A PROPOSED NEW CRITERION FOR BEET SEED BREEDING

The traditional criteria adopted by beet seed breeders for the evaluat ion of beet quality are critically reviewed, These could be modified b y appraising the characteristics of hot juice from micro-cossettes fro m beet samples. Such a juice is prepared via a system reproducing cond itions in industrial diffusion plants, Evaluation of the purity, dry m atter and soluble and insoluble organic nitrogen contents might allow the breeders to know in advance the behaviour of the various cultivars under the actual conditions in a sugar factory,For the analysis, it i s essential to utilize NIR methodology, bearing in mind the problems a rising from traditional clarification agents and environmental concern s.