Sugar Beet: Perspectives for the Future

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to investigate the possibility of utilizing sugar beet for biogas production with a high methane content. For the last three hundred years, it has been an important source of sugar, particularly in Europe and other temperate regions of the world, but changes in modern agriculture, world trade and economics have led to a decline in the use of sugar beet as a raw material for sugar factories. As sugar is an important product and an important ingredient for many industries, sugar beet will continue to be grown in many countries for strategic reasons. Nevertheless, this plant has become an interesting source for many new byproducts and technologies. The sugar beet root not only has a sugar content of about 20%, but also contains an abundance of pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose and other materials that are used for the production of textiles and biodegradable materials such as bioplastics. Due to global warming and the rise in average temperatures in many regions of the world, the energy sector will rely on biofuels such as bioethanol and biogas. Many countries are acquiring automotive technology based on the use of ethanol. Biogas with a high methane content can be produced through the use of sugar beet fermentation technology. This is also an acceptable alternative and a way to move to more environmentally friendly energy sources. Many regions of the world have problems with saline soils. Since sugar beets has a high tolerance to salt, they can be grown on these soils to improve fertility and other soil properties and create a more suitable environment for plant and human life. The sugar beet grown on these soils can be used as animal feed or as a raw material for various industries to produce paper, bioplastics or biogas and ethanol. Byproducts of the sugar industry such as molasses and beet pulp can be used for several purposes. Molasses is an environmentally friendly product derived from sugar manufacturing process from beat and are being utilized for several byproducts. Intercropping sugar beet with other crops has many advantages. Sugar beet products as feed for dairy cows has increased the quantity and quality of milk. Sugar beet has found its place in the circular economy and in many new technological byproducts. Many countries have launched programs to breed and develop new products of using sugar beet.