VARIETY NAME: Merlin
KIND: F1 garden beet hybrid (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris var. conditiva Alef.)
MATURITY: 60 – 75 days for warm season production
SEASON: Warm
ROOT SHAPE: Round
CROWN SIZE: Small
SMOOTHNESS: Very smooth
INTERNAL COLOUR: Dark red
ZONING: Very light
SUGAR CONTENT: Very high (13 – 15 %)
TOP HEIGHT: 38 – 43 cm
LEAF HABIT: Erect
LEAF COLOUR AND GLOSS: Dark green / glossy
PURPLE IN LEAF (BETALIN PIGMENT): Low
BOLTING HABIT: Very slow to bolt
DISEASE REACTION (SCIENTIFIC): Intermediate resistance: Cercospora beticola (Cb) and Peronospora farinosa f.sp. betae (Pfb)
PLANT POPULATION: 450 000 – 550 000 seeds per ha for normal roots. 600 000 – 800 000 for baby beet production
UNIFORMITY: Very good
MARKET USE: Fresh market, processing and baby beet production
SPECIAL FEATURES: Excellent yield, leaf colour stays green throughout growing season, very high sugar content, excellent for baby beet, processing and fresh market, and tall dark green tops can also be used for cooking