From Planting to CLS: A Southern Minnesota Update

Mark Boomquist, Director of Research for Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, has an update from Southern Minnesota.    

What is Sugarbeet Report?

“Sugarbeet Report” presented by NDSU Extension, features growing tips from NDSU sugar beet specialists and researchers.

Bruce Sundeen: 00:00

This is the Sugarbeet Report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugar beet growing season. Today, we're getting an update on the sugar beet activity in the Southern Minnesota area. Here to fill us in is Mark Bloomquist, director of research for Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative. Mark, how did the spring weather affect the start of the sugar beet season in your area?

Mark Bloomquist: 00:23

This spring, SMBSC experienced an early planting window similar to the spring of twenty twenty five. Planting started in the eastern portion of our growing area during the week of April 13 and moved westward over the next two weeks. By the end of April, we had planted 95 plus percent of our crop. In most seasons, when we plant our crop in April, there is potential for above average yields at harvest.

Bruce Sundeen: 00:48

How was the crop emergence this spring?

Mark Bloomquist: 00:50

Following planting, the area experienced some weather challenges during the sugar beet emergence period. High temperatures reached up in the upper eighties for a few afternoons, and we also experienced several cold mornings, including May 7 when morning temperatures dipped into the mid twenties in portions of the growing area. The frost did nip a few of the sugar beets, but overall, the beet crop survived the cold temperatures, and the sugar beet stands are generally good.

Bruce Sundeen: 01:16

It's been a windy spring. How did your sugar beet fields handle the blowing?

Mark Bloomquist: 01:21

There were many windy days during the spring of twenty twenty six. The week of May 11 was extremely difficult to cross the growing area as winds on May 11 and May 13 reached 35 plus miles per hour with gusts to 45 miles per hour. During this time, our beets were coddling to the two true leaf stage. The winds caused us to replant about 5% of our acres. The most affected fields were on the eastern side of our growing area. This spring again showed the advantages and effectiveness of a spring seeded cover crop program for sugar beet production. The cover crop helps prevent soil movement during the strong spring winds and also helps to protect small sugar beet plants and maintain higher sugar beet populations. If you did not use a spring seeded cover crop of wheat, oats, or barley on your sugar beets this season, you should consider this practice for 2027.

Bruce Sundeen: 02:11

How has the early season weed management gone so far?

Mark Bloomquist: 02:15

Early season weed control is a tale of timely rainfall to activate the pre emerge herbicides and reduce waterhemp emergence. About 75% of our growing area was planted and received one to two inches of rain. This was a nice rainfall event to activate the pre's on these acres. The remaining 25% of the acres received some rain, but possibly not enough to fully activate the pre herbicide right away. Weed management activities are currently a top priority across the growing area as many post emergence and lay by herbicide applications have been made in the last ten days.

Bruce Sundeen: 02:49

So how do you think managing cercospora leaf spot will go this season?

Mark Bloomquist: 02:53

The 2025 growing season saw extreme CLS pressure across the growing area, leaving high levels of inoculum for the 2026 crop. It'll be very important to get ahead of this disease for the '26 growing season. Everyone will need to be aggressive with their CLS program this summer to keep the disease at manageable levels throughout the growing season. Follow the recommended spray program for your cooperative and contact your agriculturalists with any questions.

Bruce Sundeen: 03:20

Mark, any final thoughts?

Mark Bloomquist: 03:22

Looks like we have a good potential for the 2026 sugar beet crop. Best wishes to everyone for a safe and successful 2026 growing season.

Bruce Sundeen: 03:31

Thanks, Mark. Our guest has been Mark Bloomquist, research director for Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative. This is the Sugar Beet Report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugar beet growing season.