Effect of Pile Covering on Weight and Sugar Shrink in Pile Rims

Abstract

Deterioration of sugarbeets from dehydration and from alternate freezing and thawing occurs in the rims (outer two to three feet) of storage piles in the western U nited States. Early work by Pack (7)2 and a number of European workers (8) showed that increased sugar losses are associated with dehydration. Dexter, et al. (4) investigated the loss of extractable sugar per ton of harvested beets when wilted at various temperatures in the laboratory without freezing and compared this with losses occurring in the outer portions of commercial piles. Wilt­ ing of beets resulted in a substantial increase in loss of extractable sugar, especially at high temperatures. Extractable sugar losses were higher in beets stored near the surface of the pile than in beets in refrigerated storage. Loss of sugar was nearly three times higher in the outer foot and nearly two times higher in the second foot than in the interior of the pile. These data gave evidence that total sugar loss could be substantially reduced if the rims were protected to reduce dehydration and alternate freezing and thawing in the rim. The pur­ poses of the studies described in those papers were first to determine loss of sugar and extractable sugar in the rim of the piles for various lengths of time relative to loss in protected beets; and second, to de­ termine the effectiveness of various types of covers in reducing loss. Materials and Methods The studies were carried out in 1970-71 and 1971-72 on an east­ west oriented pile east of Ft. Collins, Colorado and a north-south oriented pile south of Greeley, Colorado. Fifteen beet samples were prepared from three loads of beets which were commercially topped and harvested from a single field. Abnormally large or small beets were excluded to reduce variability. Approximate ly one-half of the beets were rejected in this selection process. The beets had less than 0.5 pncent dirt tare and so were not washed. Any remaining leaf or petiole material was cut from the beets. One of each four samples assembled was placed in a rubberized beet hag for immediate analysis and the remaining three samples which were to be placed in the pile were put into nylon nct bags and closed with a numbered steel pin.