The contribution of nitrates to the technological qualities of sugar beet

The study was conducted to identify the relationship between the nitrate content of sugar beet and its technological quality indicators and to determine the share of nitrates in the ash complex. The object of the study was 40 samples of sugar beet harvested in 2025, which entered the process flow of 12 sugar beet factories in the Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Tambov and Oryol regions. The samples were determined for sugar content, potassium, sodium, α-amine nitrogen, ash, reducing substances, nitrates, purity and pH of beet juice. Based on the results, each sample was assigned to one of six quality ranks. Overall, a high positive correlation (r = 0.774) between the nitrate and ash content was established for all samples; there was a noticeable (r = 0.617-0.664) correlation between the content of nitrates and alkaline elements (sodium and potassium), and α-amine nitrogen (r = 0.620). A moderate correlation was observed between the content of nitrates and reducing substances (r = 0.384); and a noticeable negative correlation with sugar content (r = -0.591). When the content of nitrates in sugar beet was more than 300 mg/kg compared to a content of less than 100 mg/kg, a 1.2-fold decrease in sugar content and a 1.2-2.0-fold increase in the amount of non-sugars were observed. The share of nitrates in the ash complex of sugar beet, depending on its quality, was 1.73-4.85 %. The value of this indicator varied depending on soil and climatic conditions and cultivation techniques. In the studied samples, the lowest nitrate content (1.34 %) in the sugar beet ash complex was observed in the Tambov Region, while the highest (4.16 %) was found in the Kursk Region.