Crops
Sugarbeet
Commercial planting of a genetically modified herbicide-tolerant sugar beet began in the USA in 2008. This is expected to make weed management simpler and more effective. This sugar beet is approved for import into the EU, as well as for food and feed processing; however, it is not yet authorised for cultivation.
After the seeds are sown, sugar beets grow very slowly. Wild grasses and weeds are usually much faster and compete for light, water and nutrients. Without massive weed control, young sugar beet plants hardly are able to establish themselves. Compared with other crops, they require the most intensive and frequent use of weed control products.