Energy (sugar)beets may be next big ethanol crop

Farm & Ranch Guide
By DALE HILDEBRANT, Farm & Ranch Guide
Sunday, August 1, 2010 2:53 PM CDT

CARRINGTON, N.D. - We may soon see sugarbeets being planted outside of the traditional production area as a new ethanol industry develops from processing what proponents call energy beets.

Studies currently underway at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center are looking at the cultural practices and varieties of beets that would be a fit for ethanol production, rather than resulting in high quality sugar.

The Carrington station is coordinating five sites spread across the state: irrigated and dry land plots at Carrington; an irrigated plot at Oakes; a dryland and irrigated trials near Hannaford; an irrigated site north of Turtle Lake; and an irrigated site at the Williston Research Extension Center.

Last year at Carrington, the dryland trials yielded 17 to 27 tons per acre, while the irrigated plots yielded 22 to 29 tons per acre, according to Blaine Schatz, the Carrington station's director. They are expecting higher yields this year, however, because the crop was planted much earlier.

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