| RUPERT, Idaho -- Holly sugar beet seed is now available to Idaho's Magic
Valley growers.
"We have developed some seed specifically for this area,"
says Serban Marinescu, sales and service representative for the Holly
Sugar Corp.
Research to create new varieties is in its final phase.
A Holly hybrid has been developed, which is resistant to curly top and
rhyzomania, he says.
"It is meeting all the seed committee requirements,"
Marinescu says.
The seed committee meets Dec. 15 to pass the new varieties.
University proprietary trials in growers' fields for irrigation,
fertilizer, disease protection and other factors have proven successful,
says Greg Cameron, Holly seed sales representative.
"This gives the farmer an opportunity for another variety that
might work better than what they have now," Cameron says.
With six companies competing in the Magic Valley to sell beet seed to
farmers, the product has to be good to make it in the market, he says.
"They've got to have good sugar, good emergence, and it's got to
be harvestable with good tons to the acre and good sugar to the
acre," Cameron says.
Tom Haynes of B & F Farms says the seed appears to have all the
necessary components. B & F grew about 200 acres of Holly beets this
year in variety trials.
"They did real well as far as sugar," Haynes says. "They
had the highest sugar of any of our early beets."
But he and his partners are withholding judgment.
"We are going to plant some more this next year," Haynes
says.
Cameron, who has been selling Holly beet seed on a limited basis in
this area for three years, says the company is ready to go full market
this year.
"Holly is making a real commitment to be here," he says.
Two varieties are ready for full commercial market and two are ready
for limited use. |