During pre-pile, American Crystal Sugar Company typically lifts 15-to-18 percent of its sugarbeet crop. The factories began slicing beets just over a week ago. ACSC has taken a cautious approach due to the heat. With the wet conditions, there have been limited issues with rhizoctonia. Cercospora leaf spot also remains a problem. “With the hot, humid temperatures we’ve been having, it’s optimum for cercospora development,” said Joe Hastings, general agronomist, ACSC. “The guys are having to stay on track, and granted it’s been wet so the planes have been out multiple times on the field to keep that protective fungicide application on every 12 days to two weeks.”
