Ecological Variety Testing of Sugar Beet Hybrids under the Conditions of Pavlodar Region

Abstract

Abstract.

Background and objective. Sugar beet is one of the strategically important industrial crops providing the raw material base for the sugar industry and contributing to food security in Kazakhstan. In recent years, increasing the efficiency of sugar beet production has become particularly relevant due to the need to increase domestic sugar production and reduce dependence on imported raw materials. At the same time, changing climatic conditions, manifested in rising air temperatures, an increasing frequency of drought periods, and uneven distribution of precipitation, have a significant impact on crop productivity. Therefore, ecological variety testing is becoming increasingly important for an objective assessment of the adaptive potential of modern hybrids and identification of the most stable and productive forms suitable for specific environmental conditions. The aim of the study was to conduct an ecological evaluation of sugar beet hybrids and identify the most promising ones for cultivation under the conditions of Pavlodar Region.

Materials and methods. Field studies were conducted in 2024–2025 at the experimental field of Pavlodar Agricultural Experimental Station LLP. The study included 10 sugar beet hybrids of domestic and foreign breeding, differing in economically valuable traits and adaptive properties. Assessments and observations were carried out in accordance with generally accepted methods of competitive variety testing and the methodology of the All-Russian Research Institute of Sugar Beet and Sugar (VNIS).

Results. Based on the obtained data, promising hybrids of domestic and foreign breeding were identified according to a combination of economically valuable traits. In 2024, the highest yields were recorded for the hybrids Burya — 512.0 c/ha, Dusuderia — 504.0 c/ha, Skala — 496.4 c/ha, and Abulkhayyr — 488.3 c/ha. However, in 2025, a significant decrease in yield was observed in Dusuderia and Abulkhayyr, whereas Burya — 445.0 c/ha and Skala — 412.0 c/ha maintained a high level of productivity. The highest sugar content was recorded in Sheker (23.0%), Skala (21.7%), Olzhich (21.2%), and Bolashak (20.5%). These hybrids combined high sugar content with good yield performance. The highest sugar yield was obtained from the Burya hybrid — 116.2 c/ha.

Conclusion. The study confirmed the effectiveness of ecological variety testing as a method for assessing the adaptive potential of sugar beet hybrids. The most promising hybrids of domestic and foreign breeding were identified, combining high yield, increased sugar content, and stable productivity under changing weather conditions. It was established that the Bolashak, Olzhich, Skala, and Burya hybrids most fully realized their biological potential under the soil and climatic conditions of Pavlodar Region and demonstrated the ability to maintain a comparatively high level of productivity under the influence of unfavorable abiotic environmental factors.

Keywords: sugar beet, hybrid, ecological variety testing, yield, sugar content, adaptability.