Interactions between seed quality, emergence and bolting in sugar beet.

Analysis of 14 varieties of sugar-beet seed used in 1986 confirmed significant associations between germination percentage, thermal time for germination and seedling emergence. Unfortunately, there was evidence that improvements in these characters, which contribute to better establishment, were also linked to increased bolting. However, two varieties partially deviated from the general trend by giving early «vigour», and relatively few bolters, showing that it is possible to modify the undesirable link. There was also an indication that the bolting resistance of all varieties in use in 1986 was less than when «Nomo» was grown a decade ago