Tissue strength of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) roots could be an interesting breeding target, as it is a possible indicator for storability and influences the manufacturing process. The objective of this study was to analyze the importance of genotype and environment and their interaction on three texture parameters (puncture resistance, tissue firmness, and compressive strength) and to investigate the range of tissue strengths of commercial sugar beet genotypes. For that purpose, two trial series were conducted with six sugar beet genotypes in seven environments across Germany in 2018 and 2019. A screening was performed with 12 commercial genotypes at one site in 2020. Tissue firmness and compressive strength were closely correlated with the puncture resistance of sugar beet roots. The genotype effect was distinctly higher for the texture parameters than for yield and quality parameters, whereas the genotype × environment interaction was negligible, allowing a selection based on few sites. For both genotype and environment, compression strength was closely related to the relative sugar content of the beets. Commercial genotypes also covered a wide range of tissue strengths. These differences might affect harvest damage, storage losses, and subsequent processing steps in the factory.
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