Application of beet sugar byproducts improves sugar beet biofortification in saline soils and reduces sugar losses in beet sugar processing

Abstract Improving the chemical and physical properties of saline soils is crucial for the sustainable production of sugar beet and efficient processing of beet sugar. Here, the impacts of the application of treated filter cake on sugar beet biofortification under saline soil and sugar losses into molasses during beet sugar processing were evaluated for the first time. The application of treated filter cake significantly reduced K%, Na% and α-amino-N while enhanced sucrose content and quality index of beet root juice. Consequently, sugar loss percentage, sugar loss yield and relative sugar loss yield were reduced, whereas recoverable sugar yield was enhanced. Linear regression analysis revealed that quality index and sugar loss yield were increased, whereas sugar loss percentage and relative sugar loss yield were reduced in response to the reduction of soil Na + content accompanied with increasing Ca 2+ content in the soil increased. The results provide treated filter cake as a promising amendment for saline soils remediation for improving biofortification of sugar beet and reducing sugar losses during beet sugar processing.