Selected Indicators Of The Root Quality Of Fifteen Cultivars Of Red Beet (Beta Vulgaris L.)

Evaluation of the quality of 15 cultivars of red beet has been made during four successive vegetative seasons. The study involved cultivars ‘Astar F₁’, ‘Boro F₁’, ‘Ceryl’, ‘Chrobry’, ‘Czerwona Kula’, ‘Egipski’, ‘Karmazyn’, ‘Nabab F₁’, ‘Nochowski’, ‘Opolski’, ‘Pablo F₁’, ‘Patryk’, ‘Regulski Cylinder’, ‘Okrągły Regulski’ and ‘Rywal’. The mass, diameter of roots, antioxidant activity, the content of dry mass, soluble sugars, betanin and vulgaxanthin in roots were evaluated. The study indicated ‘Chrobry’ as the cultivar of the most favorable quality features. It was characterized by high antioxidant activity, high content of dry mass, soluble sugars and betalain pigments. Among cultivars of cylindrical shaped roots, content of soluble sugars and antiradical activity was the highest in ‘Regulski Cylinder’ roots.