Possible contribution of herbicide-tolerant varieties for integrated sugarbeet production

The advent of herbicide-tolerant sugar beet varieties opens the way to impl ementing environment-friendly production systems. In part, this can be achi eved through the use of ecologically non-toxic herbicides. Much more import ant in general, however, are the increased possibilities of weed control in sowings with minimum tillage. This not only may allow savings in herbicida l measures, but also offers the chance to employ cultural methods which hav e positive effects on both beets and environment by at times tolerating som e weeds. Possible risks (selection of herbicide-resistant weeds, changes in the weed flora and herbicide-tolerant rogue beets as well as other cultiva ted plants becoming weeds) which may arise from planting herbicide-tolerant varieties can be largely avoided by rotational measures.