New sugar beet varieties reduce losses from virus yellows

Two hybrid sugar beet varieties with moderate resistance to virus yellows have been released to California growers. The varieties designated US H9A and US H9B are both monogerm and were developed at the U. S. Agricultural Research Station, Salinas. The new varieties perform best in those areas of the State in which damage from yellows is severe, but they also perform well under yellows-free conditions. In 17 tests under conditions of moderate to severe yellows, US H9A produced 22 per cent more sugar than did the widely grown US H7 variety. In 11 tests, US H9B produced a 27 per cent higher yield of sugar than did US H7. Both varieties averaged about 0.3 of a percentage point higher in sucrose than did US H7. Seed has been produced by the sugar companies and is now available for wide scale planting.