Abstract
Due to the increase of the organic cultivation of beetroot and its growing importance as a functional food, the potential advantages of open-pollinated genotypes as an alternative for F1 hybrid genotypes has been investigated. In this regard, six field experiments were carried out in 2017 and 2018 in three different locations to investigate the agronomic potential of new and existing open-pollinated genotypes of beetroot and their performance under the specific conditions of organic agriculture. Fifteen beetroot genotypes, including one F1 hybrid as a commercial control and one breeding line, were compared regarding their total and marketable yield, individual beet weight, diameter of beet, and leaves-growth-base width. Furthermore, five randomly selected beetroots meeting common marketable criteria were evaluated optically with regard to skin smoothness, corky surface, root tail, scab incidence, and uniformity. Results of this study indicated a significant impact of genotype on eight of the assessed traits. The cylindrical-shaped genotype, Carillon RZ, demonstrated significantly higher total and marketable yields, with 53.28 ± 3.34 t ha−1 and 44.96 ± 3.50 t ha−1, respectively, compared to the yellow-colored genotype, Burpees Golden, which obtained the lowest total yield, 36.06 ± 3.38 t ha−1, and marketable yield, 27.92 ± 3.55 t ha−1. Moreover, the comparison of the open-pollinated genotypes with the F1 hybrid, Monty RZ F1, revealed that except for the traits yield, scab, and uniformity, the open-pollinated genotypes indicated desirable competitive outcomes and thus offer suitable alternatives for organic cropping systems. Overall, the observed genetic variability can be beneficial for breeding and food product development.
Highlights
With an average of 15% annual increase in cultivation area and a total of approximately 1900 ha (2018), beetroot is a commercially important vegetable in Germany [1]
The high demand for beetroot is reflected in the quantities purchased per household in Germany, which amounted in 2018 to two kilograms [2]
40% of the beetroot produced in Germany grows on organic farmlands, Agronomy 2020, 10, 812; doi:10.3390/agronomy10060812
Summary
With an average of 15% annual increase in cultivation area and a total of approximately 1900 ha (2018), beetroot is a commercially important vegetable in Germany [1]. It is considered a classic winter vegetable and its pollination is naturally carried out by wind [4]. With the classification of beetroot as a functional food [5], the importance of this vegetable has further increased. Relatively easy cultivation and good storability without the need for costly storage equipment has increased farmers’ as well as the food industry’s interest in beetroot production [7]. Information on the morphology of the root crops, especially the shape and size of the storage organ, due to its impact on processing, consumer choice, and transportation, is necessary [8] and it can lead to quality improvement of the crop products [9]
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