countries of west Europe like France, Germany, etc.